Jedward. (Dave Hogan/Getty)
Jedward have condemned the hateful “super straight” trend which claims refusing to date a trans person is a sexual orientation.
The trend quickly gained momentum on TikTok in March when user @kyleroyce shared a video explaining that he had created “a new sexuality” called “super straight”.
In the video, the TikTok user said he would never date a trans woman because “that’s not a real woman to me”, adding that people can’t call him transphobic because super straight is his “sexuality”.
The trend – which might have been the work of neo-Nazis – quickly gained traction on social media, with countless transphobes rushing to describe themselves as “super straight” – and Irish duo Jedward are having none of it.
The twins, who rose to fame on The X Factor, slammed the trend as “hateful” on Twitter on Friday evening (2 April).
Jedward hit out at ‘super straight’ trend as ‘hateful’ towards LGBT+ community
“F**k the ‘super straight’ crew the hateful movement towards LGBTQ society!” Jedward tweeted. “Your colour scheme is very questionable!” they added, referring to the movement’s black and orange flag.
In a second tweet, Jedward hit out at anti-trans feminists, writing: “All the so called powerful women that call themselves feminists need to support trans women! We love all women! It’s not misogynistic to have human decency towards living humans.”
Jedward were showered with praise by fans, with many thanking them for sticking up for the LGBT+ community once again.
Thank you for being a better Labour Party than the Labour Party
— Tabitha McIntosh (@TabitaSurge) April 2, 2021
I’m 51 years old and I never thought I’d be stanning Jedward, but here we are.
— 💙🌹Sara🌹💙 (@TrainedPengling) April 2, 2021
I love these lads https://t.co/cjfeqUTGUU
— Dr. Bodie A. Ashton (@manwithoutatan) April 2, 2021
Why are Jedward fighting harder than our government for literally everything???? Tories out x https://t.co/5Fynbgu3DF
— Kim (@timeistheenemy) April 2, 2021
Jedward are the purest LGBTQ+ allies going. https://t.co/L4Ly2GnkLd
— Lamhfada (@Lamhfada) April 2, 2021
heroes i always thought u had cool hair on x factor x https://t.co/lvmuLjv9yl
— Ellie🏳️🌈 (@ellieb_0) April 2, 2021
While the “super straight” trend originally gained widespread attention on TikTok, internet sleuths later discovered that it was birthed on a 4chan board popular with the alt-right.
Widely-shared screenshots from a since-deleted thread on the /pol/ board, which was commonly used by neo-Nazis, saw people talk about using “the left’s tactics against themselves” by calling them “bigots for not accepting super straights”.
Some 4chan users framed the trend as a workaround to legitimise transphobia, with one anonymous account claiming they can’t be accused of prejudice because “that is merely their sexuality”.
Countless LGBT+ people have reminded “super straight” supporters on social media that the trend is actually just a front for transphobia.
This is not the first time Jedward have spoken out in support of LGBT+ rights. The duo, who have represented Ireland twice in the Eurovision Song Contest, spoke out in favour of trans rights during an appearance on Sky News on 31 March, which was also Trans Day of Visibility.
The twins also used their slot to hit out at the Catholic Church for its recent statement banning blessings for same-sex couples.