Why Does This Video Resurface Every Pride Month? 'Hi Gay!' Meme Explained

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About

Hi Gay is a catchphrase derived from a viral video posted to TikTok by user Meg Stalter (@megstalter) in early June 2021. The video, in relation to the Companies When Pride Month Ends meme, jokingly lampoons corporations that attempt to pander to the LGBTQ community during Pride Month. The meme typically resurfaces near the end of May and the beginning of June each year, leading up to LGBTQ Pride Month.

Origin

On June 2nd, 2021, TikTok user @megstalter posted a video parodying the forced, surface-level advertising copy often employed by corporations during Pride Month in a thinly veiled attempt to attract business from the LGBTQ community.

In the video, Stalter enthusiastically addresses the consumer in a humorously dehumanizing way, cheerfully opening with "Hi Gay!" The video has received 3.4 million views and 661,300 likes in about five years.

@megstalter Corporations this month #pride ♬ original sound – Meg Stalter

Spread

In July 2021, the original video was referenced on "The Trixie & Katya Show," hosted by former RuPaul's Drag Race contestants Trixie Mattel and Katya Zamolodchikova, facilitating the spread of the "Hi Gay!" catchphrase. On July 9th, 2021, a clip of the two hosts saying "Hi Gay!" in unison was posted to the @trixie TikTok page, which received 434,700 views and 107,300 likes in about five years.

@trixie HI GAY. @megstalter @fredericabimmel ♬ original sound – trixiemattel

The phrase "Hi Gay!" spread on various social media platforms in the following months. On October 7th, 2021, TikTok account @oldgays released a video using the catchphrase, which received 32.6 million views and 2.9 million likes as of May 2026.

@oldgays

Hi gay 👋

♬ original sound – The Old Gays

The original video's audio was also utilized in videos mocking Pride marketing. On May 26th, 2022, TikTok user @evanopolski used the audio in a video displaying a Pride-themed Bud Light advertisement. The video received 915,200 views and 171,400 likes in about four years.

@evanopolski #greenscreen excited for what June 1st is going to bring for us gays this year lol #gay #fyp #gaytok🏳️‍🌈 ♬ original sound – Meg Stalter

The phrase saw continued use over the years, with the original video and related referential content usually resurfacing every June for Pride. On June 1st, 2023, the video was reuploaded by TikTok user @samtyrone99 in honor of Pride Month starting. The video received 257,700 views and 42,900 likes in about three years.

@samtyrone99 Hi gey 😀 #lgbt #pridemonth #pridemonth2023 #taylorswift @Megan Stalter ♬ original sound – Meg Stalter

On June 24th, 2024, a longer clip from "The Trixie & Katya Show" in which the phrase was used was uploaded by TikTok user @deleteitbald, receiving 5.1 million views and 986,100 likes in about two years.