Let's be honest, there are just some things about Gilmore Girls that don't age well. Rewatch the first seven seasons of the show and you'll be met with more than a few cringeworthy Gilmore Girls moments. From fat-shaming to homophobia to just plain tone-deaf comments, there are problematic moments in this fan-favorite show. Let's just say things were different back then, and no one was as woke as they thought they were. That's no excuse for how many GG jokes are at people's expense. Especially since the Gilmore Girls revival, A Year In The Life, has its fair share of moments you'd like to forget. Oy with the fat-shaming already!
But being that Gilmore Girls started before the millennium, there are some references that aren't offensive, but just plain dated. There are some comments that will make you laugh because they're so 2000-late. Of course, even the girls who were so tuned into pop culture couldn't predict the future, which is why it's worth taking a look back at their missteps.
Some will make you very angry, a few will make you sad (yep, it's that Hillary Clinton reference), but you might also get a good laugh at Lorelai, Rory and Emily's expense.
1"We need to leave the country and have extensive plastic surgery and sex changes. Both of us so you know... we can kiss and not look funny."
Oof. This is one of the more cringeworthy lines on Gilmore Girls that is both transphobic and homophobic at the same time. No one would mistake Lorelai for being woke that's for sure.
2"What's with the gay bag?"
Luke, Luke, Luke — you so cannot say that to Kirk about his bag. But unfortunately, back in 2003 people were still calling things "gay" as an insult. Yeah, I don't get it either.
3"Animals in the wild don't mate for life, except like tigers, but they're retarded."
This was something Luke's sister's friend Carrie actually said and apparently it was supposed to be funny. But no, this was this never funny.
4"No, I compared you to a hippo, that's not calling you a hippo. And it was a humorous comparison."
Who could possibly forget the time Rory fat-shamed a college age ballerina? Even though we'd so like to forget that she commented on the "roll of fat around her bra strap." The ballerina's message of "Die Jerk" seems about right, tbh.
5"I need to find a retarded kid and teach him how to play softball."
This was how Rory tells Dean she needs to start volunteering to bulk up her college resume, and it's hard not to wince every time I hear it.
6"We like our internet slow, OK? We can turn it on, walk around, do a little dance, make a sandwich. With DSL, there’s no dancing, no walking, and we’d starve."
No one likes slow internet. No one.
7"If I wanted to talk to a machine, I’d talk to my VCR."
Even in 2000, Emily Gilmore was a little behind the times with her VCR. Though, she may have hinted at why we all like Siri so much.
8“It’s Avril Lavigne’s world. We’re just living in it.”
We are certainly not, which may be a good thing since we'd all be wearing ties over T-shirts right now if that statement were true.
9"Maybe This Is A Cheesy Perspective To Offer You, But Gwen Stefani And Gavin Rossdale Went Through The Same Sort Of Situation. He Found Out He Had A Kid That He Didn't Know About, But They Made It Work. As Far As I Know."
In 2006, this was Rory trying to comfort her mom who was going through a rough time with Luke after realizing he had a daughter. After all, Gwen and Gavin made it work after it was revealed he had a secret daughter. That was until 2015 when the couple broke up and broke all our alt-rock hearts, which is why this seems like a cruel joke now. We're happy for Gwen and Blake Shelton, though.
10"Yes, I Just Want To Apologize For My Sidekick Stalking."
In 2006, this was a totally cool thing to say, I swear. Though, it probably wasn't the coolest thing to have your dad say, sorry Rory.
11"I Don't Have Any Missed Calls. Oh, Wait, There's A Little Envelope Thingy In The Bottom Corner."
Rory may have been at the top of her class, but she certainly wasn't a tech whiz. In 2007, she was still figuring out that the "little envelope thingy" meant she had a message from Logan.
12"Good lord! If someone needs that much room to get around a chair, they shouldn't be at a party. They should be on a treadmill."
No one expects political correctedness from Emily Gilmore, but this is just uncouth and unneccessary from a hostess of her caliber.
13"And the redhead has fat thighs!"
This was the insult of choice for Rory when she thought Professor Asher Fleming was cheating on Paris. I'm not even mad, I'm just disappointed. Really disappointed.
14“See you when Hillary’s president.”
This is Lorelai's response when Luke tells her he'll be back soon from the Renaissance Faire. Now it's just a depressing punchline.
Yes, this list is painful, but also totally necessary. Let's not forget that the Gilmore Girls weren't always on the right side of history.
