Following in the footsteps of Pennywise, Clarabelle Cow, and Velma Dinkley, McDonald’s Grimace has officially become a queer icon. In the past year, Grimace has been the focus of many Twitter threads and refrigerator-worthy memes, and McDonald’s recent release of the Grimace Meal and Birthday Shake has certainly been vital to the resurgence of his popularity. That said, Grimace truly began to shine during this year’s Pride and Twitter has deemed Grimace a queer icon.
How did Grimace become a queer icon?
It should have been obvious that Grimace would become a gay megastar when SNL’s “Grimace” sketch so iconically explored the mascot’s bisexuality. And yet, it was Grimace’s presence at Pride parades this month that solidified his status.
What are Grimace’s feelings on his new status?
Anyone who’s watched Jimmy Fallon’s 2021 Box of Lies segment with Taylor Swift knows about Grimace’s autobiography, I’m Not Loving It: My Life Under The Golden Arches. However, given that the book was published long before this year’s Pride festivities and McDonald’s Grimace birthday celebration, we’re going to need a sequel.
Twitter anoints Grimace as the queer icon
Although each Grimace tweet is a little masterpiece, I just adored @nrduford’s comment, “I was literally just like not 2 hours ago regaling a gay man with my ‘grimace is a gay icon’ schtick” and @kassixi’s post “grimace is WAY better than a rainbow logo for pride, they literally got the gay icon himself.”
How to show your public support for Grimace
If you want to support Grimace’s rise to fame, purchase some dazzling and true-to-the-meme Grimace merch from TikTok and Etsy artists. There’s everything from Grimace earrings to Grimace-themed “The Horrors Persist But So Do I” shirts.