What Does “Gay Baby Jail” Mean? Brittney Griner’s Note Was an Unfortunate Misunderstanding

Unfortunately, Black and LGBTQ+ people are among the minorities who must be on guard in most public situations. Now, pair that with being an intersection of identifying as both Black and LGBTQ+, followed by being a woman and a high-profile athlete in a society where bigotry and hatred are not only accepted but elected. Exhausting, right?

This is Brittney Griner's reality, and to say people have tried her for being proud of who she is would be a severe understatement.

Throughout her career, she has endured homophobic remarks, which became extra deplorable after the birth of her and her wife Cherelle Griner's son, Bash, in July 2024. Brittney was also arrested in Russia on marijuana "smuggling" charges and spent nearly a year in a Russian prison. Since her arrest, the athlete has opened up about how the arrest took a toll on her mental health.

While Brittney has tried to move on from her time in prison, she received what appeared to be a horrific note with the words "Gay Baby Jail," which was seemingly sent to her on purpose. Fortunately, the phrase was a terrible coincidence. So, what does "Gay Baby Jail" mean? Here's what to know.

In February 2025, Brittney was set to speak at the Women Grow 2025 Leadership Summit in National Harbor, Md. The event is dedicated to cannabis policy and industry, and she was scheduled to discuss how she was criminalized for her marijuana use. However, the talk didn't go as planned.

According to them, Brittney left the Summit after she saw the "Gay Baby Jail" note in a Maryland hotel room. Soon after her exit, Women Grow's CEO Chanda Macias expressed her decision to leave to protect her well-being.

"Brittney Griner arrived to be with us but felt unsafe because of threatening objects and words left inside her hotel room. For her safety, she chose to return home,” Machias told Marijuana Moment regarding the event. "Regardless of whether this was a targeted attack or an unfortunate coincidence, the entire Women Grow community and I wholeheartedly support Brittney’s decision and stand with her at this time."

While Britney opting to choose what was best for her was valid, the "Gay Baby Jail" note reportedly wasn't for her. The term derived from a meme that has been around since 2013 and surfaced after a Tumblr user named Bolto said it on his account. It is considered an "affectionate pejorative used to punish fictional characters." It also gained traction in the Twitch universe when streamer SimpleFlips used the phrase to refer to being “softlocked” or "unable to reload progress" in a video game.

While "Gay Baby Jail" isn't meant to be homophobic in the gaming world, it is still rooted in homophobia. Using "gay" as a slang term is almost always derogative, from someone saying something is "so gay" when they mean wrong or uncool or boys (and sometimes girls) calling each other gay for complimenting their friends. Additionally, Brittney's time as an openly gay woman stuck in prison was likely a trigger she didn't want to endure.

Though Brittney left out of fear for her safety, Prince George County Police confirmed the note was possibly left over from a guest at the hotel she was staying in. Before she arrived, the hotel held an anime convention, and authorities believe the note wasn't intended to harm her. Still, no one can blame Brittney for reminding everyone involved that the only games she plays are on the court.