Trading (most of) her outdated humor for more inclusive nuance, Tina Fey’s Mean Girls (2024) flips the script on the shortcomings of the original. And, yes, that includes queering some of its relatively straight ensemble so Damian no longer has to be the only gay.
Janis’ “big ol’ lesbian crush on you” tongue-in-cheek declaration is now worn on her sleeve through bisexual queen Auli’i Cravalho’s fiery portrayal of the character, Karen Shetty is far from straight, and Cady might’ve had a bi attack over Regina.
Get in losers, we’re listing every moment in Mean Girls (2024) gayer than the original.
Cady’s bi attack during Regina’s introduction
Instead of voiceovers, Mean Girls (2024) delves into Cady’s brain functionality through imaginative musical numbers. During Regina’s — and only Regina’s — verse in “Meet The Plastics” the camera shoots in on Cady enchanted with Regina’s stunning ferocity. When Regina sings, “These are real,” and zips them coat zippers down, Cady’s reaction can only be described as gobsmacked, for she blinks with her eyes bulged wide.
Cady might love Aaron Samuels, but Regina seduced her in this number.
Karen is a pansexual free spirit
Apart from her ditziness, Karen Shetty’s big secret, according to Gretchen Wieners, is that she’s had sex with eleven people. It’s unspecified if it was men or women, and the movie reiterates “people” twice. It’s safe to say it’s all genders. This line is lifted from the musical; even then, nobody knew.
Karen’s actress Avantika has gone on record to say she believes that Karen is pansexual. “If you tell me Karen is anything but pansexual, I have beef with you,” she said in an interview with Gay Times. Karen’s free, happy spirit strengthens this notion — especially in the “Sexy” number.
So Regina and Janis canonically kissed
Janis and Regina’s falling out got a much-needed, non-homophobic, subtext-to-text update.
In a more convoluted backstory, Janis and Regina were best friends in middle school. Janis put a rainbow pin on a doll to come out to Regina in secrecy, and Regina supported her out of allyship. Then, during a game of Spin the Bottle, Regina made out with Janis to make a boy she liked jealous. She then rebuffed any emotions by saying, “I knew she would let me. She’s, like, obsessed with me.” This set the bridge between the two aflame to say the least.
Regina must be the strongest straight woman to ever live because not seeing yourself as at least a little fruity after kissing Janis is wild. Then again, bicon Reneé Rapp sees the character as a lesbian so… maybe she’ll find herself in college!
Janis is an out queer girlie with a girlfriend!
The most significant queer update in Mean Girls (2024) is the characterization of Janis. She’s proud of her rebel weirdo, artsy, queer identity and doesn’t let those traits define her.
During the Spring Fling climax, Janis picks up an unnamed love interest to take as her date. Rumor has it you can hear a unified “aw” with the reveal in every auditorium across the country.
Damian has a theater boy boo
We can’t leave out our original Mean Girls gay! One way the original Mean Girls dropped the ball was not letting Damian have any romance of his own. Well, here, that wrong is corrected. He gets an unnamed theater boy boo who he waves at flirtatiously, and, during the Spring Fling, the two dance together.
You go, Damian!
Mean Girls (2024) is now in theaters.
