WTF is Threads and Exactly How Gay Is It?

Another day, another Twitter competitor: with Elon Musk driving the once-great bird app into the ground, the gays have been desperately searching for a new space in which to gossip, boast, kiki, bitch, moan, and generally have a gay old time. And while stalwart substitutes like Mastodon and Bluesky already exist, Instagram’s newly-launched partner app Threads shows the greatest promise in getting—and keeping—our attention. The fact that Twitter is already trying to sue over the platform is, some would say, testimonial enough.

But as with all new digital spaces, we’re got a few questions. Namely: is Threads good? Is it fun? Are the gays living? Are the memes popping? Let’s find out by asking the real questions.

Will I be protected from anti-trans, anti-gay hate speech on Threads? Probably not. As Alejandra Caraballo (@esqueer on all platforms) has already noted, troll accounts like “Gays Against Groomers” have already started spamming Threads with the same anti-trans rhetoric. While Threads certainly holds promise for greater protections for queer and trans users, it’s going to take a moment to implement.

Related:

Trans Guys on Grindr: Some Tips for Safety and Success

Stay safe, put your needs first, and have fun.

Is nudity allowed? Well, probably not. Judging by Instagram’s famously robust nipple policing policy, maybe don’t go posting nudes just yet.

Are all my favorite accounts on there? In a word, yes. While Bluesky asks users to rebuild their follower list from scratch, Threads has the benefit of importing all your IG contacts in one fell swoop. It’s easy to join (you don’t have to be cool enough to get an oh-so-special invite) and you don’t have to do much to make the app look basically just like Twitter.

Is there a light theme option? No, and who cares! Embrace the darkness, losers.

Are the memes better on Bluesky? Some say so.

Have the brands already descended? Unfortunately yes, but that’s just reality.

Can you mute people on Threads? Yes.

Did the app crash the second I tried to use it? Yes, but it’s fine.

Is there a desktop option (for those of us who are psychopaths?) Sort of, but it’s not fully functioning yet.