Dictionary

queerbait en · NOUN · etymology 1

From queer + bait (“something that allures”).

(derogatory, slang, sometimes, uncountable) A man who is attractive to queer/gay people.
- A fucking stranger had come between them and now here was a flaming queerbait ruining his chances for a sale. 2005, Josh Emmons, The loss of Leon Meed:
- “Cause you'd fuck anything, wouldn't you, queerbait, you little queer. I bet you've even fucked your own father!” Stunned silence at this. 2003, Robin Tamblyn, King of Hollywood, page 44:
- A couple of them are UNO pukes; the others are just ugly and stupid or probably latent queerbait themselves. Anyway, they're always on the prowl for fresh meat down in the Quarter. 1994, James Lee Burke, Dixie City Jam:

From queer + -bait (manipulation to elicit a particular response).

(slang) To engage in queerbaiting (creating homoerotic tension, but not developing it, in a narrative work to reel in an LGBT audience).
To harass or vilify someone for their real or imagined queerness, often to advance political ends against them.
- The reasons for red-baiting among gays are more legitimate than reasons for queer-baiting among leftists, because much of the left is imbued with bigotry and certain socialist regimes have been and are oppressive of gays. 1980 April 19, Scott Tucker, “Ring That Red Bell”, in Gay Community News, page 5:

Spelling	Features	Source
queerbaits	Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres	lexicographic
queerbaiting	Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part	lexicographic
queerbaited	Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part	lexicographic
queerbaited	Tense=Past	lexicographic