Ever scrolled through a heated Twitter argument about politics or a niche video game patch and suddenly—BAM. Two dudes locking lips. It’s everywhere. You’ve seen it. I’ve seen it. Your grandma might have accidentally seen it if she follows the wrong hashtag. The 2 men kissing meme isn't just one single image; it’s a sprawling, chaotic genre of internet culture that serves as a literal roadblock for online discourse.
It’s weirdly effective.
Most people think it’s just a "gotcha" or a low-effort prank. But honestly, if you look at how it's used on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Discord, and Reddit, it’s evolved into something much more tactical. It’s a vibe-checker. It’s a conversation ender. It’s a way to tell someone, "Hey, you're taking this way too seriously, so here is something that will make you feel awkward instead."
Where did the 2 men kissing meme actually come from?
The origins aren't tied to one specific "Patient Zero" photo. Instead, it’s a collection of various clips and images that gained steam around 2021 and 2022. You’ve got the classic "Hungry Fat Chick" video where two men are seen in the background, or various clips from adult films that have been edited to look like a normal gameplay tutorial before cutting away.
One of the most famous iterations is the "Thugshaker" or "Axel in Harlem" stuff. This specifically bubbled up in the "Shitposting" community. It’s a very specific, very strange corner of the internet where the goal is to be as nonsensical and jarring as possible. The irony is that the people posting these aren't necessarily making a statement about sexuality. They're making a statement about disruption.
Think about the "bait-and-switch" era. Remember "Rickrolling"? Or those videos that started as a recipe and ended with a jump scare? The 2 men kissing meme is the Gen Z, high-speed version of that. It’s designed to catch you off guard. You think you’re watching a Call of Duty trick shot, but suddenly the screen fades into two guys kissing. It’s the digital equivalent of a smoke bomb.
The psychology of the bait-and-switch
Why does it work? Because our brains are wired to look for patterns. When you click a video titled "How to unlock the secret skin," your brain prepares for gaming content. When that pattern is broken by something sexually suggestive or completely unrelated, it triggers a "pattern interrupt."
It’s jarring. It’s funny to some, annoying to others. But it always gets a reaction.
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The "Gay Rat" and the weaponization of discomfort
If you’ve spent any time on "196" or similar subreddits, you’ve probably seen Regie the Rat. This character often acts as a precursor to the 2 men kissing meme style of humor. It’s part of a broader "fempoy" or "gay-post" culture that took over certain meme circles.
But here is where it gets interesting: the "weaponization" part.
In many online spaces, particularly those that are traditionally hyper-masculine like gaming or certain political forums, posting two men kissing is used to "weed out" people who are easily offended or "cringe." It’s a gatekeeping tool. If you get mad about it, you’re the "normie." If you laugh or post one back, you’re part of the "in-group."
Honestly, it’s a fascinating look at how digital tribalism works. You’re basically using an image to test someone’s "internet-poisoning" levels. If they know exactly what’s happening, they’re "one of us." If they react with genuine shock or anger, they’re an outsider.
Why the 2 men kissing meme won't go away
Trends usually die in a week. This one hasn't. Why? Because it’s modular.
You can put two men kissing over a video of a train. You can hide it in a PowerPoint presentation. You can use it as a "reply guy" tactic to shut down a bot.
Specifically, on X, bots have become a nightmare. You see a tragic news story, and the first five replies are "Check my bio for spicy content." Users started replying to these bots with the 2 men kissing meme to mess with the algorithm or just to make the bot's thread look absurd. It’s a community-driven "anti-ad" campaign.
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Different flavors of the meme
- The Slow Fade: A regular video that slowly transitions into the image.
- The Flash: A one-frame insert that you barely see but your brain registers.
- The "Say Gex": A play on words (S-A-Y G-E-X) used as a caption for these images to bypass word filters.
- The Anime Twist: Using "Yaoi" (male-male romance) tropes to lure in fans before hitting them with a more "realistic" or "rugged" version of the meme.
It's essentially a game of "how long can I keep the viewer's attention before I reveal the joke?"
Is it actually offensive?
This is the "nuance" part I promised.
Depending on who you ask, the 2 men kissing meme is either harmless fun, a celebration of queer visibility in weird spaces, or a form of "ironic" homophobia. There’s a legitimate argument for all three.
For some queer creators, seeing these images normalized—even in a jokey way—is a weirdly positive thing. It takes the "shock" out of it. It says, "Yeah, guys kiss, so what?" On the flip side, if the entire joke is "Haha, look at these gay guys, isn't that shocking/gross?" then it leans into older, more harmful tropes.
Most experts in meme culture, like the folks over at Know Your Meme, suggest that the current iteration is mostly post-ironic. The joke isn't that they are gay; the joke is that you were looking for something else and found this instead. It’s about the surprise, not the subject.
However, we can’t ignore that in certain toxic "alpha male" communities, the meme is used to mock people. It’s a double-edged sword. Like most things on the internet, the intent is entirely dependent on the person hitting the "post" button.
How to navigate these "trap" memes
If you’re a parent, a casual browser, or someone who just doesn't want to see this stuff, you have to understand the "bait."
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Usually, these videos have certain red flags. They often have high-energy, royalty-free music. They usually promise something too good to be true (like a "free money hack" or "leaked movie footage"). They might have a thumbnail that looks slightly "off" or low-quality.
If you see a video that starts with a generic "top 10" countdown and the audio is slightly distorted, there’s a 90% chance you’re about to see the 2 men kissing meme.
What to do if you're a creator
If you're a content creator or a social media manager, you need to be aware of this trend for a different reason: moderation.
If your comment section is suddenly filled with these images, it usually means your post has been "raided" by a specific discord server or community. It’s rarely personal. They just found your post and decided it was the "base" for their joke.
The best way to handle it? Don't get angry. Don't make a big deal out of it. That’s exactly what they want. They want the reaction. If you just delete and move on, the "trolls" get bored and find a more reactive target.
Actionable Insights for the "Meme-Literate"
So, what have we learned about this bizarre digital phenomenon? It’s more than just a picture. It’s a tool.
- Identify the Bait: Recognize that "too good to be true" or "ultra-niche" content often serves as a wrapper for shock memes.
- Understand the Intent: Realize that in 2026, most people posting this are looking for a "vibe check" or trying to disrupt a bot-heavy thread rather than being genuinely malicious.
- Audit Your Communities: If you see the 2 men kissing meme appearing constantly in a specific forum, understand that the culture of that space is likely moving toward "shitposting" or "chaos-posting."
- Avoid the "Reaction Trap": If you're a moderator or a public figure, reacting with outrage only fuels the fire. Treat it as a "Rickroll" for the modern era—annoying, but predictable.
- Use Filters Wisely: If this isn't your cup of tea, utilize platform tools like "muted words" or "restricted content." Keywords like "Thugshaker," "Say Gex," or certain Discord-adjacent slang can help clean up your feed.
Internet culture moves fast, but the concept of the "bait-and-switch" is eternal. The 2 men kissing meme is just the latest, loudest version of a prank that’s been around since the very first chat rooms. It's a reminder that no matter how much we try to make the internet a professional, curated space, there will always be someone waiting to throw a wrench in the gears just to see what happens.
Honestly, it’s kinda impressive how a single concept can stay relevant for years just by being unpredictable. You’ve just gotta appreciate the chaos, or at least learn how to spot it before the screen fades to black.