Gay for me, but not for thee.
Actor Justice Smith has offered a refreshingly honest clarification about how he prefers his sexuality to be described — and it boils down to one point: straight people simply don’t have the range to define him.
During his appearance on the newest episode of Gaydar — the viral hit hosted by actor and drag performer Anania (recipient of our inaugural Women in STEM Award for Advancements in Gaydar Technology this June) — Smith worked through a rapid-fire round of questions before reaching the show’s signature finale. Usually, Anania ends episodes by guessing whether the guest is “gay, straight, or a homophobe.”
Instead of making a declaration this time, Anania asked Smith directly, “Would you just say you’re queer? What’s the tea?” Smith’s response was iconic: “I don’t allow straight people to call me gay.”
(And honestly, it is amusing to remember that a decade ago, many people were uncomfortable with straight folks using the word queer — a reclaimed slur — rather than gay. How quickly cultural vibes evolve.)
Smith went on to explain that straight people tend to hold a narrow view of what “gay” means. He pointed out that if he mentions an ex-girlfriend, someone inevitably replies, “But I thought you were gay!” His answer? “You’re boring, and you’re basic.” Hard to argue with that — though, to be fair, even within the LGBTQ+ community, some still struggle to understand that attraction can span more than one gender.
Smith, who appeared with his boyfriend Nic Ashe in a 2022 Calvin Klein campaign, maintains a fluid sense of his identity, which aligns perfectly with his role as Owen/Isabel in I Saw the TV Glow. Later in the interview, when Anania asked him about the “gayest moment” on set, Smith didn’t hesitate: “Everything was gay.” He described an atmosphere filled with trans and nonbinary artists, and recalled how he and co-star Jack Haven would sing Dear Evan Hansen while running through the woods. “I did cartwheels in a dress,” he added — peak theater-kid behavior, and honestly, we support it.
