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You’re Probably Gayish: The Truth (and Lies) Behind 17 Gay Stereotypes
What if I don't know how to "do stuff" all the other gays can do? What if I don't know the name of that gay Netflix movie? What if I'm not obsessed with Jennifer Coolidge like everyone else? Am I really bad at being gay?
While being gay has become more socially and legally acceptable, there's a specific kind of gay that's most accepted. He's hot, jacked, white, loves iced coffee, watches Drag Race, and has a service job but somehow travels to Palm Springs every summer,
In this book, Kyle and Mike aim to break down the most prolific gay stereotypes in popular discourse - drawing on personal experience, up-to-date research, social history and maybe even Wikipedia to demonstrate first-hand how we're all a mixture of gay and straight stereotypes. So - whether you're gay or not - you're probably gayish...
While being gay has become more socially and legally acceptable, there's a specific kind of gay that's most accepted. He's hot, jacked, white, loves iced coffee, watches Drag Race, and has a service job but somehow travels to Palm Springs every summer,
In this book, Kyle and Mike aim to break down the most prolific gay stereotypes in popular discourse - drawing on personal experience, up-to-date research, social history and maybe even Wikipedia to demonstrate first-hand how we're all a mixture of gay and straight stereotypes. So - whether you're gay or not - you're probably gayish...
191 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 21, 2025
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
November 2, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the authors for this ARC. Firstly, I was delighted to see the foreword written by Davey Wavey. Confession time: when I was probably far too young to be watching such videos, I spent hours with my laptop watching Davey’s content on YouTube, seeking clarity on gender and sexuality but also just comfort in there being other queer people out there. Davey was unapologetically gay, and made my young teen self feel much less alone. When my mum went on YouTube on her own computer one day, all the recommendations were for very explicit Davey Wavey videos, and she asked what the heck that was all about. I replied, “Oh, YouTube recommends some weird stuff to people if you don’t use it very much.” I think I got away with it.
Back to Mike and Kyle who wrote everything else in this book… I love the Gayish podcast. I love every jingle, and I love the bizarre topics they cover, and I love the fact that there is proper research and history as well as the opinions and anecdotes. I introduced my husband, the world’s gayest “straight” man*, to the podcast and he loves it too. The book was equally as delightful. I really enjoyed the multiple choice quiz with scores at the end of each chapter - I think more books should do this. I want to know how likely I am to be a murderer when I’m reading a thriller, or which witch archetype I am when I’m enjoying a cosy fantasy. Other authors, take notes!
The format of this book reads very much like the podcast - there’s a sort of conversation that plays out throughout each chapter, based on a gay stereotype, and it brings that same feeling of being involved that listening to a podcast gives you. Mike shares some heartfelt stories, Kyle does a deep dive into all published literature (and less reputable sources) on each given topic, and there’s a conclusion about how gay each stereotype really is. I learned things about the authors and about queer history, and it was delivered with a flair that made it feel like a break from studying.
Despite not being a gay man, my gayish score ended up being in the same category as Mike (high five!), which feels like a win. As for the rest of the book, I was entertained, educated, and emotional in parts. I’d absolutely recommend this as a fun read for anyone who is interested in queer culture and likes some science with their stereotypes.
To finish, of course, my gayest and straightest of the week: gayest was discussing staple guns with my friend and clarifying, “I don’t like DIY; I just love power tools;” straightest was when my husband mentioned Domingo and then had to explain it to me with several clips on TikTok.
*According to the quiz in this book, he is Ryan Gosling’s Ken - flamboyantly straight. It follows.
Back to Mike and Kyle who wrote everything else in this book… I love the Gayish podcast. I love every jingle, and I love the bizarre topics they cover, and I love the fact that there is proper research and history as well as the opinions and anecdotes. I introduced my husband, the world’s gayest “straight” man*, to the podcast and he loves it too. The book was equally as delightful. I really enjoyed the multiple choice quiz with scores at the end of each chapter - I think more books should do this. I want to know how likely I am to be a murderer when I’m reading a thriller, or which witch archetype I am when I’m enjoying a cosy fantasy. Other authors, take notes!
The format of this book reads very much like the podcast - there’s a sort of conversation that plays out throughout each chapter, based on a gay stereotype, and it brings that same feeling of being involved that listening to a podcast gives you. Mike shares some heartfelt stories, Kyle does a deep dive into all published literature (and less reputable sources) on each given topic, and there’s a conclusion about how gay each stereotype really is. I learned things about the authors and about queer history, and it was delivered with a flair that made it feel like a break from studying.
Despite not being a gay man, my gayish score ended up being in the same category as Mike (high five!), which feels like a win. As for the rest of the book, I was entertained, educated, and emotional in parts. I’d absolutely recommend this as a fun read for anyone who is interested in queer culture and likes some science with their stereotypes.
To finish, of course, my gayest and straightest of the week: gayest was discussing staple guns with my friend and clarifying, “I don’t like DIY; I just love power tools;” straightest was when my husband mentioned Domingo and then had to explain it to me with several clips on TikTok.
*According to the quiz in this book, he is Ryan Gosling’s Ken - flamboyantly straight. It follows.
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