A decades-old brand of ice cream in Australia has suddenly become the target of homophobes and gay activists alike, and sent the nation into an uproar. Organizers have started a petition to force Golden Gaytime ice cream bars to change their name.
Golden Gaytime ice cream first hit the Australian market in 1959, and has remained a popular brand since. Now, a man identified only as Brian Mc, has launched a petition to have the name of the brand changed, as he finds it offensive to gay people.
“In 2021, Gay’s meaning primarily is related to sexuality,” Brian wrote in the petition. “As a Gay man I have needed to fight to be myself, overcoming many things in my life, I am a proud Gay man. As a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, I believe my sexual identity is owned by me, not a brand and that the outdated meaning no longer applies. Isn’t it time for this double entendre to end?”
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Brian goes on to note that several other brands which featured racial slurs as part of their brand name have since changed to remove any negative connotations. He also cites the recent choice by Hasbro to release Potato Head as a gender-neutral toy.
At the time of this writing, Brian Mc’s petition has netted over 1,200 signatures with a final goal of 1,500. While the petition has obviously gained some public support, the loudest objections to the petition have actually come from within Australia’s gay community itself. Brian Mc has since turned off comments on the petition, apparently due to negative pushback.
100% whoever started that petition to get 'Golden Gaytime' ice creams renamed because they're offensive to gays is not actually gay but just a troll or a NewsCorp journalist trying to generate outrage and clickbait.
— Mike (@graffekta) March 24, 2021
“100% whoever started that petition to get ‘Golden Gaytime’ ice creams renamed because they’re offensive to gays is not actually gay but just a troll or a NewsCorp journalist trying to generate outrage and clickbait,” user @graffekta wrote on Twitter.
Renaming the Golden Gaytime would be homophobic
— Shari Holden (@cats2019stan) March 24, 2021
“Renaming the Golden Gaytime would be homophobic,” objected @cats2019stan.
I think the only reason I ever loved #GoldenGaytime is literally because the name makes me feel both seen and delicious ?
— Vybe (@vybeofficial) March 24, 2021
The account behind the creator of the petition is so eerie: only created this month and nothing but tweets about the petition.
— Andrew J Princep ????????????? (@AJPrincep) March 24, 2021
“The account behind the creator of the petition is so eerie: only created this month and nothing but tweets about the petition,” noted user @AJPrincep, calling into question the seriousness of the petition.
As the debate rages on over social media, another queer Australian has actually launched a counterpetition to keep the word “gay” in Golden Gaytime. At the time of this writing, it has garnered more than 1,100–just shy of a hundred less than its counterpart, and in less time. One comment on the counterpetition also calls into question the legitimacy of the anti-“gay” petition, implying it’s actually an elaborate right-wing hoax designed to embarrass the gay community.
“Brian Mc is NOT a Gay man,” accused user Luke Woodard. “He is part of a homophobic reddit community who are plotting to generate anger/outrage towards LGBT+ people by making a fake petitions posing as gay people, this time trying to rename Golden Gaytimes. Don’t let the trolls win! The LGBT+ love gaytimes!”
In response to the uproar, Streets, the company that makes Golden Gaytime ice cream, released a statement.
“The origin of the Gaytime name was and remains related to having a joyous or happy time and was meant to capture the pleasure that comes with enjoying an ice cream,” the statement read in part. “The Gaytime name is not and never has intended to cause offence and your petition is the first that we have been made aware of.”
Chrisk
“As a part of the LGBTQIA+ community”
Ha. Definitely coming from a troll.
keith 2512
Maybe Brian Mc needs to grow a pair
nathan
Absurd. The name is not homophobic – it was named at a time when ‘gay’ was not a general term used by gay people. I think it is a great name and don’t think that any genuine lgbtq+ person would fund it offensive,
Jon in Canada
Yeah, this Brian is definitely NOT familiar with queer culture. Golden Gaytime is actually a name we would revel in using. The innuendos alone would be Drag Queen fodder in the best way. Queers are fearless when it comes to this kind of thing; homophobic? hardly. If anything, it’s the exact opposite.
Here’s a thought Brian Mc: Grow Up, Get A Grip and Get Over Yourself.
Mack
Personally I think it’s just another right wing dimwit who is trying to stir the pot and make people mad. Kind like Trump does.
bear.tony
As an Australian gay man I find it ludicrous that some gay people want to change the name of golden gaytime. I’ve known this icecream for many many years and I have never been offended by its name. There are way too many sensitive people out there with too much time on their hands.
Fahd
This Brian could be part of a “false flag” operation or even a “prankster”. I’d see a name change as an assault on Australian culture — the brand has been around a long time. Btw, there’s plenty of people with the family name “Gay” or “Gaye” — are they getting petitioned next? I’m going to have a gaytime ice cream while driving in my Vauxhall. Then when I get home, I’ll pour myself a Corona beer.
doristhom
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Joshooeerr
Yes, an obvious troll, pushing an utterly hopeless cause. Golden Gaytimes have been enthusiastically embraced by the gay community for decades, to the point where they’ve featured in one way or another in numerous pride marches. And Streets, who produce Gaytimes, have been supportive. There’s not even the glimmer of a case to be made against them.
nm4047
unfortunately, just another example of ‘attention culture’ never have I heard anyone say that the Gaytime ice cream is a slur on homosexuals. Same stupid element of the str8 community tried to stop the use of the word gay as a reference to the homosexual members of the community. Equally, like many words in the English language Gay has more than one meaning, much like the word (not the spelling) of two, too or to can have different meanings, or the word set has some 400+ meanings or run or go all have numerous meanings in different context.
kenso
Surely he’s not Australian. No real Australian would want to change the Golden Gaytime’s name.
Openminded
This “Brian” should realize that it appears Golden Gaytimes had the name and the rainbow colors WAY before the LGBT community adopted either. If the Ice Cream company cared to they could probably have a good case against the gay community to force gays to stop using the word Gay or the Rainbow colors in their flag. I find the coincidence that they would use both the name and rainbow colors on the same product so many years before they became adopted by the LGBT clan totally amazing. They should come out with a new variety that is a tubular pop with a cream center.
Thad
We don’t need to import ice cream to the USA. But this looks wonderful. Keep it as is.
CityguyUSA
T’s have a different agenda then the rest of the group LGBQ. It really isn’t the same fight. LGBQ are about same sex interest and not being accepted as “normal”.
Trans aren’t about being gay or lesbian or … it’s about being a different gender regardless of what their final sexuality might be. Whether their gender change affects their sexuality one way or another or not at all. Once they reassign or whatever their journey might be they might become part of LGBQ but again that’s secondary to changing their phsyical gender.
Cam
No way that the petition was started by a gay guy.
Like all right wingers, they would love to wipe away anything that indicates LGBTQ people exist.
Terrycloth
World has gone crazy..cancel this, get rid of that.from Mr potato Head to Cartoon Pepe Lepew…Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben ‘s…what next ? Ben Gay ? The names and characters have been around for years without any uproar…in this case , its ice cream. Eat it..enjoy it..who cares what its called..now it will probably become even MORE popular..
Cam
Except we see what you did.
You tried to equate getting rid of racist tropes, to the right wing trying to get rid of something that isn’t offensive.
Nice try.