This week, Out is not only celebrating its 2025 Out100 event and the grand premiere of Wicked: For Good but also reflecting, and commemorating, and feeling power in the first anniversary of the "holding space" meme which was originated during an Out interview and quickly took over the internet. A meme so powerful, and that holds so much space, and that makes us feel power so much, that it can arguably be considered the biggest meme of 2024 (and this year as well!).The "holding space" meme from reporter Tracy E. Gilchrist was originated in a junket interview for Out magazine involving costars Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) and Ariana Grande (Glinda) promoting the first Wicked movie. The meme took over the internet and became one of the funniest viral moments of the 2020s decade.After it the moment took off, Gilchrist described the experience of going viral with the "holding space" meme in an essay. "Just two days following the re-election of Donald Trump when I interviewed them on the NBC Universal lot, I teed up a question for Erivo saying, 'This week, people have been holding space for the lyrics of 'Defying Gravity' and really feeling power in that.'"Gilchrist continued, "Erivo, Out magazine's Icon of the Year and cover star, with great sincerity, raising a hand to her chest, and Grande grabbed her finger in a moment of solidarity.""A meme was born," the journalist went on. "Journalists began to question what the term holding space, which had been discussed in therapy circles for years, meant following the exchange. At the same time, so many leaned in and began to hold space with one another, ironically or not."Join us in celebrating the "holding space" meme, one year later, by through the reactions, moments, additional memes, fan-edits, and celebrity shout-outs that followed this iconic Wicked interview between three legendary legends.Timothe Chalamet and Elle Fanning couldn't start a junket without discussing 'holding space' first.See on InstagramWhile promoting A Complete Unknown, Timothe Chalamet and Elle Fanning made sure to say how much they loved the "holding space" meme and opened up about how funny it is.The actors even did their own version of a finger-holding, and couldn't stop laughing at it.Justice Smith, Dave Franco, and Ariana Greenblatt had similar reactions and questions in another junket.See on Instagram"We know who you are," Smith remarked to Gilchrist at the Now You See Me: Now You Don't junket. "We love you."Franco asked, "Do you get that now wherever you go?""Sometimes," Gilchrist said, "it depends.Meanwhile, Greenblatt made sure that they all got a finger-holding moment for the cameras.Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang discuss the meme on Las Culturistas.The Las Culturistas themselves discussed the "holding space" meme in a culture catch-up episode from November 2024."Can I just say?" Yang started. "Tracy Gilchrist, if you're listening I've had the privilege of talking to Tracy before. She is a wonderful journalist. She holds space. And that's exactly what she was doing. And this was again, important context: It's really vital for people to know that this [junket] was the week of the election. That was recorded the week of the election."Rogers added that the particularly laughed at the "reveal that it was, 'Well, I work in queer media, so I've seen it on a couple posts. The whole thing of the pinky, too. It's all funny to me.""Emotions were high, feelings were raw," Yang continued. "I think that really touched Cynthia. Even if Tracy only saw it on two posts. [Laughs.] You're going to get that moment in the press tour with a queer outlet like Out, with someone like Tracy, who looked fabulous I love that we all kind of got on board with it and lost our minds just a little bit."Rogers agreed, "Every element of it is part of a larger conversation that I want to have about the Wicked press tour, which is so funny." The actor, comedian, recording artist, and more otherwise known as the Prince of Christmas remarked that the "holding space" meme had entered a pantheon of greatest moments from the Wicked press tour."In the same way that there could be a hundred people in a room, [line in the] A Star Is Born press tour, we will always remember this press tour," Rogers said. "And if it's irritating you, honey, you're going to miss it."Taylor Swift held Cynthia Erivo's finger at the Grammys. (@) Taylor Swift and Cynthia Erivo had a "holding space" moment at the 2025 Grammy Awards as comedian Trevor Noah hosted the ceremony. And everyone clocked it, duh!Just two talented divas living the life of a showgirl, y'know?And the New York City Gay Men's Chorus adding its own twist to the meme How can we ever forget?!See on InstagramListening to this "holding space" moment from the New York City Gay Men's Chorus has been funny, emotional, cathartic, campy, and fun all at the same time.Evan Ross Katz canonized 'holding space' as a must-see pop culture moment.See on Instagram"He wont take credit, but Evan Ross Katz helped open my life to opportunity when he broke down the salient bits of my interview with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande and they went viral. Everything that followed has been full of joy," Gilchrist wrote in an Instagram post with Katz in which she reflected his important of the meme became a viral sensation.Just 'everywhere / I'm so Julia,' in the words of Charli XCX.See on InstagramSeveral publications reached out for interviews to discuss the "holding space" meme over time The New York Times, Variety, The Guardian, NBC News, BBC World News, and The Independent, to name a few.So much space to be held.Did you know that Vogue's round-up of Wicked memes was led with 'holding space'?Even Vogue got in on the fun, publishing a round-up of Wicked memes with the headline, "We're Holding Space for All the Very Best Wicked Memes."Love to see it.Cynthia Erivo herself got to enjoy a 'holding space' performance from Pattie Gonia at the 2024 Out100 event.See on InstagramDrag superstar Pattie Gonia performed a hilarious and touching tribute to the "holding space" meme while performing right in front of Gilchrist alongside Wicked star Cynthia Erivo and it. was. everything!Queer media's space-holding tendencies were also celebrated at the 2025 GLAAD Awards.See on InstagramMichael Urie, who hosted this year's GLAAD Media Awards, dedicated an entire section of the ceremony to feature Gilchrist, referenced the "holding space" / "queer media" meme, and congratulated The Advocate Out's sister publication for winning an award that night.A cosign from The Kindness.org, no big deal!See on Instagram"Holding space could mean being present, open, and non-judgmental. This also happens to be how psychologists define mindfulness. And mindfulness has been found to be positively related to humanity's greatest asset #kindness."Did you know MAC Cosmetics held space, too?See on InstagramWell, now you know.Space was held everywhere else, tooSee on InstagramAn endless list of other "holding space" moments took place for the rest of 2024 and into 2025 like during an interview with Sharon Grisham for Yellowjackets.See on Instagram"Holding space" enthusiasts in attendance for the Creating Change conference in Las Vegas.See on InstagramOn podcasts like Made It Out.The memes never stopped And still haven't. (@) "but if you're holding space.and I'm in queer media.then who the hell is defying gravity?" (@) When this X user wrote, "Do not remember what my personality was before this," we really felt that. (@) "This is where they hold space for the lyrics to defying gravity."Geography isn't that hard. Open the libraries, for Oz's sake! (@) "Tried to explain this video on a work call this morning and sounded clinically insane." (@) "The 103rd floor of the Empire State Building was originally built to hold space for the lyrics of Defying Gravity," the official X/Twitter page for the Empire State Building shared in a post.What does the Empire State Building have to do with anything? Girl, no idea, but we're here for it. (@) "If you deport every last person in queer media, then who's going to be holding space for the lyrics of defying gravity?" (@) Even Kim Kardashian was added to this narrative through a fan-edit."Get your fucking ass up and hold space for the lyrics of defying gravity. It's like no one wants to hold space for the lyrics of defying gravity anymore."@thejentrendAnd feeling the power in that #defyinggravity #wickedthemusical #wicked #arianagrande #cynthiaerivo #holdingspace #fyp"Before we enjoy this bountiful meal, we are taking the lyrics of Defying Gravity and really holding space with that."@internationalpopstarjAnd feeling the power in that! #wicked #arianagrande #cynthiaerivo #wickedmovie #wickedthemusicalAnd space was also held at the pregame. (@) Poster edits! (@) More poster edits! (@) "Let me put my holding space blazer on." (@) "Gay Wicked brain rot core" was so in. (@) "No because I did kinda hold some space for the lyrics of defying gravity this morning idk."@besperonEveryone deserves the chance to fly @Cynthia Erivo @Wicked Movie @Wicked The Soundtrack #wicked #defyinggravity #cynthiaerivoPlease don't try this at home. (But we loved this one video!) (@) A deep-cut reference on Dancing With the Stars? Maybe so. (@) "I couldn't help but wonder if Big could hold space for the lyrics of Defying Gravity, why couldn't he hold space for me?"And Just Like That the show doesn't exist anymore. But we'll always have Sex and the City re-runs to watch! (@) This one's for the O.G. Gleeks. (@) A Glee and Wicked crossover?! Oh, yes, babe. (@) "I genuinely can't stop laughing at this every time I see it I burst into giggles."And here we are, still. We're in queer media, after all.