Comedian and provocateur Jordan Firstman has never been one to hold back. From his NSFW feature film Rotting in the Sun, which has more bare skin than actual dialogue, to his debut single titled “I Wanna See My Friends D*cks,” the Los Angeles-based funnyman lives to shock.
But his latest hot take may have truly crossed the line—at least according to the gay fashion gods.
Appearing on Kareem Rahma’s cheeky YouTube series Subway Takes, Firstman dropped a bomb that many consider sartorial blasphemy:
“Gay men dress worse than straight guys.”
Yes, really.
“The gays do a little too much,” Firstman quipped, as the subway rattled in the background.
View this post on Instagram
Rahma, who conducted the interview wearing a beige blazer layered over a beige polo and topped with dark sunglasses (a look we’ll generously call “monochrome mystery”), agreed. “Most of the time, my gay kings are not slaying,” he said.
Cue the sound of stilettos being snapped in collective gay outrage.
Firstman’s claim goes against a long-standing stereotype: that gay men are fashion-forward, style-savvy arbiters of taste. From Yves Saint Laurent to Alexander McQueen, queer men have long dominated the fashion industry—not to mention the drag queens, stylists, and influencers who practically invented the word “lewk.”
“Honey, Don’t Wear That”
“In the ’90s, I feel like the media was kind of telling us gay men are the arbiters of taste, of fashion,” Firstman said during the interview. “We were watching Sex and the City and were like, ‘Honey, don’t wear that!’ We just got in our brains that gay men know fashion better.”
He’s not totally wrong—pop culture has long portrayed gay men as the ultimate judges of fashion, with shows like Queer Eye reinforcing that perception.
But for Firstman, that once-glorious label has veered into costume territory.
“If you go to the average gay bar versus straight bar,” he explained, “even the worst of the straight guys are gonna be in an ill-fitting jean and a flannel shirt—which is not offensive. A gay bar? I’m like, ‘Why are you wearing a crop top that says “I love Björk and bottoming,” shiny spandex shorts, and Doc Martens?’ The risk-taking has gone too far.”
Let the record show: that crop top sounds iconic, and if someone could drop the link… we have summer plans.
The Internet Reacts (Of Course)
As expected, Firstman’s comments didn’t go unnoticed online. Queer users across platforms were quick to drag the take, pointing out that gay men are often the creative minds behind everyone’s wardrobe, not just their own.
Hard disagree. Wearing a bad outfit is objectively better than wearing a boring outfit https://t.co/9CYlBkE9kf
— charlie (@dianahungerr) April 15, 2025
Gay men dress worse than straight men!! pic.twitter.com/F4CvOAPakm
— SubwayTakes with Kareem Rahma (@SubwayTakes) April 13, 2025
Some critics also noted that Firstman seemed to be targeting a very specific type of gay man—typically cisgender, white, and living in metropolitan gayborhoods like New York’s Hell’s Kitchen or Los Angeles’ WeHo.
Translation: He’s not coming for your ballroom couture or androgynous runway slay.
Fashion Is Freedom, Darling
To be fair, part of the beauty of queer fashion is its refusal to follow rules. Camp, exaggeration, playfulness—these elements are foundational to LGBTQ+ style. What might look “too much” to some is simply self-expression to others.
So if someone wants to wear a leather harness to Trader Joe’s or a mesh tank to Sunday brunch, who are we to judge?
Even Firstman himself doesn’t appear to practice what he preaches. A quick scroll through his Instagram reveals bold, often whimsical fits that challenge the very norms he critiques.
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
Whether you agree with Firstman or think he’s simply stirring the style pot for fun, one thing’s clear: fashion is subjective, especially in queer spaces where self-expression is king (and queen).
And let’s be honest—if you’re brave enough to wear a crop top that declares your love for both Björk and bottoming, you deserve a moment in the spotlight.
