Hilary Duff’s iconic reaction to her ‘that’s so gay’ moment, 20 years after ending homophobia

The world feels marginally less homophobic in 2026, and there’s one person we have to thank for that: Hilary Duff.

Way back in 2008, Hilary Duff took part in a public service announcement for the Think Before You Speak Campaign by Ad Council and GLSEN. The campaign addressed widespread, seemingly innocent phrases that could offend gay people.

In the PSA, a bunch of girlies are in a clothing store when one of them argues that a top is “so gay.” This riles Hilary up, who is also in the store, and she politely informs them that “you shouldn’t say that.”

“Say that something is gay when you really mean it’s bad,” she tells them. “It’s insulting. What if every time something was bad, everybody said: ‘That’s so girl wearing a skirt as a top.'”

The PSA has become a massive meme over the past 20 years, but jokes aside, it was a huge cultural moment. Hilary was an ally before it was cool to be one, and that video was on TV a year before shows like Glee began to change public perception of queer people forever.

It’s just one of the reasons Hilary Duff has such a strong gay following now. The gays always remember.

Hilary Duff has reacted to her ‘That’s so gay’ moment

Back in 2008, Hilary Duff was asked whether she wanted to take part in a PSA about gay people, and she jumped at the chance because of her strong opinions on the topic.

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“It was really impactful,” she told Gay Times this week. “And I remember loads and loads and loads of kids coming up to me just saying thank you. I think they felt represented and stood up for. And at that time – and at this time – it’s really important to feel safe and to feel seen.”

@gaytimes

We all remember where we were when Hilary Duff ended homophobia! As she covers Gay Times Magazine, Hilary shares the story behind her iconic ‘That’s So Gay’ PSA, why the topic makes her “really angry” and how she’d adapt the message for 2026. Head to the link in bio to read the full interview 🌈 #hilaryduff #psa #popculture #lizziemcguire #behindthescene @hilaryduff

♬ Wanderlust – Degraus

She noted how it became the internet’s favourite throwback clip, but pointed out that the fight is not over.

“It actually makes me wanna cry,” she said. “I feel sad that we’re in the place we are in. It’s 2026, who cares how anybody wants to be?”

She concluded by noting how “angry” she gets over the rampant homophobia and transphobia in 2026. If she were to remake the PSA, she’d need a moment to collect her thoughts before “too much anger comes out.”

Hilary Duff’s gay icon status has never been clearer.

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Featured image credit: Gay Times/Ad Council and GLSEN