As Eilish explained in an Instagram livestream, “wish you were gay” is about how it felt for her to be rejected by a boy she liked. At the time, Billie thought he didn’t like her because she was a “shitty person.“ She wanted some other reason for him not liking her, such as him being gay. Ironically, after she wrote this song, she found out he really was gay after all.

Eilish made an Instagram post with a small snippet of the song the day before its March 4, 2019, release.

She also revealed on Instagram that it took her three years to release the song once it was written. However, a demo version circulated for many years before its official rerecording and professional release in 2019.

Eilish addressed accusations of homophobia in a Pop Buzz interview.