In pop culture, gay best friends have become a cliche — overly saintly, devoted, woke besties who give dating advice and pick out clothes. But is this kind of friendship really healthy?
Friendship is vital to any community, and the queer community is no exception. Strong, supportive relationships are crucial for mental health.
1. Look for hashtags related to gay culture.
Twitter encourages self-expression, so it’s no surprise that a group of users has taken advantage of its DM policy to post nudes and homemade pornography. It’s also no surprise that the platform has a sex-positive media policy, as well as an official list of acceptable words for its DMs.
The far right has celebrated Elon Musk’s deal to acquire Twitter, which would allow them to freely use homophobic slurs and rhetoric on the platform. But University of Oregon sociologist C.J. Pascoe says it’s important to remember that this language reflects problematic practices and societal realities.
While the hashtags #gayboy and #gaylove are trending on Instagram, there’s also a growing movement of people using the hashtag #proudboys to share photos and videos of themselves expressing their pride in their identity. The hashtag isn’t without controversy, however, as it has been used by the Proud Boys, a far-right movement that promotes the idea that Western culture is under siege and engages in misogyny, violence, and racism to protect its values. Luckily, the Internet quickly responded with photos and videos of its own.
2. Look for hashtags related to your interests.
Hashtags are a powerful tool for organizing and spreading information on social media. When a natural disaster hits, like the devastating floods in the Northwest this year (#waflood), or California wildfires last year (#ocfire), news organizations can use hashtags to gather reactions and news from their audience on Twitter.
Similarly, when gay people tweet about their interests on TikTok or other social media platforms, they can use hashtags to find others who share those same interests. This can help them connect with other people who are interested in the same topics, and it can also help them get more views on their videos.
Here are some popular gayguys hashtags that you can use with your TikTok, Instagram, facebook or youtube video to get more likes and followers. Just copy and paste these hashtags with your photos or videos to see instant results.
3. Look for hashtags related to your city.
The stereotype of the gay best friend — a sassy sidekick who can get you into any club and is always there to give relationship advice — has become the basis for many rom-coms. And while this stereotype may seem harmless, it can be harmful to the LGBT community. Continuing to portray this stereotype in the media can lead to a lack of representation for gay men and can perpetuate the idea that women are innately attracted to gay male friends.
Moreover, it can cause people to feel like they have to fit into these stereotypes in order to find a good friendship. The lack of representation can make it difficult for queer individuals to form healthy relationships and can be detrimental to their mental health. Friendship is a fundamental part of any community, and it is important for every individual to have healthy and positive ones. This is why it’s important to look for LGBTQ-friendly spaces and communities that are inclusive to all members of the community. This includes but is not limited to bars, clubs, and sports teams.
4. Look for hashtags related to your sexuality.
Twitter has a pretty flexible policy on homemade porn: It’s okay to post nudes and sex videos of up to two minutes in length, as long as they don’t include “homophobic or derogatory language.” And it seems like cis gay men are making full use of the feature.
One of the biggest users is Ira Eisenhart, whose shirtless selfies and divisive political opinions have made him a household name on Gay Twitter. But Eisenhart isn’t without his critics, who have called him out for his use of anti-gay slurs and sentiments.
A recent meme has sprung up on the platform that plays with internal stereotypes about gay people. It’s called the ‘No gay has all five’ meme, and it asks a user to list five things they think would be impossible for someone who is gay to have.
While a lot of homophobic language is on display on social media, UO sociologist C.J. Pascoe says it also has some shards of hope. She recently studied how some of the most popular words for LGBT people—”faggot,” “so gay,” and “dyke”—have been used.
