The Brief: "Girls gays and theys" is a colloquial way to address or refer to a group of people including girls, women, LGBTQ+ people, and non-binary people.

Bluesquiggle
DEEP DIVE

“Girls gays and theys” is an updated and more inclusive version of the term “girls and gays.” It’s a way to refer to a group of people who are not cis-straight men including girls, women, LGBTQ+ people, and/or nonbinary people.

The phrase is often used by people who are “girls, gays, and/or theys” themselves to greet or address people who share some experience, community, or identity outside of the hegemonic group of straight and cisgender men. “I do it for the girls gays and theys” and “I do it for the girls and the gays” are ways for someone to indicate that they’re not modifying their behaviors to please straight men, but that they’re doing it for themselves, their peers, and their friends.

On TikTok, videos associated with the hashtag #GirlsGaysAndTheys have been viewed over 48 million times.

@jordxn.simone

this one is for my L G B Ts! #nonuancenovember #DiceRoll #lgbt #girlsgaysandtheys

♬ Dance of the Dead – Timothy Chooi

@lostinthebbqsauce

can’t talk rn doing hot girl sheet #cc #bodypositivity #girlsgaysandtheys

♬ original sound – lost in the bbq sauce

@chrissychlapecka

🙄🖐🏻 #ihatecapitalism #girlsgaysandtheys #ISAIDWHATISAID #stopmen

♬ original sound – chrissy