Gay or European?

“Is X Gay or European?” or “X is Gay (or European)” are common titles for youtube videos, mostly AMV’s, about characters with ambiguous sexualities sung to a song from the “Legally Blonde” Musical.

About

“Gay or European?” is a question often posed by mostly Americans trying to figure out if a certain physically fit, well-dressed, fashion-saavy, slightly effeminate male is a homosexual or just a straight European. It is based on the convergent (and, obviously, not always true) stereotypes for the behaviors, mannerisms, accents, and appearances of gay and European males; as well as simple cultural differences among different nations for what is considered appropriate, heterosexual conduct for two males. Complicating the issue are “metrosexuals:” heterosexual, typically American, males who dress in ways that appear gay because it’s fashionable. Metrosexuality was coined in 1994, originally to describe David Beckham, and grew in popularity with the show “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” in 2003.

The term “metrosexual” has fallen out of popular usage since then.

On the web, it is sometimes spelled “Gay or Eurotrash”.

The meme is referenced in a few blogs:

http://www.gayoreuropean.org/
http://www.blairmag.com/blair3/gaydar/euro.html
http://homeimprovementninja.blogspot.com/2007/01/gay-or-european-vote-now.html
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2009/03/ed_westwick_at_the_knicks_game.html
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-backroom/1509002/posts
http://www.warrenandderrick.com/2008/06/dog-du-jour.html

Mistaken for Gay is a Trope

Europeans tired of being mistaken for gay have several sources of support:
A facebook group
A doubt-removing T-shirt
Also available in black

A submeme is the retort by members of one EU nation, “I’m not gay, I’m just British.” This phrase was popularized by Yugioh The Abridged Series. (Bakura says “Im not gay, Im British!” several times throughout the show.)
See the facebook group
A blog entry

Origin

The meme really took off in 2007, when the question was made into a song, “There! Right There!” in the Broadway musical version of “Legally Blonde”

Original video

Spread

Since then, tons of youtube movies have been using the audio of the song and clips of feminine or attractive or otherwise metrosexual characters from children’s movies, animés, etc.

Example: Klavier Gavin from Phoenix Wrong

My Little Pony

The meme is popular enough among cosplayers that it’s frequently used in skits.