Internet erupts over New York gay couple’s ‘Ramadan’ photos, later busted as fake

A social media post that claimed to show a New York-based same-sex couple celebrating their “first Ramadan” has been debunked after users traced the images to unrelated sources.

The post, shared on X on February 19, featured a selfie of two men wearing scarves and what was described as a lavish iftar spread with samosas, dates, and yogurt.

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A gay couple from New York has shared their joy online while celebrating their first Ramadan together. pic.twitter.com/z70kT0Mcud

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— WeGotitBack (@NotFarLeftAtAll) February 19, 2026

It quickly gathered thousands of reactions. Many comments mocked the supposed celebration, framing it as contradictory to orthodox Islamic views on homosexuality. Some posts even escalated into memes and hostile remarks.

But within hours, other users began questioning the authenticity of the images.

The selfie and dinner image were originally posted by a user named Benji (@bxnjibxy) on February 15, 2025, with the caption “first valentine’s together.” The post showed the couple posing at home and sharing a pasta dinner with wine and candles. There was no mention of Ramadan.

first valentine’s together pic.twitter.com/gN1NXjCqU6

— Benji (@bxnjibxy) February 15, 2025

Users pointed out that the viral Ramadan claim appeared days later, pairing the earlier selfie with different food imagery to suggest an iftar celebration. The pasta-and-wine image, however, clearly predates the Ramadan narrative and was part of a Valentine’s Day post.

There is no evidence that the individuals in the selfie were celebrating Ramadan. The viral post appears to have stitched together unrelated images to create a narrative that then fuelled online outrage.

The episode highlights how quickly misleading posts can gain traction, especially when they tap into sensitive religious and social debates.