Every Halloween, like clockwork, members of the LGBTQ+ community come together to out-niche each other's costumes. The phenomenon has sparked the "I Hate Gay Halloween" meme, which calls out the unspoken contest.

This year is no different. Already, several viral tweets and TikTok videos have surfaced, showing some of the deepest algorithm pulls from 2025 trends put into cosplay.

"What do you mean you're the man people see in their dreams?"

You heard them right. That's the costume.

But, where did the "Gay Halloween" meme start? Who said the phrasal template first, and what are some "Gay Halloween" costumes? Let's explain.

Where Does The 'Gay Halloween' Meme Come From?

The joke about "Gay Halloween" originates from an October 2022 tweet sent by X / Twitter user @yaesohn. "Oh this? I'm the scarf Mira Sorvino folded at the end of Romy and Michele," was the overly niche costume referenced in the post.

A year later, X user @beefyfridgers continued the joke, this time harping on a light-hearted hatred for "Gay Halloween" costumes. "Hate going to gay Halloween parties," she wrote, "like what do you mean you're Lady Gaga at the 2:53 mark of the Judas music video?"

How Is The 'Gay Halloween' Meme Used Online?

In the following years, LGBTQ+ internet users embraced the "Gay Halloween" joke, making it a point to dress up as their group chat's most inside of inside jokes.

Each outfit's source material is so off the beaten path that the wearer usually has to have a reference photo on hand at all times.

The trend has led to some creative choices, ranging from Zendaya's big hat to the guy who pushed Brittany Broski.

If these are lost on you, then maybe they're not for you — and that's kind of the point. These costumes are for the LGBTQ+ community by design.

What Are Some 'Gay Halloween' Meme Costumes?

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For the full history of I Hate Gay Halloween, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's entry for even more information.