Forget labor rights—around the recent May Day holidays, some corners of Indonesian social media were busy debating a much more bizarre topic: the V-neck t-shirt.
By now, you’ve probably heard the persistent stereotype that men who wear V-necks are gay. But how did a simple collar shape become associated with someone’s sexual orientation? Is there actually any connection between a V-shaped neckline and being gay, or is it all just a massive misunderstanding?
It All Started with the ‘Metrosexual’ Era
The stereotype linking V-necks to gay men is as absurd as it is controversial. Its roots trace back to the early 2000s, a period of rapid evolution in men’s fashion.
During this time, the term “metrosexual” went mainstream. Coined by journalist Mark Simpson in a 1994 article for The Independent, it described heterosexual men who were highly invested in grooming, fashion, and personal appearance.
Soccer icon David Beckham became the poster boy for this movement. With his polished outfits, skincare routines, and occasional nail polish, Beckham redefined modern masculinity. Gradually, men’s fashion—which had long been dominated by a rugged, low-effort aesthetic—began embracing more refined and expressive styles.
In this climate, the V-neck emerged as a staple of the metrosexual wardrobe. The cut naturally flattered athletic, well-groomed men, particularly those who went to the gym and waxed their chest hair. Because these self-care habits were historically associated with gay subcultures, the mainstream public quickly conflated metrosexuality with homosexuality.
As Mark Simpson famously put it: “The simple definition of a metrosexual is a man who wants to be desired.”
At its core, the trend was about self-expression and aesthetics, not sexual orientation. However, many missed the nuance. Over time, “metrosexual” was even used by some as a polite euphemism for gay men to avoid sounding overtly homophobic.
By the mid-2000s, American fashion giant American Apparel began mass-producing ultra-deep V-necks, marketing them with highly sexualized, androgynous models. In the West, men who over-adopted this style were often mocked as try-hard “douchebags.” But when this cultural trend was exported to Southeast Asia, the nuance was lost, and the style became heavily stigmatized.
The Malaysian Government-Backed Controversy
This fashion stereotype reached a bizarre peak in September 2012 in Malaysia. During a government-backed parenting seminar in Penang, the Malaysian Teachers Foundation published a checklist of “homosexual symptoms” to help parents identify LGBT youth. The guidelines were even officially launched by the country’s then-Deputy Education Minister, Mohd Puad Zarkashi.
According to the checklist, “symptoms” for lesbians included a lack of interest in men. For gay men, the warning signs included carrying large, female-style handbags and wearing V-neck shirts.
The public backlash was swift and fierce. Pang Khee Teik, a prominent Malaysian activist and co-founder of the pro-LGBTQ+ organization Seksualiti Merdeka, condemned the move. “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. The Ministry of Education is essentially institutionalizing bullying and promoting prejudice,” he told local media at the time.
In protest, an activist named Adam launched a Facebook event called “National Wear V-neck Day” on October 1, 2012. Nearly 3,000 people signed up to wear V-necks in solidarity, sparking international headlines. The movement even spread to the Philippines, where local groups organized their own International V-neck Day.
The Domino Effect Reaches Indonesia
Although the Malaysian Education Ministry eventually distanced itself from the guidelines, the damage was done. The story went viral globally, and by 2013, the sensationalized narrative had crossed over into neighboring Indonesia.
Just when the issue seemed to have quieted down, Malaysian media stirred the pot again in February 2018. The national newspaper Sinar Harian published an even more detailed infographic listing “gay traits,” claiming gay men could be identified by their facial hair and their habit of going to the gym just to check out other men.
This prompted a brilliant, viral response from Malaysian content creator Arwind Kumar, whose satirical video The Gay Checklist took the internet by storm.
“There are so many critical national issues to discuss,” Kumar argued in his video. “If you want to educate the public, teach them how to spot pedophiles, abusers, murderers, and kidnappers—people who actually pose a threat to society. How does a gay man wearing a V-neck harm your life?”
He also pointed out the sheer hypocrisy of the facial hair stereotype: “I know plenty of priests, imams, and deeply religious men who keep beards. Are you saying they are gay? This is just incredibly foolish.”
Despite the pushback, the V-neck stereotype remains stubborn in Indonesia. In a society where discussions around gender expression and identity are still largely taboo, the idea that a collar shape defines sexuality is often accepted as fact without any logical basis. Many still make snap judgments about a person’s character based solely on their wardrobe—which explains why, even in 2024, Indonesian netizens are still arguing over a simple V-neck shirt.