The one 'compliment' you should never give to a gay man

LGBT+ rights in the UK have expanded significantly in recent years.

Yet despite the introduction of marriages and the expansion of anti-discrimination legislation, everyday life can sometimes be a struggle.

Hate crime is still on the rise, but ignorant comments can also make things difficult.

Sometimes heterosexual people say things that are well intentioned, but still offensive or problematic. Twitter user @sacha_coward has highlighted a classic example of a “compliment” that gay men hear often which can be highly offensive.

It relates to people saying that a gay men doesn’t “seem” or “look” gay, which many straight people perceive as being a compliment. In fact, as Coward points out, it is the opposite.

He continues to explain that this type of “compliment” can highlight insecurities and reopen scars from the past.

He concludes by imploring people to reframe from dishing out “compliments” like this, asking them to think about the impact their words have.

This thread acts as a reminder that, just because something sounds flattering to you, it might not always come across that way. Please compliment responsibly.

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