Those who know me are aware I’ve been working at Starbucks as a shift supervisor for the past seven years. As a barista, I take immense pride in my craft and working at Starbucks has instilled a passion for coffee culture that I love to cultivate amongst the people I meet through sharing knowledge and my general craft. Throughout the last several years, there’s been a meme floating around the internet addressing a broad generalization amongst the sexual orientation/gender identity of Starbucks baristas. The premise of the joke assumes that a vast majority of Starbucks baristas identify as a part of the LGBTQ+ community (a term referencing their sexual preference and/or gender identity), mostly due to their outwardly appearance (dyed hair, facial piercings, pronoun pins attached to their apron). Because of this stereotyped belief in demographics, it became a popular trend online when someone makes a trip to Starbucks and is not attended to by a barista who meets this generalized outwardly perception to comment that the beverage quality must be less than satisfactory, or in simplistic terms, “the drinks must suck here”.
While I can appreciate the humor found in this meme, as I realize the intent by the majority of people perpetuating this narrative are not doing so in a malicious manner, it is still recognized as a broad generalization to make tying someone’s personal sexual preference and/or gender identity to a profession comprised of nearly 500,000 people in the U.S. alone (Miniano, 2025). While the exact origins of the meme is unclear, it is noteworthy that Starbucks has always outwardly emphasized progressive values and a culture of inclusivity, belonging, diversity and acceptance as key tenants under its globally recognized brand. It is logical to conclude that because of the company’s values, many who identify themselves in the LGBTQ+ community felt like Starbucks was an employer they felt comfortable and safe working for, as historically this has been a marginalized group in society. While this may skew the demographic information, especially in certain regions where more people identify as LGBTQ+, it is important to keep in mind that Starbucks is an equal opportunity employer and by law cannot discriminate during the hiring process on the basis of age, sex, race, ethnicity, religion, or disability. As a cis, straight male myself who has never personally identified as being LGBT, I can personally attest to the inaccuracy of this media construction. In addition to this, I have met a multitude of Starbucks partners (employees) throughout my many years of employment with the company who did not identify under this affiliation as well. As mentioned previously, assumptions made about the in-store baristas are often implied based on the outwardly expression of their physical appearance. Because the information gathered is implied and not typically directly confirmed, it runs the risk of losing accuracy and authenticity in its claims. Furthermore, there is no direct correlation with the claim involving how a barista chooses to identify themselves and the caliber of their work, let alone any indication that someone with dyed hair or who uses pronouns is LGBTQ+, further lending credence to the inaccuracies of the construction of this generalization.
A likely source for the proliferation of this meme stems from this trend going viral on the social media platform, TikTok, with keywords such as “blue-haired, non-binary, pronoun baristas” and “the blue hair barista theory”, for example, having many videos with millions of views associated with them. Upon further research, according to the online platform Know Your Meme, there was a similar instance of someone using similar phrasing in the form of a TikTok comment poking fun at members of the LGBTQ+ community with these physical descriptors. A screenshot of the comment was quickly shared across various social media platforms, largely in LGBT meme circles, with many finding the stereotype humorous. Although it is not 100% confirmed if the “blue-haired, pronoun barista” trope is derived from this meme, it is undeniable how similar they are in their broad, overarching generalization amongst this demographic.
Below are some screenshots I found of just a few of the many videos posted on TikTok surrounding this meme.
I personally have not come across anyone who genuinely believes the false narrative this trope entails. Although I want to believe most people understand the humor enveloped in this generalization and to not take it too seriously, as more light gets shone on this portrayal, it allows the potential for more people to take this meme out of context, which could lead to targeted harassment and mocking. If taken to extremes, I can see this construction having possible harmful effects on multiple different parties: baristas who do not identify as a part of the LGBTQ+ community (particularly with the claim involving the suboptimal beverage quality), as well as LGBTQ+ affiliated baristas both with and without these matching physical descriptors used in the posts.
As someone who is not personally a part of the LGBTQ+ community, nor have any of the matching physical descriptors used to stereotype the baristas in the post, it may damage someone who is aware of the meme’s perception of my beverage quality, although this is something I take immense pride in and am confident in. Overtime, as this stereotype grows, it has the potential to damage Starbucks’ brand and reputation, due to the fact they are an equal opportunity employer and hire people from all backgrounds. When a subset of a company’s employees are stereotyped in this fashion, even if it is not done with a malicious intent, it can have irrevocable and unforeseen consequences for the brand’s reputation and perception in society. Social media trends and public perception are powerful and can easily shape a brand’s image.
Secondly, LGBTQ+ baristas can be negatively affected by this stereotype, as it creates an unfair expectation on the quality of service that isn’t rooted in any truth or accuracy. Baristas who identify as LGBTQ+ with the physical descriptors mentioned may be targeted or unfairly harassed and judged. Even baristas who do not identify this way, yet still have these physical descriptors as a form of self-expression, may be mislabeled and have one’s preconceived notion and own bias formed from this stereotype placed upon them, which may create feelings of uneasiness and tension amongst the partner. Although the claim being made is positive, often referencing and praising the craft of the barista, a stereotype has the power to shape public perception the more it spreads, which in turn can deteriorate the brand’s reputation for quality, as well as affecting the specific partners in-store working with the goal to deliver the best experience for the customer.
While working at Starbucks has been the most fulfilling job I’ve had to this day, there are a lot of roles and routines we are operating under to ensure customers have the best experience and receive a great beverage. While not its intention, stereotypes like this have the potential to undermine that credibility and brand reputation as it spreads. While I recognize the stereotype is not meant to be taken seriously and have found in humor in it myself, I implore those who come into contact with this meme on social media to not look too far into it or take it seriously. This is generally proverbial and solid advice for any meme one might come across on the internet, particularly with topics involving dark humor, stereotypes, or targeted remarks towards marginalized groups.
References:
Miniano, M. (2025, June 26). 100+ Interesting Statistics About Baristas in the US in 2025. Oysterlink.com; OysterLink. https://oysterlink.com/spotlight/barista-statistics/
Of Course You Have Blue Hair And Pronouns. (2021, November 12). Know Your Meme. https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/of-course-you-have-blue-hair-and-pronouns