Contents:
- THE GAY HISTORY OF AMERI’S CLASSIC CHILDREN’S BOOKS
- THE GAY OLD DOG
- BNETSUBSCRIBESIGN {"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","URL":","MAENTYOFPAGE":","HEADLE":"THE NEWT QUEER IN: FROGS","SCRIPTN":"MONIZED BY ALEX JON, LGBTQ+ MEME MAKERS HAVE EMBRACED AMPHIBIANS AS A MAST","IMAGE":[{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":"}],"DATEPUBLISHED":"2021-05-07T20:40:28+00:00","DATEMODIFIED":"2021-05-07T20:40:28+00:00","ISACCSIBLEFORFREE":TE,"THOR":[{"@TYPE":"PERSON","NAME":"BRIAN FELDMAN","URL":","SCRIPTN":"THE VENTOR OF BLOGGG","INTIFIER":"ER:241258","IMAGE":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","NTENTURL":","THUMBNAILURL":"}}],"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"BNET","URL":","SCRIPTN":"A NEWSLETTER ABOUT THE TER AND PUTERS OR WHATEVER","TERACTNSTATISTIC":{"@TYPE":"INTERACTNCOUNTER","NAME":"SUBSCRIBERS","TERACTNTYPE":","ERINTERACTNCOUNT":1000},"INTIFIER":"PUB:39741"}}SHARE THIS POSTTHE NEWT QUEER IN: COPY LKFACEBOOKEMAILNOTOTHERTHE NEWT QUEER IN: FROGSMONIZED BY ALEX JON, LGBTQ+ MEME MAKERS HAVE EMBRACED AMPHIBIANS AS A MASTBRIAN FELDMANMAY 7, 2021SHAREBY LIZ SOMMERJUDY GARLAND. DIANNA ROSS. CHER. LADY GAGA. TO THIS DAY, THE NCEPT OF A “GAY IN” IS STILL LARGELY REPRENTED BY (OFTEN HETEROSEXUAL) CELEBRY WOMEN WHO EMBODY ELEMENTS OF SEXUALY AND SELFHOOD THAT RONATE WH AT LEAST SOME LGBTQ+ PEOPLE. WHILE THE PHRASE “GAY IN” MAY NNOTE A DIVA WORSHIPPED BY CIS GAY MEN, A WI RANGE OF CELEBRI HAVE BEE OBJECTS OF AFFECTN BY LGBTQ+ PEOPLE.AS THE TER OPENS UP SPACE FOR QUEER PEOPLE TO FAWN OVER, STAN, AND SHAPE THEIR OWN NARRATIV ABOUT THEIR INS, THE PARAMETERS OF WHAT NSTUT ONE ARE EXPANDG. IN ADDN TO THE CLN OF A MORE DIVERSE SET OF PEOPLE, MANY OF WHOM ARE THEMSELV MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ MUNY, THE NNON OF QUEER INOGRAPHY ON THE TER HAS AN EVEN WIR SPE. IT NOW CLUS THE GREEN AND BROWN M&MS, MISS PIGGY, ICED FFEE, THE PLANT SECTN AT LOWE’S, AND OGS.PLENTY OF TIKTOK VIOS LIST “THGS THAT AREN’T GAY/QUEER/LGBTQ+ BUT HAVE GAY/QUEER/LGBTQ+ ENERGY.” THEY’RE TYPILLY PRENTED WHOUT EXPLANATN, JT THE STATEMENT THAT ANIMATE OBJECTS, STRAIGHT CELEBRI, STOR, ANIMALS, MOVIE VILLAS, POLIL IOLOGI, ETC., HAVE QUEER VIB. FROGS ARE A RECURRG EM ON THE LISTS. OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO, I’VE NOTICED A STEADY AND GROWG STREAM OF QUEER-RELATED OG NTENT ON THE RNERS OF THE TER I HAB. EXAMPL CLU TWEETS ABOUT BISEXUALS LOVG OGS, OG PRI MERCH SOLD ON ETSY, LBIAN OG MEM, AND A BUILD-A-LGBTQ-OG TUMBLR THREAD. AT FIRST, I DIDN’T THK MUCH OF THIS BEE JT MA SENSE TO ME — THE MORN TER IS PERSONALIZED TO EACH ER. AS A QUEER PERSON WHO VAGUELY LOV OGS, I WASN’T PARTICULARLY SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT THERE WERE OTHER QUEER PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ALSO LOVE OGS. IN EARLY QUARANTE, WHEN I GOT EP TO THE OG-CENTRIC PART OF TIKTOK KNOWN, PREDICTABLY, AS #FROGTOK, HOWEVER, I REALIZED THAT THE NARRATIVE OF OG-LOVG QUEER PEOPLE WAS NOT JT A VAGUE FEELG, BUT AN ACTUAL SORT OF LGBTQ+ TER FANDOM FOR THE AMPHIBIAN. IT’S WORTH NOTG THAT OGS ARE BIG ON THE TER GENERAL. IN ADDN TO PEPE (THE MATT FURIE-CREATED OG -OPTED BY THE ALT-RIGHT WHO IS ABSENT OM MOST OF THE LGBTQ+ OG MEM I’VE ENUNTERED), OGS N BE FOUND WEARG WBOY HATS TIKTOKS, LERALLY JT VIBG, AND A WI RANGE OF JOK, IMAGE MACROS, AND TRENDS WHOUT SPECIFIC NNECTNS TO LGBTQ+ CULTURE.COURTY OF TUMBLR ER QUALIDYKEAS TO POSSIBLE ORIGS OF THE RISE OF OGS AS A QUEER MAST, THERE ARE THREE MAJOR RECURRG THEM. 1. “TURN THE FRICK’ FROGS GAY”IN ONE OF HIS BETTER-KNOWN UNHGED RANTS: THE 2015 “GAY BOMB” SPEECH, ALEX JON FAMOLY TOLD THE INFOWARS DIENCE ABOUT CHEMILS ADD TO WATER “TURNG THE ICK’ OGS GAY.” IN THE ORIGAL CLIP, WHICH, ALONG WH THE RT OF THE INFOWARS LIBRARY HAS BEEN BANNED OM YOUTUBE, JON MENTNS THE GAY OGS AS EVINCE THAT THE UNED STAT ERNMENT HAS BEEN ADDG THE HERBICI ATRAZE TO TAP WATER AS PART OF A PLOT TO SPREAD HOMOSEXUALY, EMASCULATG MEN AND RCG POPULATN GROWTH. THE ACTUAL MENTN OF GAY OGS IS BRIEF, BUT HIS LIVERY IS MEMORABLE. AFTER SAYG “WHAT DO YOU THK TAP WATER IS? IT’S A GAY BOMB, BABY,” JON ATTEMPTS TO EXPLA THAT HE ISN’T SHOCKED BY GAY SEX BEFORE SHARPLY SHIFTG TO YELLG “I DON’T LIKE ‘EM PUTTING CHEMICALS IN THE WATER THAT TURN THE FRICKIN’ FROGS GAY. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?” HE THEN SLAPS THE PAPERS ON HIS SK WH ANOTHER STACK OF PAPERS, GNTG AND ADDG “I’M SICK OF THIS CRAP, I’M SICK OF BEG SOCIAL ENGEERED. IT’S NOT FUNNY!” AFTER THAT, HE OLS DOWN, NOT THAT HE NEEDS THE PAPERS THAT HE’S JT KNOCKED OFF HIS SK, AND APOLOGIZ TO HIS “FAY DIENCE” AND TO J BEFORE CHANGG THE SUBJECT. I’M NOT A REGULAR INFOWARS VIEWER SO I’M NOT SURE HOW EXCEPTNAL THIS CLIP IS, BUT WATCHG AN FAMO PEDDLER OF DANGERO NSPIRACY THEORI ABSOLUTELY LOSE OVER THE POSSIBILY OF CHEMILLY-DUCED GAY OG BEHAVR IS FUN. I IMAGE THAT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE HAD A CUP OR TWO OF THE ALEX JON KOOL-AID, THIS WOULD BE A SER PSA, BUT FOR ANYONE ELSE, ’S A SOLID REMR THAT HIS THEORI ARE PLETELY ABSURD, TO SAY THE LEAST. THIS SOUNDBE HAS BEEN REMIXED TO TCHY CLUBBY MIX THAT N BE FOUND ON 1-HOUR LOOPS ON YOUTUBE AND ON TIKTOK AS VIO SOUNDTRACKS. THEY PRIMARILY FEATURE THE WORDS “GAY” AND “OGS” REPEATED THROUGHOUT, AND HONTLY ARE SOMETHG I’D DANCE TO THE GAY CLUB IF/WHEN THEY EVER OPEN AGA.WHILE AN EMBRACE OF OGS AS GAY INS ULD BE A WAY TO RECLAIM THEM OM ALEX JON’ HOMOPHOBIC NSPIRACY THEORY, I THK S STAYG POWER OM THE NATE SILLS OF SOMEONE BEG SO UPSET BY THE NCEPT OF GAY OGS, AS WELL AS THE TCHS OF THE REMIX THAT JON SPIRED. GAY OGS WOULD BE PRETTY OL, ACTUALLY, AND THEIR EXISTENCE WOULD BE FURTHER REASON FOR LGBTQ+ PEOPLE TO CLAIM THEM AS INS.2. FROG & TOADFROG AND TOAD OF ARNOLD LOBEL’S BOOK SERI ARE GAY PARTNERS. THIS IS WELL DOCUMENTED AND THOUGH LOBEL NEVER OFFICIALLY NFIRMED THIS AS NON, HE DID E OUT TO HIS FAY AS GAY A FEW YEARS AFTER THE FIRST FROG AND TOAD BOOK WAS PUBLISHED. CELEBRATNS OF FROG AND TOAD’S RELATNSHIP ROMANTICIZE THEIR IDYLLIC UNTRY LIFTYLE, AMPLE AMOUNT OF LEISURE TIME, AND FASHN SENSE THAT’S REPLITED BY MANY PRENT-DAY QUEER HUMANS. THERE IS ALSO, OF URSE, SOME RULE 34 (THE TER LE THAT ANY OBJECT, CHARACTER, OR MEDIA ANCHISE IMAGABLE HAS PORN ASSOCIATED WH ) FAN ART OUT THERE PICTG THE UPLE’S SEXUAL RELATNSHIP. THE FROG AND TOAD LIFTYLE EPOMIZ “TTAGERE,” AN TER-BORN SUBCULTURE EMBRACED AS AN PIST FANTASY FOR MANY QUEER PEOPLE, PECIALLY LBIANS AND QUEER WOMEN. COTTAGERE GAED SIGNIFINT TRACTN DURG THE COVID-19 PANMIC AS PEOPLE WHO WERE QUARANTG AND ISOLATG, OFTEN SMALL APARTMENTS, TOOK TO BAKG BREAD, GROWG FOOD OM KCHEN SCRAPS, MAKG THEIR OWN CLOTH, AND GENERALLY EMBRACG DOMTICY. WHILE SOME PARTICIPANTS TTAGERE AND ADJACENT LIFTYL ARE KNOWN AS TRADWIF FOR THEIR ADHERENCE TO NSERVATIVE IALS AND “RETURN TO THE GOOD OLE DAYS” ATTU, MANY LGBTQ+ PEOPLE AND LEFTISTS SEE TTAGERE AS A LANDSPE TO IMAGE A WORLD CENTERED AROUND LOVE, RE, NATURE, AND MUNY.BEYOND JT FROG AND TOAD SPECIFILLY, THE ATHETIC OF OGS GENERAL FS WELL WH FANTASI OF LIVG A BETIFUL TTAGE WH YOUR QUEER PARTNER AND/OR CHOSEN FAY, SURROUND BY OGS, MHROOMS, AND IENDLY ANTHROPOMORPHIZED WOODLAND CREATUR. FROG FUN FACT SI NOTE: KERM ISN’T GAY, BUT HE DID MARRY MISS PIGGY SO ARGUABLY HAS BI WIFE ENERGY (A SEMI-IRONIC TERM ED BY TIKTOK ER @CRGELIZARD TO CHARACTERIZE STRAIGHT MEN WHO ARE OFTEN MISTAKEN AS GAY OR BISEXUAL, BUT WHO ACTUALLY JT LOVE THEIR BISEXUAL WIFE). CAN’T YOU JT IMAGE KERM SGG “WELL, TO BE HONT I’M A HETERO GUY, BUT I REALLY TRY TO BE A GOOD ALLY AND A’T NO SECRET AND I’LL TELL YOU WHY ’S E I LOVE MY WIFE AND MY WIFE IS BI. BI WIFE ENERGY, HE HAS BI WIFE ENERGY!”?3. FROGS ARE CUTEFROGS ARE SMALL, UALLY GREEN, AND PERMANENTLY LOOK LIKE THEY’RE GIVG A TOOTHLS SE WHILE STARG RIGHT AT YOU. EVERYONE LOV CUTE THGS AND THAT CLUS LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, MYSELF AMONG THEM. IN IMAGE MACRO MEM, OGS SERVE AS ACCSIBLE, VERSATILE, AND CUTE CHARACTERS AND INS TO SPCE UP LLAG OR ILLTRATE SCENARS. FOR QUEER PEOPLE WHO EMBRACE CHILDISH FASHN AND ATHETICS, OGS ARE THE PERFECT SYMBOL TO EMBROIR ONTO CLOTHG OR TO DRS UP AS. ADDNALLY, OBSSNS WH AMPHIBIANS HIGHLIGHT OVERLAPS BETWEEN LGBTQ+ AND NERD CULTURE AS TURNS OUT PLENTY OF THE KIDS WHO SPENT THEIR TIME TCHG TADPOL AND MEMORIZG OG FACTS ARE NOW QUEER ADULTS. AS A IEND POTED OUT TO ME, OGS N BE CLASSIFIED AS “TRASH ANIMALS” (OR AT LEAST SEMI-TRASHY ANIMALS) ALONG WH RATS, POSSUMS, RACONS, AND SNAILS. THE ANIMALS ARE OFTEN CHARACTERIZED BY HUMANS AS UNWANTED AND GROSS, EVEN WHEN MANY OF THEM PLAY SENTIAL ELOGIL ROL. “SOGGYRE” AND “SWAMPRE'' ARE NICHE TUMBLR/TER ATHETICS THAT ROMANTICIZE TRASH ANIMALS. THEY ALSO TERSECT WH FROGRE AND COTTAGERE. THE OVERLAP BETWEEN THE NICHE ATHETIC FANDOMS, MANY OF WHICH OBSS OVER TY OGS, AND LGBTQ+ TER CULTURE N LIKELY BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE TREND OF QUEER MUNY BUILDG ONLE AND THE SIGNIFINCE OF TUMBLR AS A HUB FOR YOUNG LGBTQ+ PEOPLE TO EXPLORE THEIR INTI. FROGS, WHICH TEND TO LIVE GOOPY ENVIRONMENTS AND ARE SLIMY, DON’T F CLASSIC MOLDS OF FUZZY AND CUTE SMALL MAMMALS. GARBAGE/SWAMPY ANIMALS SEEM TO HAVE A FUN, GRIMY JE NE SAIS QUOI THAT, ACRDG TO THEM TWEETS, INSTAGRAM MEM, AND TIKTOKS, QUE A FEW QUEER PEOPLE RELATE TO. WHY QUEER PEOPLE INTIFY WH (AND KEEP AS PETS) ANIMALS THAT, WHILE CUTE, ARE OFTEN EXCLUD OM MASTREAM TEGORI OF CUTENS IS AN VTIGATN FOR ANOTHER DAY. THERE DON’T SEEM TO BE MANY BLOGIL, ELOGIL, OR METAPHORIL ELEMENTS OF THE GAY OGS NVERSATN AND ALEX JON’ CLAIMS THAT “THE MAJORY OF OGS MOST AREAS OF THE UNED STAT ARE NOW GAY,” REMA UNSUBSTANTIATED. THERE ULD BE SOME APT ALLNS TO THE METAMORPHOSIS OGS UNRGO OM EGG TO TADPOLE TO FULL-GROWN OG TO THE EXPERIENC OF LGBTQ+ PEOPLE. FROGS HAVE ALSO BEEN KNOWN TO CHANGE THEIR SEX OR “ADJT THEIR SEXUAL STY” THE WILD. HOWEVER, MOST QUEER OG MEM FOC MORE ON THE LOOK AND RAS OF OGS RATHER THAN THEIR NATURAL BEHAVR OR MATG PATTERNS. OTHER THAN BEG CUTE, OGS UNNIABLY HAVE GAY VIB. THIS IS A “CHICKEN OR THE EGG” SCENAR WHERE I DON’T KNOW IF OGS HAVE GAY VIB BEE PEOPLE CID AS MUCH OR IF PEOPLE PICT THEM AS GAY INS BEE OF THEIR TRSIC QUEER VIB (OR ALEX JON SIGNATN). EHER WAY, A MON THEME I’VE SEEN SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ABOUT OGS IS THAT OGS JT HAVE GAY ENERGY. THIS FS WH THE PROLIFERATN OF MEM THAT CHARACTERIZE ANIMATE OBJECTS, FICTNAL CHARACTERS, AND STRAIGHT CELEBRI AS EXUDG SOME KD OF GAY ENERGY FOR UNSPECIFIED REASONS. WHILE THERE MIGHT NOT BE MUCH ABOUT OGS THAT’S HERENTLY QUEER, THE PROLIFERATN OF MEM ABOUT THEM BEG LGBTQ+ INS IS WHAT I BELIEVE MAK THEM TO QUEER INS. “FROGS ARE NONILLY QUEER” IS AN IA THAT HELPS PEOPLE EXPRS THEMSELV, AND IS ALSO SILLY ENOUGH THAT ANYONE WHO GETS MAD AT THE NOTN ENDS UP LOOKG FOOLISH AND OVERVTED. MEM HAVE THE POWER TO SOLIDIFY IAS POPULAR IMAGATN. THE WAY RMATN FLOWS THROUGH THE TER N TURN AMG, ARBRARY IAS TO NSENS.AS WE SEE A RISE QUANTY AND QUALY OF LGBTQ+ REPRENTATN MEDIA, QUEER PEOPLE ARE STILL FDG THEIR OWN INS, HERO, AND STARS MEME AND TER CULTURE. FROGS MAY BE A SILLY CHOICE, BUT THERE’S MUCH ROOM FOR SILLS WHEN TO QUEER INS AND WHEN TO THE TER. THE PREVALENCE OF OG-RELATED QUEER NTENT AND QUEER-RELATED OG NTENT HIGHLIGHTS THE POWER OF OGS AS SYMBOLS AND THE FLUENCE OF LGBTQ+ PEOPLE ON THE TER TO CLAIM A MON ANIMAL AS A MORN-DAY QUEER IN. ELSEWHERE…
THE GAY HISTORY OF AMERI’S CLASSIC CHILDREN’S BOOKS
The gay og has taken on a surprisgly proment role ntemporary environmental culture. Primarily associated wh Amerin shock jock Alex Jon and the so-lled alt-right, fears of ogs beg turned gay by hormon water have neverthels entered the mastream, while gay og mem are shared onle by ers om across the polil spectm. This article offers a genealogy of the gay og, suatg this recent moment the longer history of “sex panics” over gay animals scribed by queer elogists, and the ntext of an ongog backlash agast femism and trans liberatn.
THE GAY OLD DOG
It argu that the potency of the gay og as alt-right symbol riv om the pacy of the og to stantiate racialized and sexualized anxieti about borr crossgs. By examg the role of humor gay og clips and mem, this article shows how liberal mockery of Jon has advertently mastreamed far-right beliefs and served to nsolidate alt-right notns of victimhood. In spe of this, argu that the ic potential of the gay og holds promise for queer elogists seekg to thk differently about sex and nature.
” “I don’t like ’em puttg chemils the water that turn the eak’ ogs gay! 3 However, there has been ltle amic discsn of the recent rurgence of tert the gay og alt-right and mastream environmental polics and culture.
BNETSUBSCRIBESIGN {"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","URL":","MAENTYOFPAGE":","HEADLE":"THE NEWT QUEER IN: FROGS","SCRIPTN":"MONIZED BY ALEX JON, LGBTQ+ MEME MAKERS HAVE EMBRACED AMPHIBIANS AS A MAST","IMAGE":[{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":"}],"DATEPUBLISHED":"2021-05-07T20:40:28+00:00","DATEMODIFIED":"2021-05-07T20:40:28+00:00","ISACCSIBLEFORFREE":TE,"THOR":[{"@TYPE":"PERSON","NAME":"BRIAN FELDMAN","URL":","SCRIPTN":"THE VENTOR OF BLOGGG","INTIFIER":"ER:241258","IMAGE":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","NTENTURL":","THUMBNAILURL":"}}],"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"BNET","URL":","SCRIPTN":"A NEWSLETTER ABOUT THE TER AND PUTERS OR WHATEVER","TERACTNSTATISTIC":{"@TYPE":"INTERACTNCOUNTER","NAME":"SUBSCRIBERS","TERACTNTYPE":","ERINTERACTNCOUNT":1000},"INTIFIER":"PUB:39741"}}SHARE THIS POSTTHE NEWT QUEER IN: COPY LKFACEBOOKEMAILNOTOTHERTHE NEWT QUEER IN: FROGSMONIZED BY ALEX JON, LGBTQ+ MEME MAKERS HAVE EMBRACED AMPHIBIANS AS A MASTBRIAN FELDMANMAY 7, 2021SHAREBY LIZ SOMMERJUDY GARLAND. DIANNA ROSS. CHER. LADY GAGA. TO THIS DAY, THE NCEPT OF A “GAY IN” IS STILL LARGELY REPRENTED BY (OFTEN HETEROSEXUAL) CELEBRY WOMEN WHO EMBODY ELEMENTS OF SEXUALY AND SELFHOOD THAT RONATE WH AT LEAST SOME LGBTQ+ PEOPLE. WHILE THE PHRASE “GAY IN” MAY NNOTE A DIVA WORSHIPPED BY CIS GAY MEN, A WI RANGE OF CELEBRI HAVE BEE OBJECTS OF AFFECTN BY LGBTQ+ PEOPLE.AS THE TER OPENS UP SPACE FOR QUEER PEOPLE TO FAWN OVER, STAN, AND SHAPE THEIR OWN NARRATIV ABOUT THEIR INS, THE PARAMETERS OF WHAT NSTUT ONE ARE EXPANDG. IN ADDN TO THE CLN OF A MORE DIVERSE SET OF PEOPLE, MANY OF WHOM ARE THEMSELV MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ MUNY, THE NNON OF QUEER INOGRAPHY ON THE TER HAS AN EVEN WIR SPE. IT NOW CLUS THE GREEN AND BROWN M&MS, MISS PIGGY, ICED FFEE, THE PLANT SECTN AT LOWE’S, AND OGS.PLENTY OF TIKTOK VIOS LIST “THGS THAT AREN’T GAY/QUEER/LGBTQ+ BUT HAVE GAY/QUEER/LGBTQ+ ENERGY.” THEY’RE TYPILLY PRENTED WHOUT EXPLANATN, JT THE STATEMENT THAT ANIMATE OBJECTS, STRAIGHT CELEBRI, STOR, ANIMALS, MOVIE VILLAS, POLIL IOLOGI, ETC., HAVE QUEER VIB. FROGS ARE A RECURRG EM ON THE LISTS. OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO, I’VE NOTICED A STEADY AND GROWG STREAM OF QUEER-RELATED OG NTENT ON THE RNERS OF THE TER I HAB. EXAMPL CLU TWEETS ABOUT BISEXUALS LOVG OGS, OG PRI MERCH SOLD ON ETSY, LBIAN OG MEM, AND A BUILD-A-LGBTQ-OG TUMBLR THREAD. AT FIRST, I DIDN’T THK MUCH OF THIS BEE JT MA SENSE TO ME — THE MORN TER IS PERSONALIZED TO EACH ER. AS A QUEER PERSON WHO VAGUELY LOV OGS, I WASN’T PARTICULARLY SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT THERE WERE OTHER QUEER PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ALSO LOVE OGS. IN EARLY QUARANTE, WHEN I GOT EP TO THE OG-CENTRIC PART OF TIKTOK KNOWN, PREDICTABLY, AS #FROGTOK, HOWEVER, I REALIZED THAT THE NARRATIVE OF OG-LOVG QUEER PEOPLE WAS NOT JT A VAGUE FEELG, BUT AN ACTUAL SORT OF LGBTQ+ TER FANDOM FOR THE AMPHIBIAN. IT’S WORTH NOTG THAT OGS ARE BIG ON THE TER GENERAL. IN ADDN TO PEPE (THE MATT FURIE-CREATED OG -OPTED BY THE ALT-RIGHT WHO IS ABSENT OM MOST OF THE LGBTQ+ OG MEM I’VE ENUNTERED), OGS N BE FOUND WEARG WBOY HATS TIKTOKS, LERALLY JT VIBG, AND A WI RANGE OF JOK, IMAGE MACROS, AND TRENDS WHOUT SPECIFIC NNECTNS TO LGBTQ+ CULTURE.COURTY OF TUMBLR ER QUALIDYKEAS TO POSSIBLE ORIGS OF THE RISE OF OGS AS A QUEER MAST, THERE ARE THREE MAJOR RECURRG THEM. 1. “TURN THE FRICK’ FROGS GAY”IN ONE OF HIS BETTER-KNOWN UNHGED RANTS: THE 2015 “GAY BOMB” SPEECH, ALEX JON FAMOLY TOLD THE INFOWARS DIENCE ABOUT CHEMILS ADD TO WATER “TURNG THE ICK’ OGS GAY.” IN THE ORIGAL CLIP, WHICH, ALONG WH THE RT OF THE INFOWARS LIBRARY HAS BEEN BANNED OM YOUTUBE, JON MENTNS THE GAY OGS AS EVINCE THAT THE UNED STAT ERNMENT HAS BEEN ADDG THE HERBICI ATRAZE TO TAP WATER AS PART OF A PLOT TO SPREAD HOMOSEXUALY, EMASCULATG MEN AND RCG POPULATN GROWTH. THE ACTUAL MENTN OF GAY OGS IS BRIEF, BUT HIS LIVERY IS MEMORABLE. AFTER SAYG “WHAT DO YOU THK TAP WATER IS? IT’S A GAY BOMB, BABY,” JON ATTEMPTS TO EXPLA THAT HE ISN’T SHOCKED BY GAY SEX BEFORE SHARPLY SHIFTG TO YELLG “I DON’T LIKE ‘EM PUTTING CHEMICALS IN THE WATER THAT TURN THE FRICKIN’ FROGS GAY. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?” HE THEN SLAPS THE PAPERS ON HIS SK WH ANOTHER STACK OF PAPERS, GNTG AND ADDG “I’M SICK OF THIS CRAP, I’M SICK OF BEG SOCIAL ENGEERED. IT’S NOT FUNNY!” AFTER THAT, HE OLS DOWN, NOT THAT HE NEEDS THE PAPERS THAT HE’S JT KNOCKED OFF HIS SK, AND APOLOGIZ TO HIS “FAY DIENCE” AND TO J BEFORE CHANGG THE SUBJECT. I’M NOT A REGULAR INFOWARS VIEWER SO I’M NOT SURE HOW EXCEPTNAL THIS CLIP IS, BUT WATCHG AN FAMO PEDDLER OF DANGERO NSPIRACY THEORI ABSOLUTELY LOSE OVER THE POSSIBILY OF CHEMILLY-DUCED GAY OG BEHAVR IS FUN. I IMAGE THAT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE HAD A CUP OR TWO OF THE ALEX JON KOOL-AID, THIS WOULD BE A SER PSA, BUT FOR ANYONE ELSE, ’S A SOLID REMR THAT HIS THEORI ARE PLETELY ABSURD, TO SAY THE LEAST. THIS SOUNDBE HAS BEEN REMIXED TO TCHY CLUBBY MIX THAT N BE FOUND ON 1-HOUR LOOPS ON YOUTUBE AND ON TIKTOK AS VIO SOUNDTRACKS. THEY PRIMARILY FEATURE THE WORDS “GAY” AND “OGS” REPEATED THROUGHOUT, AND HONTLY ARE SOMETHG I’D DANCE TO THE GAY CLUB IF/WHEN THEY EVER OPEN AGA.WHILE AN EMBRACE OF OGS AS GAY INS ULD BE A WAY TO RECLAIM THEM OM ALEX JON’ HOMOPHOBIC NSPIRACY THEORY, I THK S STAYG POWER OM THE NATE SILLS OF SOMEONE BEG SO UPSET BY THE NCEPT OF GAY OGS, AS WELL AS THE TCHS OF THE REMIX THAT JON SPIRED. GAY OGS WOULD BE PRETTY OL, ACTUALLY, AND THEIR EXISTENCE WOULD BE FURTHER REASON FOR LGBTQ+ PEOPLE TO CLAIM THEM AS INS.2. FROG & TOADFROG AND TOAD OF ARNOLD LOBEL’S BOOK SERI ARE GAY PARTNERS. THIS IS WELL DOCUMENTED AND THOUGH LOBEL NEVER OFFICIALLY NFIRMED THIS AS NON, HE DID E OUT TO HIS FAY AS GAY A FEW YEARS AFTER THE FIRST FROG AND TOAD BOOK WAS PUBLISHED. CELEBRATNS OF FROG AND TOAD’S RELATNSHIP ROMANTICIZE THEIR IDYLLIC UNTRY LIFTYLE, AMPLE AMOUNT OF LEISURE TIME, AND FASHN SENSE THAT’S REPLITED BY MANY PRENT-DAY QUEER HUMANS. THERE IS ALSO, OF URSE, SOME RULE 34 (THE TER LE THAT ANY OBJECT, CHARACTER, OR MEDIA ANCHISE IMAGABLE HAS PORN ASSOCIATED WH ) FAN ART OUT THERE PICTG THE UPLE’S SEXUAL RELATNSHIP. THE FROG AND TOAD LIFTYLE EPOMIZ “TTAGERE,” AN TER-BORN SUBCULTURE EMBRACED AS AN PIST FANTASY FOR MANY QUEER PEOPLE, PECIALLY LBIANS AND QUEER WOMEN. COTTAGERE GAED SIGNIFINT TRACTN DURG THE COVID-19 PANMIC AS PEOPLE WHO WERE QUARANTG AND ISOLATG, OFTEN SMALL APARTMENTS, TOOK TO BAKG BREAD, GROWG FOOD OM KCHEN SCRAPS, MAKG THEIR OWN CLOTH, AND GENERALLY EMBRACG DOMTICY. WHILE SOME PARTICIPANTS TTAGERE AND ADJACENT LIFTYL ARE KNOWN AS TRADWIF FOR THEIR ADHERENCE TO NSERVATIVE IALS AND “RETURN TO THE GOOD OLE DAYS” ATTU, MANY LGBTQ+ PEOPLE AND LEFTISTS SEE TTAGERE AS A LANDSPE TO IMAGE A WORLD CENTERED AROUND LOVE, RE, NATURE, AND MUNY.BEYOND JT FROG AND TOAD SPECIFILLY, THE ATHETIC OF OGS GENERAL FS WELL WH FANTASI OF LIVG A BETIFUL TTAGE WH YOUR QUEER PARTNER AND/OR CHOSEN FAY, SURROUND BY OGS, MHROOMS, AND IENDLY ANTHROPOMORPHIZED WOODLAND CREATUR. FROG FUN FACT SI NOTE: KERM ISN’T GAY, BUT HE DID MARRY MISS PIGGY SO ARGUABLY HAS BI WIFE ENERGY (A SEMI-IRONIC TERM ED BY TIKTOK ER @CRGELIZARD TO CHARACTERIZE STRAIGHT MEN WHO ARE OFTEN MISTAKEN AS GAY OR BISEXUAL, BUT WHO ACTUALLY JT LOVE THEIR BISEXUAL WIFE). CAN’T YOU JT IMAGE KERM SGG “WELL, TO BE HONT I’M A HETERO GUY, BUT I REALLY TRY TO BE A GOOD ALLY AND A’T NO SECRET AND I’LL TELL YOU WHY ’S E I LOVE MY WIFE AND MY WIFE IS BI. BI WIFE ENERGY, HE HAS BI WIFE ENERGY!”?3. FROGS ARE CUTEFROGS ARE SMALL, UALLY GREEN, AND PERMANENTLY LOOK LIKE THEY’RE GIVG A TOOTHLS SE WHILE STARG RIGHT AT YOU. EVERYONE LOV CUTE THGS AND THAT CLUS LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, MYSELF AMONG THEM. IN IMAGE MACRO MEM, OGS SERVE AS ACCSIBLE, VERSATILE, AND CUTE CHARACTERS AND INS TO SPCE UP LLAG OR ILLTRATE SCENARS. FOR QUEER PEOPLE WHO EMBRACE CHILDISH FASHN AND ATHETICS, OGS ARE THE PERFECT SYMBOL TO EMBROIR ONTO CLOTHG OR TO DRS UP AS. ADDNALLY, OBSSNS WH AMPHIBIANS HIGHLIGHT OVERLAPS BETWEEN LGBTQ+ AND NERD CULTURE AS TURNS OUT PLENTY OF THE KIDS WHO SPENT THEIR TIME TCHG TADPOL AND MEMORIZG OG FACTS ARE NOW QUEER ADULTS. AS A IEND POTED OUT TO ME, OGS N BE CLASSIFIED AS “TRASH ANIMALS” (OR AT LEAST SEMI-TRASHY ANIMALS) ALONG WH RATS, POSSUMS, RACONS, AND SNAILS. THE ANIMALS ARE OFTEN CHARACTERIZED BY HUMANS AS UNWANTED AND GROSS, EVEN WHEN MANY OF THEM PLAY SENTIAL ELOGIL ROL. “SOGGYRE” AND “SWAMPRE'' ARE NICHE TUMBLR/TER ATHETICS THAT ROMANTICIZE TRASH ANIMALS. THEY ALSO TERSECT WH FROGRE AND COTTAGERE. THE OVERLAP BETWEEN THE NICHE ATHETIC FANDOMS, MANY OF WHICH OBSS OVER TY OGS, AND LGBTQ+ TER CULTURE N LIKELY BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE TREND OF QUEER MUNY BUILDG ONLE AND THE SIGNIFINCE OF TUMBLR AS A HUB FOR YOUNG LGBTQ+ PEOPLE TO EXPLORE THEIR INTI. FROGS, WHICH TEND TO LIVE GOOPY ENVIRONMENTS AND ARE SLIMY, DON’T F CLASSIC MOLDS OF FUZZY AND CUTE SMALL MAMMALS. GARBAGE/SWAMPY ANIMALS SEEM TO HAVE A FUN, GRIMY JE NE SAIS QUOI THAT, ACRDG TO THEM TWEETS, INSTAGRAM MEM, AND TIKTOKS, QUE A FEW QUEER PEOPLE RELATE TO. WHY QUEER PEOPLE INTIFY WH (AND KEEP AS PETS) ANIMALS THAT, WHILE CUTE, ARE OFTEN EXCLUD OM MASTREAM TEGORI OF CUTENS IS AN VTIGATN FOR ANOTHER DAY. THERE DON’T SEEM TO BE MANY BLOGIL, ELOGIL, OR METAPHORIL ELEMENTS OF THE GAY OGS NVERSATN AND ALEX JON’ CLAIMS THAT “THE MAJORY OF OGS MOST AREAS OF THE UNED STAT ARE NOW GAY,” REMA UNSUBSTANTIATED. THERE ULD BE SOME APT ALLNS TO THE METAMORPHOSIS OGS UNRGO OM EGG TO TADPOLE TO FULL-GROWN OG TO THE EXPERIENC OF LGBTQ+ PEOPLE. FROGS HAVE ALSO BEEN KNOWN TO CHANGE THEIR SEX OR “ADJT THEIR SEXUAL STY” THE WILD. HOWEVER, MOST QUEER OG MEM FOC MORE ON THE LOOK AND RAS OF OGS RATHER THAN THEIR NATURAL BEHAVR OR MATG PATTERNS. OTHER THAN BEG CUTE, OGS UNNIABLY HAVE GAY VIB. THIS IS A “CHICKEN OR THE EGG” SCENAR WHERE I DON’T KNOW IF OGS HAVE GAY VIB BEE PEOPLE CID AS MUCH OR IF PEOPLE PICT THEM AS GAY INS BEE OF THEIR TRSIC QUEER VIB (OR ALEX JON SIGNATN). EHER WAY, A MON THEME I’VE SEEN SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ABOUT OGS IS THAT OGS JT HAVE GAY ENERGY. THIS FS WH THE PROLIFERATN OF MEM THAT CHARACTERIZE ANIMATE OBJECTS, FICTNAL CHARACTERS, AND STRAIGHT CELEBRI AS EXUDG SOME KD OF GAY ENERGY FOR UNSPECIFIED REASONS. WHILE THERE MIGHT NOT BE MUCH ABOUT OGS THAT’S HERENTLY QUEER, THE PROLIFERATN OF MEM ABOUT THEM BEG LGBTQ+ INS IS WHAT I BELIEVE MAK THEM TO QUEER INS. “FROGS ARE NONILLY QUEER” IS AN IA THAT HELPS PEOPLE EXPRS THEMSELV, AND IS ALSO SILLY ENOUGH THAT ANYONE WHO GETS MAD AT THE NOTN ENDS UP LOOKG FOOLISH AND OVERVTED. MEM HAVE THE POWER TO SOLIDIFY IAS POPULAR IMAGATN. THE WAY RMATN FLOWS THROUGH THE TER N TURN AMG, ARBRARY IAS TO NSENS.AS WE SEE A RISE QUANTY AND QUALY OF LGBTQ+ REPRENTATN MEDIA, QUEER PEOPLE ARE STILL FDG THEIR OWN INS, HERO, AND STARS MEME AND TER CULTURE. FROGS MAY BE A SILLY CHOICE, BUT THERE’S MUCH ROOM FOR SILLS WHEN TO QUEER INS AND WHEN TO THE TER. THE PREVALENCE OF OG-RELATED QUEER NTENT AND QUEER-RELATED OG NTENT HIGHLIGHTS THE POWER OF OGS AS SYMBOLS AND THE FLUENCE OF LGBTQ+ PEOPLE ON THE TER TO CLAIM A MON ANIMAL AS A MORN-DAY QUEER IN. ELSEWHERE…
The appeal of the og also mers further article outl a genealogy of the gay og, suatg Jon’s rant the longer histori of environmental health, sexualy, and cultural panic scribed by queer elogists. I argue that the potency of the gay og as alt-right symbol riv om the pacy of the og to stantiate racialized and sexualized anxieti about borr crossgs.
I exame the role of humor reprentatns of the gay og, showg how liberal mockery of Jon has advertently mastreamed far-right beliefs and nsolidated alt-right notns of victimhood. Fally, I ask what environmentalists might learn om the gay og, drawg on the work of Nile Seymour to argue for the value of humor as an epolil strategy and the og as a queer and antaturalist symbol.
5The gay og and Jon have fallen om mastream attentn sce the height of their populary 2017–18. As such, examg alt-right perceptns of the gay og remas stctive for terpretg past, prent, and future far-right anxieti, and their rout to the mastream.