Then and Now: Queer Quips

From the hidden corners of underground bars to the vibrant online space of today, queer jokes have evolved alongside changing societal attitudes. Let’s reflect on the transformation of queer humor from an increased understanding of how jokes can harm to celebrating resilience, resistance, and queer joy.

THEN: Gay!

We’ve all seen the gif. You know the one. It’s from the show Community when Ben Chang shouts “GAYYYYYYYY!” in response to something. Back in the 80’s and until the mid 2010’s, this was the joke everyone made when someone said something lame.

You have tons of homework? That’s gay.

Your mom won’t let you hang out at the mall later? That’s gay.

The 2008 housing bubble burst? That’s gay

No one, no experience, no thing was safe from the label of “That’s Gay”, and it took DECADES of advocacy before we finally learned from this unfortunate queer quip. While the intention may have been lighthearted, these jokes reinforced harmful sentiments toward the queer community.

NOW:

See, we understand now that labeling lame things as “gay” is pretty harmful. We understand that language can be harmful and have lasting impacts, and we’ve embraced the “punch up, not down” rule in comedy: don’t belittle people who have less power than you because they have less power. These “jokes” are now considered insults thinly veiled as lame, offensive, lazy attempts at humor.

THEN: No Homo!

Ah, the heteronormative urge to ensure platonic love is clearly defined in the most offensive way possible. Rather than say something like “I love you platonically, man”, this was often used by heterosexual men who wanted to complement their heterosexual male friends but didn’t want to make it weird or whatever.

This phrase was all the rage in the 2000s-2010s, you would hear it in sitcoms, on the radio, and it was all over Twitter back in the day. There were even studies and research conducted on this trend, with results showing heterosexual men would use these jokes to “protect their masculinity.

NOW:

Today, we know there are better ways to communicate our affection for others. While these jokes still occur, we aren’t seeing them as often and they are often immediately shut down with a polite “that’s not okay”. It’s evident that progress has been made and we’ve begun to move beyond offensive humor because we have learned from our past mistakes.

By continuing to challenge stereotypes, harmful jokes, and anti-queer language, we further embrace inclusivity, focusing on not just humor, but empowerment of all people. So let’s keep laughing, learning, and celebrating our fabulous diversity.

Guest Columnist: Chami Krueger: BSW, PSP 1

Pronouns: She/They

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