According to NPR, the term is used to describe “when you ‘discover’ something that’s existed forever. Just that it’s existed outside your own culture, nationality, race or even, say, your neighborhood.”Subscribe to our daily newsletter for a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.It’s a phenomenon that brings to mind a recent story from an Australian publication which reported that “People are shocked to discover how popular Carly Rae Jepsen is with men” after a photo of the crowd (filled with gays, naturally) went viral on social media.
not this lmao pic.twitter.com/qV4wWD4eBFWhile many heterosexual people don’t know CRJ outside of “Call Me Maybe,” she’s been an LGBTQ+ pop icon since at least 2015’s Emotion.
And this is just an example of how “columbusing” highlights the gaps between LGBTQ+ and straight culture.However, it’s far from the only time that heteros have shown up late to the party, co-opted something invented by the gays, or learned our secrets.Here are 15 times the straights stole, borrowed, co-opted, or at least “columbused” gay culture…Who spilled?!
The New York Times recently reported on the rise of “psyllium husks” (a.k.a. digestive aids) as a solution for straights looking to curb their irritable bowel syndrome and regulate their appetite.