SNL’s ‘golden rule': Gay sex is (only) OK in a three-way

This post originally appeared in the blog True Jest.

According to last night’s obligatory Justin-Timberlake’s-hosting digital short on Saturday Night Live, the “golden rule” is that it’s not gay for two men to have sex if it’s part of a three-way. Of course there’s only a need for such a rule if there’s something wrong with a man being gay in the first place.

SNL writers haven’t always been the most forward-thinking when it comes to how they depict gay or transgender people, and to be fair to SNL, the show is certainly not alone in airing heteronormative sketches. But at some point before this song went on the air, someone should have caught on to the hurtful message behind this video. If you have to make excuses for having gay sex, the underlying message is that gay sex isn’t OK.