So here’s a thing that happened on Instagram over the weekend…
Tom Shields, the 2016 Olympic gold medalist, posted a picture of his new toe shoes to his Instagram story along with the caption: “Gay or next gen?”
Evidently, the 26-year-old still thinks using “gay” in a negative way is as hilarious as it was back in the fourth grade.
Since the post was shared as part of his story, it was only up for 24 hours before being automatically deleted. Luckily, a Queerty tipster managed to grab a screenshot before it disappeared forever.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Shields currently holds the short-course American records in the 50-meter, 100-meter, and 200-meter butterfly events, as well as the 100-yard butterfly.
He got his degree in religious studies from UC Berkeley.
Cue the canned apology written by his publicist in 3… 2… 1…
Related: This virulently homophobic athlete just gave a progay airline some free publicity
KaiserVonScheiss
If you don’t follow my language guidelines, you’re a homophobe!
Words can have multiple meanings, depending on the context. They may have less than great origins, but take on different meanings over time. Just because people talk that way, doesn’t mean they treat people badly.
Hussain-TheCanadian
So using the word “gay” in a negative light is ok to you?
What does he mean by saying “gay or next gen” – how did you read it?
jsmu
Sieg Heil, KaiserScheisskopf! Disingenuous bullsh*t is a bad look on you, honey; you’re too old, too trollish, and too much of a tired old known quantity in this comment section. “Do these shoes, like, make me, like, look, like GAY?” cannot be twisted into anything but ugly little juvenile homophobia–rather like all of your comments 🙂
GC1985
Oh look it’s the troll with the mental capabilities of a five year old, Karl Von Swastika.
Mandrake
I totally agree with you, Kaiser. This is a non-issue raised by insecure gays who can’t tolerate anything or anybody who doesn’t use “Gay” in any other way than in a unambiguously positive light. Otherwise, they reek of homophobia. However, I think the vast majority of us in the gay world would not be offended here. As an aside, regardless how they look, would these sneakers be as safe for the toes in a practical way? I’d worry about breakage as well as the fungal buildup.
GC1985
Oh look it’s Mandrake… The trolling parrot. Was all that text necessary? You are just repeating what Kaiser Karl has said.
Mandrake
GC1985, I’ve read enough of your name calling and insults to realize you’re an angry person, maybe self-loathing? If you need to disagree by calling other commenters trolls, you may need some professional help rather than be so quick to attack others.
GC1985
The truth hurts. That is all I will say, telling by your reactive response. The “I know you are but what am I” defense doesn’t work here, parrot.
KaiserVonScheiss
@GC1985
But you’re the one who sounds butthurt.
ethan_hines
I sent him a note “Time to don your “GAY” apparel Tom! (BTW this is the only time you should use the word GAY to describe a thing)”
jpcolter
I get your point but in this case it was a negative use and intended that way. He did not ask ugly or stylish. He said gay or next-gen. How else should the “gay” part be construed?
GC1985
@ Karl Von Sneezealot, whatever you say. You seem to have these very weird ideas about life. Do you predict things after they happen, like the Orange Mussolini?
mhoffman953
Maybe he should’ve said, “Queer or Next Gen”
People get angry over minutia anymore
Stenar
Where I live we have a gay youth suicide epidemic, and people saying things like “That’s so gay” contributes to those suicides.
mhoffman953
@Stenar
How many deaths are you alleging or proposing that this Olympic gold medalist contributed to by saying “Gay or Next Gen?”
startenout
Just like when people point out you’re a homophobic, fascist and a nazi…They may have less than great origins, but take on different meanings over time. Just because people talk that way, doesn’t mean they treat people badly.
GC1985
Hoffy, does ignorance run in your family? And why are you here? Shouldn’t you be posting on some white supremacist website?
daddybear
We just invited some members from the gay sugar daddy app “DaddyBear” to vote the shoes. 65% of them ranked his shoes as gay style.
KaiserVonScheiss
@startenout
Apples and oranges. Those words are directed at particular people. They are used by censorious SJWs to shutdown debate because their insane arguments can’t win on their own merit.
Eldred
Those things look wild.
Also, I couldn’t care less about him asking if it’s “Gay or Next Gen”.
Queerty, you and your herding of gays to fake outrage like cattle.
m112776
No… that’s just how you look! Good thing it’s OK to be GAY! And HAPPY FEET are allowed too!!!
imaqt2
That’s gay.
Donston
I’m not someone who is constantly looking to be offended. And I’ve long ago accepted that most people are a-holes. But maybe he’s gay and was using it ironically? Otherwise, it’s just lame and played out. And he’s old enough, famous enough and cultured enough to know better.
Cue the apology but also cue the queers with no self-respect who will be desperate to defend him.
Stenar
It’s not about being offended, it’s about protecting those who are younger and weaker among us. My state has a gay youth suicide epidemic and kids in school use “gay” as a negative in speech daily. That contributes to the suicides.
mlnave
Yes, Tom, you look super cool.
jsmu
Aaaand…..cue his coming-out speech/apology in a few years. Berkeley gave a *degree* to this moron? Must have been really desperate for a star on their swim team!
brian_keith
It’s not the shoes that make you look gay…
GC1985
Another average white dude in ugly shoes who doesn’t know how language works. How did he get his degree? Rich parents I bet.
He BGB
Do you mean the black shoes with individual toes like gloves for the feet? I don’t see any rainbow flags on them Miss Thing. So I guess you just look gay, Mary.
Jimmy T
Y ou forgot the third option: Stupid
oldman57
First of all those shoes are ugly …………..and I take offense to the thought we as a community would find them attractive and/or flattering much less gay……………as for the use of the word it’s dis-respectful, just like you or anybody wouldn’t use any other minorities degrading verbiage (denounced by that minority ) to put down or insult someone why should our community allow it?
At some point we have to stop insulting ourselves and allowing others to do the same…………
as Donston stated
“And he’s old enough, famous enough and cultured enough to know better.
Cue the apology but also cue the queers with no self-respect who will be desperate to defend him.”
boneil
He looks pretty damn gay to me, with or without the stupid looking shoes.
nitejonboy
Damn he has gorgeous nipples.
tham
No…not the shoes…I’d say his dimple’d smug smile does.
I mean, he looks like he’s thinking “what’s going wrong with your wig, girl?”
Seriously, that’s what he looks like when he smiles…
Donston
He does have the most extreme of “gay faces”, even more so in other photos. But I didn’t really want to go there.
mhoffman953
@Donston
Hmmm. So it’s not okay to say shoes are “gay”, because that’s offensive, but we’re saying it’s okay to say faces are “gay”
Donston
I don’t recall saying anything is “offensive”. It’s very difficult for me to be offended by anything. Otherwise, I wouldn’t still be coming here. I just gave context to the situation and spoke on casually using orientation as a synonym for “bad” or “lame”.
But yes, study after study has continued to conclude that almost the majority of men with features like his (large foreheads, closer together facial features, longer noses, thinner jawlines) are gay or gay-leaning, proving that physiology often plays a large role a good percentage of people’s orientations. Of course, it’s not an exact science, and there are psychological and sociological things that are often in play with the development of orientation. But the purpose of me mentioning that was to point out the slight irony of questioning whether shoes are “gay” when you have yourself have a classic, stereotypical “gay face”.
IanHunter
His face matches those shoes. He should wear them everywhere. Uggo!
Bob Scardino
If you have to ask…
carver.robertd
UNLESS THEY’RE THE ORIGINAL RUBY SLIPPERS, WHO CARES?
Bryguyf69
I hope he does NOT apologize because any apology would dilute true homophobia and the contrition that should result. I see no “negative” usage or malice in those 4 words, so any judgement is a projection of the reader. Indeed, living in New York and working in a very gay environment (HIV and sexuality research), I hear comments like, “Does this make me look gay?” from gays and their straight allies all the time. And if the response is, “Yes,” the asker usually wears the item anyway. Unless Shields has a PROVEN record of homophobia, I’m not ready to accuse him of anything. No, being a religion major is
not enough (I have a gay friend in Yale’s Divinity program). You can make the opposite argument and say that CHOOSING to attend UC Berkeley — one of the world’s most liberal and gay-
friendly campuses — means that he’s gay- friendly. The bottom line is that this pointless outrage just makes accusers look petty and foolish.
Donston
Yeah, this argument doesn’t really add up. The jokes made between friends and “allies” don’t compute when people are communicating with a bunch of random followers on social media. Also, he clearly meant “gay” as in bad/lame and not “camp”, and he meant “nextgen” as in its “cool” and “edgy” alternative. So, no matter how you look at it the comparison doesn’t work. I as well wouldn’t say it’s homophobic, and there’s no reason to be outraged. It just makes him come off like a toddler and a wannabe considering what his age, what he’s achieved and his education. It’s something to roll your eyes at but not be outraged about. It’s some Cartman communicating with Kenny type juvenile sh*t.
Donston
This was a response to Bryguyf69.
Donston
Also, he already apologized. Though referring to gays as a “great community” was probably a bit over the top.
PeterGay
No Gay man would wear those atrocities. Those “shoes” do not make him look gay, they make him look stupid!
Mr-DJ
Why would he think this is a Gay thing? I have seen ZERO Gay people wearing these. And what do shoes (or whatever these are called) have anything to do with guys liking guys, or girls liking girls anyway? That connection so totally escapes me.
dfwenigma
If I were to use the word n****r. All would be outraged. And they should be outraged. Saying things like “that looks so gay” or “you’re so gay” does but one thing – it continues homophobia. Allowing for less says that we approve the practice. It says “it’s OK he was only kidding”. This isn’t about serious versus not serious. Queerty vs. “real news” it’s about the practice. The man needs to be told very simply: not acceptable. Period.
Kieran
Give Tom a break, he just turned 12.
GC1985
Hoffman is like a fungus… Just won’t go away.
Nahald
The shoes are neither gay nor next gen, they are UGLY !
MrBizzy
It’s not the shoes that make him look “gay” it’s his FACE! One of those gays that just cant help it.. he looks like Probably engages in raunchy sex. Forget Next Gen… just plain dumbass!
MrBizzy
Sunken eyes…gay. Looks like parties too much.
Olympic tattoo GAY
Nips GAY. Probably uses some kinda of sex suction toy on them.
He’s 26? Looks used up already. Must be the gay orgies he is participating in.
MrBizzy
This guy is married? He has a beard. Look at his eyes. Something very off there. This guy is definitely playing on the side with guys.
Gates
I don’t know of any gay man that would be caught dead in those shoes. but he does look kinda light in the loafers.