The Best Memes of 2024
From a chronically moisturized baby hippo to Trump’s bloody ear and the glorification of Luigi Mangione, nothing was off limits this year.
by Rhea Nayyar 
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I Hate Gay Halloween, What Do You Mean You’re …
It’s late October, and Gay Halloween rams into the atmosphere of the Queer Canon with a slew of DIY costumes referencing a hyper-specific niche side character from a nostalgia-inducing piece of media, or some other such overlooked or momentary presence or concept nested deep within the mind’s eye. We saw outfits inspired by the Passenger Seat from a Chappell Roan song, the POV tennis ball from Challengers(2024), the Bratconcert tour curtains, iconic references from the defunct seven-second video app Vine, and so much more to ruminate on in a campy fashion. “What I find interesting is how many of these supposedly forgettable moments resonate with others,” said HyperallergicEditor-in-Chief Hrag Vartanian in our report on the trend. “One of the best parts of contemporary queerness is looking for the glitter in something others have disposed of or devalued.”
Patron Saint Luigi Mangione
I speak confidently when I say that nobody, and I do mean nobody, had this on their 2025 Bingo predictions card. Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old accused killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has erupted as a revered sexy folk hero across social media as he faces extradition to New York on first-degree murder and terrorism charges after being apprehended at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
There is so much to say about this, and yet, I’m speechless — because the public reverence of Mangione sets the tone of 2025 flawlessly.
Anyway, that was a lot, so go lie down, and I’ll see you next year.
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