Middle School Teacher Goes Viral With Video Teaching Kids When It's Appropriate To Call Something 'Gay'—And We're Cheering

With more than one million followers, TikTok teaching phenom @mr.shearhod has won over the internet with videos that promote inclusivity, kindness, and empathy in the classroom. Now, one of Christian Shearhod’s latest lessons is going viral for tackling a word many kids hear every day—and explaining what it actually means.

In a clip making the rounds on social media, Shearhod stands before a classroom of middle school students, energetically leading a discussion. A rainbow Pride flag sits on a desk nearby as he launches into the lesson.

Shearhod kicks off the conversation with a question for his students:

“This is gay! That is gay! Everything is gay! I hear it all day, but do y'all know what it means?”

The lesson unfolds as a call-and-response exercise. Shearhod asks students whether different activities, interests, or forms of self-expression are actually “gay,” using photos and emojis displayed on a projector.

One example features a photo of painted nails:

“Painting your nails, is it gay? No! Wearing pink, is it gay? No! No, of course not!”

Shearhod then asks students why people wear pink, encouraging them to think beyond rigid gender stereotypes that often label certain colors or interests as masculine or feminine.

One student offered a thoughtful answer:

“To express, um, breast cancer.”

The examples continue. Shearhod asks about wearing crop tops, holding hands, wearing dresses, liking Barbie, liking My Little Pony, boys liking boys, and girls liking girls. The point is clear: interests, clothing, and self-expression do not determine someone’s sexual orientation.

At one point, he jokes with students while showing an image of a boy wearing a dress:

"Wearing a dress, is it gay?... Do you think he feels bonita?”

It’s an effective way to challenge the casual misuse of “gay” as a catchall term for anything perceived as weird, uncool, or outside the mainstream. For decades, phrases like “that’s so gay” have often been used as substitutes for “lame” or “stupid,” even when there is no connection to sexual orientation at all.

Later in the lesson, Shearhod asks students why some people react negatively to images that simply depict self-expression or same-sex relationships.

Shearhod encourages students to examine prejudice directly:

“Can y'all believe that some people look at this and they don't like that?... You're so hateful, you know what I mean? This is beautiful. And being gay is? Okay!”

You can watch the uplifting video here:

Part of what makes the lesson so powerful is its simplicity. Rather than treating the topic as controversial, Shearhod frames being gay as a normal part of human diversity while helping students separate identity from stereotypes.

The word “gay” itself has a long history. Originally used to mean “happy” or “carefree,” it later became one of the most widely recognized terms associated with same-sex attraction. Over time, it also became a word frequently misused in casual conversation, often detached from its actual meaning.

That message appears to be resonating far beyond the classroom:

The overwhelmingly positive response online comes as little surprise to anyone familiar with Shearhod’s work. According to an interview with Upworthy, he has spent eight years teaching and frequently creates content focused on LGBTQ-friendly, gender-nonconforming, and progressive topics. He also shares stories and Q&As about life inside and outside the classroom.

Growing up in Texas helped shape his perspective and his commitment to speaking up:

“My wife is Trans. And going to school in Texas, I saw how awfully LGBT students and allies were treated. And to be honest, I’m sad I didn’t stand up and speak out then. So now I teach kindness, in hopes that this next generation will be a bit kinder and more understanding.”

Another one of his viral videos can be seen here:

So, whether it’s discussing gender expression, challenging stereotypes, or simply encouraging students to be kinder to one another, Shearhod’s approach offers a reminder that some of the most meaningful lessons taught in school have nothing to do with a textbook.