I really wanted to like this book. Gay and comedy together? It should be a winner.

But no. What should have been about 20 pages max was expanded far too much. The premise was taken out into the school playground, beaten to within an inch of its life, dragged onto train tracks, tied up, and then run over by every train on the planet.

Others will undoubtedly enjoy it. I am not among them.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. I did learn a few things that I didnt know before, but most of the things I was already familiar with.
I also wasnt the biggest fan of the writing style, it felt too "podcast-y".

Thank you to the authors, publisher and NetGalley for this digital ARC.

You're Probably Gayish is a book that talks about gay stereotypes, and either proves them or disproves them with facts and figures. Whilst that may make it sound scientific and boring, Getz and Johnson keep it entertaining throughout. It is conversational in tone, and it feels as though you're talking to a well-educated but not preachy friend

The main focus of this book is about gay men in particular. Throughout the book, lesbians are mentioned but it's only ever in passing. This was to be expected.

At times, quotes from their podcast are used which I will admit as someone who has personally never heard of them felt a little jarring.

All in all, it does a good job of disproving (or proving) certain stereotypes whilst not seeming too academic.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a great and fun book to address gay stereotypes. I liked how it started with a quiz and the stereotypes themselves in the first chapter before going in to tackle the stereotypes a chapter at a time. The chapters are laid out in a great way starting with the stereotype then going in with facts and ending with a ‘so is the stereotype true’ and ‘final verdict’ before scoring the quiz question in a fun way.

I went into this with much interest. As a queer person myself it is often obvious how much stereotypes there are about us, so I was very curious about this.

I couldn't connect to this book because it felt so American focused. It is told with an American view and I'm not sure if a lot that is said in this book is even relatable to anyone outside the US.

Sometimes things felt a little too long and off topic, making it hard to get through this book. Eventually I started to skim through it because I just wanted to finish reading it.

On a more positiver note, it was very interesting to read about queer history and studies that were done into the stereotypes.

I didn't know the authors because I haven't listened to their podcast. It wasn't obvious to me who was writing unless someone was mentioned in a question.

I feel like 3 stars is the best raring for me. It wasn't bad but I lost interest pretty quickly.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

The book focuses on gay stereotypes specifically gay male stereotypes. It includes both old stereotypes like limp wrists and being an only child. To more modern ones like gays liking iced coffee. It includes a quiz to see if you fit the stereotypes. While on one hand the book is playful. It also goes into series issues of homophobia and the negative impact of stereotypes in the authors own lives.

The book also goes into the origin of many of the stereotypes. Whenever possible using data from researchers to back up or refute the stereotype. One of my favorite chapters is the chapter on gay men liking iced coffee. I like it because it talks about the formation of modern stereotypes. I like how the book examines the influence of the internet on such things.

Another chapter I enjoyed was the chapter on limp wrists. It was a good examination of a historical stereotype. The book contained research to back their claim up, including media from the time of its formation as well as scientific data.

This was a fun little read. I think it would appeal to not only gay men, but that it is also accessible all demographics of people. This would be a good first informative text for people who aren't aware of the background of these stereotypes.

Very American focused and the use of the word gay is specifically for 'gay men' rather than the umbrella term sometimes used for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Some good information in there, however just wasn't my type of book.

Page 62 felt quite fatphobic and almost felt like more inclusion/education about phrases was needed. But could also be because it was triggering to me.

(For reference I'm a fat queer woman who is UK based).

I read this in a day and found it to be an interesting look at the statistical accuracy (and potential reasons) around stereotypes of gay men.
I've never listened to the Gayish podcast, so I had no knowledge of either author before reading this. I'm a bit curious to check it out now though, because I really enjoyed the writing style - and podcast quotes - included in this. The book is written conversationally. They make it easy to understand and enjoyable to read.
The book is definitely focused on cisgender gay men, though trans men are briefly mentioned. They do a good job at criticizing negative thoughts around sexuality. They also explain the history of where some of the stereotypes originated. Overall, this was a fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the authors for this ARC. Firstly, I was delighted to see the foreword written by Davey Wavey. Confession time: when I was probably far too young to be watching such videos, I spent hours with my laptop watching Davey’s content on YouTube, seeking clarity on gender and sexuality but also just comfort in there being other queer people out there. Davey was unapologetically gay, and made my young teen self feel much less alone. When my mum went on YouTube on her own computer one day, all the recommendations were for very explicit Davey Wavey videos, and she asked what the heck that was all about. I replied, “Oh, YouTube recommends some weird stuff to people if you don’t use it very much.” I think I got away with it.

Back to Mike and Kyle who wrote everything else in this book… I love the Gayish podcast. I love every jingle, and I love the bizarre topics they cover, and I love the fact that there is proper research and history as well as the opinions and anecdotes. I introduced my husband, the world’s gayest “straight” man*, to the podcast and he loves it too. The book was equally as delightful. I really enjoyed the multiple choice quiz with scores at the end of each chapter - I think more books should do this. I want to know how likely I am to be a murderer when I’m reading a thriller, or which witch archetype I am when I’m enjoying a cosy fantasy. Other authors, take notes!

The format of this book reads very much like the podcast - there’s a sort of conversation that plays out throughout each chapter, based on a gay stereotype, and it brings that same feeling of being involved that listening to a podcast gives you. Mike shares some heartfelt stories, Kyle does a deep dive into all published literature (and less reputable sources) on each given topic, and there’s a conclusion about how gay each stereotype really is. I learned things about the authors and about queer history, and it was delivered with a flair that made it feel like a break from studying.

Despite not being a gay man, my gayish score ended up being in the same category as Mike (high five!), which feels like a win. As for the rest of the book, I was entertained, educated, and emotional in parts. I’d absolutely recommend this as a fun read for anyone who is interested in queer culture and likes some science with their stereotypes.

To finish, of course, my gayest and straightest of the week: gayest was discussing staple guns with my friend and clarifying, “I don’t like DIY; I just love power tools;” straightest was when my husband mentioned Domingo and then had to explain it to me with several clips on TikTok.

*According to the quiz in this book, he is Ryan Gosling’s Ken - flamboyantly straight. It follows.

It's been ages since I've read a non-fiction book—usually, I find them a bit dry. But this one completely surprised me.

The authors take deep dives into the origins of stereotypes, weaving in research with such humour that it never once felt like a dry academic report. Instead, it felt like a fascinating conversation, keeping me eagerly turning pages. I couldn’t put it down!

This book is packed with fun, unexpected facts—perfect for bringing up at dinner parties or in debates. It's not just informative; it's genuinely entertaining.

I'll definitely be checking out the authors' podcast after finishing this read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Getz and Johnson break down what they feel are the most popular gay stereotypes and inform the straight world that not every gay man is white, has abs for days and/or watches “Drag Race.” But in this, the year of our Lord 2024, don’t most of us have gay friends and already know this? Oh, well I guess some people are still Republicans (I kid, I kid, it’s a joke!)

There are seventeen “types” here, including, “you watch ‘Golden Girls,’” “you probably love musicals,” “you’re probably a slut,” and more…all your old standards. There is a lot of science and data included. The book makes you not love Saint Augustine (the Saint, not the city.). That’s pretty much it. It’s a more in-depth look than I expected. Three stars.

As someone who has been called “not really gay,” “not culturally gay,” and various terms to that effect, I figured I had to read this. The authors step through a series of gay stereotypes, some of which were news to me, and have done their homework to determine whether those stereotypes are true, false, or somewhere in between. They also give helpful reminders on how to think about statistics and, at least as importantly, how not to think about them. They make a point that I feel like printing onto expensive paper and framing: “There is no wrong way to be gay.” As an aside, I found it amusing that my answer to one of the questions earned me a negative gay point.

I really like the layout of this book, as it makes it easy to dip in and out of reading. It's well researched and well written. I'd recommend this to anyone because there's never enough LGBTQIA+ resources out there.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC