Dying is gay
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Starting in September 2019, an image macro in which old Soldier tells baby Soldier that "dying is gay" has been circulated in meme communities on Reddit, particularly in memes about long-living cultural phenomena, as a part of Mods Are Gay memes and for various other jokes.
Origin
On September 14th, 2019, YouTuber STBlackST posted a Source Filmmaker Team Fortress 2 animation video "Endless Unusual Troubles" (shown below).
The sources discussing these topics are primarily focused on cultural critiques and humor rather than factual assertions.
Conclusion
Verdict: False
The claim "dying is gay" is not a serious assertion but rather a humorous phrase originating from internet culture. This phrase has been referenced in various memes and discussions surrounding LGBTQ+ topics, often in a tongue-in-cheek manner (Know Your Meme).
The phrase has also been linked to the broader cultural critique of the "bury your gays" trope, which refers to the tendency in media to depict LGBTQ+ characters facing tragic fates, including death, more frequently than their heterosexual counterparts.
Fact Check: dying is gay
Fact-Check Article: "Dying is Gay"
What We Know
The claim "dying is gay" appears to originate from a humorous context within LGBTQ+ culture, specifically from a fan animation of the video game Team Fortress 2 titled "Endless Unusual Troubles" by YouTuber STBlackST.
The phrase does not hold up under scrutiny as a legitimate claim and is better understood within the context of humor and cultural critique.
Sources
- Meaning in Life, Death Anxiety, and Spirituality in the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Community: A Scoping Review
- Bury your gays - Wikipedia
- Dying Is Gay - Know Your Meme
- Twink Death: What Is It, and Is It Really So Bad?
- wikiHow
- Remember Son, Dying is Gay - YouTube
- Bury Your Gays - TV Tropes
- “dying is gay” | Fandom - FORSAKEN Wiki
- What Is the 'Bury Your Gays' Trope? The same day a Mods Are Gay meme by Redditor SilencePriest gained over 15,200 upvotes in /r/dankmemes in the same period (shown below, right).
Starting in mid-December 2019, the meme regained popularity in major communities on Reddit as a single-panel format.
For example, a September 15th, 2019, Team Fortress 2 meme by Redditor marcostar2205 received over 10,200 upvotes in /r/tf2 in three months. This trope has been highlighted as a reflection of historical homophobia in media portrayals (Wikipedia, TV Tropes).
Additionally, a scoping review of literature on meaning in life, death anxiety, and spirituality within the lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) community indicates that existential concerns about death are prevalent, but the review does not support the claim that "dying is gay" in any literal or serious sense (PMC).
Analysis
The phrase "dying is gay" is primarily a meme and does not have a basis in serious discourse about death or sexuality.
This trope has been widely discussed and criticized for perpetuating negative stereotypes and for the lack of positive representation of LGBTQ+ lives (The Mary Sue).
While the phrase may resonate within certain circles as a humorous commentary on the tragic fates of LGBTQ+ characters in media, it lacks any substantive or factual basis that would support it as a serious claim about death or sexuality.
On the same day, the image was reposted to /r/UnexpectedTF2 subreddit, where it gained additional 930 upvotes.
Spread
Starting on September 15th, 2019, the format has been used in memes posted to /r/dankmemes, /r/tf2, /r/marvelmemes and other subreddits. For example, a December 17th, 2019, meme by Redditor BillOnMyPoopButt69 received over 41,200 upvotes in the /r/memes subreddit in two weeks (shown below, left).
On September 15th, 2019, Redditor slavicock posted a two-panel image macro based on the scene to /r/dankmemes, /r/PewdiepieSubmissions and /r/MiniLadd subreddits (shown below, right), gaining over 24,300, 3,800 and 3,800 upvotes in three months, respectively. The source of this phrase, a fan animation, suggests it is meant to be comedic rather than a serious statement about death or sexuality.
Moreover, the "bury your gays" trope, which the phrase indirectly references, serves as a critique of how LGBTQ+ characters are often treated in media.
It reflects a comedic take on the tragic portrayals of LGBTQ+ characters in media rather than a factual statement about death or sexuality. Dying is gay.
Sans: Yes father
.
It is often used humorously within specific contexts, particularly among younger audiences familiar with internet culture.In one scene of the video, Soldier experiences a flashback and remembers his father teaching him that "dying is gay."
Son, always remember: dying is gay.
On September 14th, 2019, Redditor RuskiDan posted the first known meme based on the scene to /r/dankmemes subreddit. A December 21st, 2019, meme by Redditor TKLA2000 gained over 107,000 upvotes in nine days (shown below, right).