If you're a guy, chances are someone said you should "man up" or "boys don't cry" at some point in your life. The phrase that inspired this article is right up there among these classics.
A few months ago, Reddit user The_WereArcticFox submitted a question to the platform, where they asked: "Straight men of Reddit, what is the strangest thing you have been told not to do because 'that's gay?'" Sadly, it has received plenty of replies.
As of this article, there are over 38.5K comments under the post, proving that our society is still pretty messed up when it comes to masculinity and homosexuality.
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#21
"can't come mate, I'm spending the weekend camping with my girlfriend"
"Pffft, what are you, gay? You're missing a party dude"
I'm pretty sure both of us lost braincells in the moment of silence after he said that.
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120points
#22
I hugged my best friend. We don't do that handshake-hug-over-one-shoulder-and-pat-on-the-back bull**it, we f**king embrace. Some people think that's "gay" but we don't care. We enjoy each other.
The other day we went white water rafting and at one point we laid on our backs and floated down a calm part of the river while holding hands. I can't argue with that one, it's a little gay. Still don't care. Had a good day.
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116points
#23
Pedicures. When I was in the military a female friend of mine convinced me to get one by paying for both of us. I've been getting them regularly now for the last 15 years and still some men think it is "gay or feminine"
Guys your missing out! It feels amazing!
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115points
#24
Wear pink or similar colours, although it definitely is my colour
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101points
#25
80s kid here. Anything involving showing emotion is gay. Wearing any clothing that isn't muted is gay. Stating that something is cute is gay. Getting excited about hobbies is gay. Calling your guy friends to talk is gay. Crying is gay. Airing grievances of everyday life is gay. Washing your butthole is gay. Using lotion other than jacking off is gay. Shaving anything other than your face and neck is gay.
98points
#26
If an alcoholic drink doesn't taste really bitter or doesn't burn your throat, apparently it's penis in a glass...
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96points
#27
Not from my folks, but just society made me believe that guys shouldn't hug their friends. .
20 years later, my 6'3" biker friend is big on hugs.
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94points
#29
My girlfriend once seriously asked me if I was gay because I said that I liked her body. Safe to say she had some issues.
86points
#31
Two guys can't sit next to each other in a movie theater if it's not crowded
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82points
#33
I have this casual button down shirt that's...pinkish? Coral? Salmon? More of a Salmon...which is what I said in the story.
Anyway, I really like the shirt based on its fit and its material. And I never have anyone say anything bad about it (I've had like two compliments on it over the 8 years I've had it).
But one day some guy started making fun of me for wearing a pink shirt. And I thought he was joking so I started joking and went "Actually it's a lovely salmon, possibly with a lemon or honey glaze"
And he then called me a homosexual for knowing about salmon as a color and describing cooking in such a way. I don't even know how to cook lol, I ordered that at a restaurant once and loved it.
F**k 'em though. One of the girls I dated loved the shirt.
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82points
#35
I was engaged, and my co-workers knew I was engaged to a woman.
I was at some sort of work thing, and started talking to a guy who was obviously gay. We started talking about philosophy, and I thought he was a cool guy. I was just like hey, if I ever read "x book" that we were talking about, I'd love to discuss it with you over coffee or something, but I might not read it anytime soon.
I'd just graduated college, where getting coffee with someone didn't mean anything, and you just did it if you wanted to have a conversation with them.
Apparently everyone thought I asked the dude out. I guess I see where they're coming from, but I just wanted to talk about Wittgenstein with someone who'd read him should I ever read him.
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78points
#37
Loving my fiancee. Apparently having feelings for someone of the opposite sex was gay. These were older men who are always saying "I hate my wife" or "once you're married you'll hate her". I truly don't understand how people get like that. If loving my fiancee is gay then I'm the biggest queer in the world.
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76points
