🏳️‍🌈 is the term 'no homo' homophobic? 🏳️‍🌈

QUEER WORD
NO HOMO

What it means:

A disclaimer, primarily used by straight men, to preemptively deny any homosexual connotation to a statement or action they have made, typically in an effort to defend their perceived masculinity or heterosexuality.

Let’s use it in a sentence:

As Mahmout dropped to one knee to propose to Alexander, he hastily whispered no homo while slipping the engagement ring on.

Is the term 'no homo' homophobic?

Well, yes, of course. 

And, really, that could be the end of the article. Puzzle solved. Conclusion drawn. Let’s move on to the next question. 

But, even though I'm not here to defend its existence and use, I do think that there are some interesting by-products to its widespread adoption that are worth a closer look. 

A little bit of history:

The term no homo first appeared in 1990s New York City, mainly used by straight men, especially within the Black community. It was spread primarily through hip hop, where rappers used it as a kind of verbal armour baked into any lyrics that could be perceived as having gay undertones.

With only three syllables, it was a perfect fit - super simple to drop into their rhymes, especially in rap battles, where defending one’s masculinity is key. It became an instant way to shut down any potential comebacks, offering a preemptive strike to distance themselves from accusations of being anything other than 100% certified heterosexual.

From these humble beginnings the term infiltrated the mainstream, popping up in rap songs over the following decades. Here are some classic examples:

Lyrical masterpieces, I’m sure you’ll agree.

From there… well, the internet happened. The term was further popularised by fitness bros and men’s rights influencers, all of whom have an uncanny knack for cultivating and maintaining a particularly toxic brand of masculinity. It’s now commonplace to see short-form videos of men doing innocuous things like eating ice cream or pushing a shopping trolley, and insisting that that are still incredibly no homo.

The fact that it’s gained such prominence in our collective vocabulary reveals two important truths.

First Truth: Homophobia is deeply entrenched in our culture

Okay, I know I'm stating the bleeding obvious here.

But, even if you were being super generous in your interpretation of the term - seeing it more as irony or linguistic play - you can't deny that it points toward the normalisation of homophobia across our culture. The very existence of this phrase suggests that being perceived as gay is still considered something to actively avoid, something that threatens one's social standing or credibility.

Because, well, in many communities, it absolutely is.

Second Truth: Straight men spend a lot of time policing their own thoughts

Think about it. If some straight men didn't have no homo to hold up as a shield they’d probably talk half as much, immediately nixing any statements they weren’t sure would pass the hetero test.  

Which is… sad.

This constant vigilance - always making sure you're not being perceived in certain ways - must be exhausting.

But, stay with me here… I think that this is precisely what makes the phrase no homo kind of useful.

Messy buy necessary?

Rather than simply refraining from expressing a thought, the existence of no homo gives straight men the opportunity to express themselves (provided they swiftly follow it up with that protective phrase, of course). It lets them be more honest with each other, to show affection, and to express themselves more openly. In doing so, it subtly expands our understanding of what masculinity can be.

Growing up in the ‘90s, I rarely saw men showing affection or complimenting each other. But now, I see it all the time. Sure, it often comes with that eye-roll-inducing disclaimer, but the sentiment is still there.

In a world where some straight men are so worried about appearing gay that they won’t even properly wipe their butts, or admit to enjoying cooking, it must be a bit of relief for the men who are too afraid of their own shadows to have a (albeit flimsy) shield to hide behind.

So, it's messy progress, but it's still a smidgen of progress.

Would it be better if the phrase was finally retired and tossed in the bin? Yes.

But, are there some benefits to its existence in this transitional moment? Also yes.

Alright, enough with the sympathy for straight men. My final question in amongst all of this is: do you think there’s any way we could make no hetero a thing?