Fellas, is it gay to acknowledge another man’s existence before 12 p.m.?

That’s the question that has recently set r/AskMenAdvice ablaze, as Redditor u/Kylechs recounted one extremely awkward interaction that made him question the homoerotic undertones of the phrase “good morning.”

“I am a 23-year-old male. My Dad and I were out at the Laundromat and as we were leaving another man walks in. I make eye contact with him and I say ‘Good Morning.’ He replies, ‘Y'all fellas alright?’"

Already awkward enough, the interaction took a turn after OP’s received a stern warning from his dad.

“When we walked out my father tells me, ‘Don't ever say good morning to a man around your age. Guys would think you're a little sweet. You understand me,’” he recalled of their discussion, noting that his dad suggested he swap “good morning” for the evidently less homoerotic greetings of  '’What's up or what's going on.’”

u/Kylechs, like the rest of us, was extremely confused.

“I don't understand this at all. When is it ever gay or wrong for a man to say good morning to another man?”

“To a woman, it's fine, but not a man. When you're out on the streets don't say that. I say good morning to everyone male and female at work all of the time and have no issues.

“Nah, your dad’s weird,” added u/DannyDreaddit.

Meanwhile, Reddit user u/impastafarian88 took it upon himself to outline a (hopefully satirical) list of acceptable greetings for straight men to use.

“‘Good morning’ = gay. ‘Top of the morning to ya’ = gay and Irish. ‘G’day mate’ gay and Aussie. ‘Go fuck yourself’  = the only acceptable straight male greeting in the morning.”

So take it from the fine people of r/AskMenAdvice – the only time it’s gay for a man to say “good morning” to another dude is if it’s to his boyfriend – ideally with a little kiss on the cheek for good, gay measure.