Adam Lambert Defends Harry Styles Against Queerbaiting Accusations
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LGBTQ+ icon Adam Lambert is of the opinion that detractors should stop accusing pop singer Harry Styles of queerbaiting. The Queen frontman defended the pop singer, saying that the gay community isn’t that “gullible” to fall for deceitful marketing techniques.
Adam Lambert Stands With Harry Styles Amid Queerbaiting Claims
In an interview with iNews, Lambert took the time to address the hate thrown at Harry Styles for allegedly queerbaiting. According to the singer, it’s time that people tone down their animosity towards the “As It Was” hitmaker.
“I get the concern,” he said. “But OK, so if you’re a gay man and you like Harry Styles, do you like him because he has a rainbow flag on stage or because you like his songs? Is the rainbow flag not just icing on the cake?”
The gay icon went on and stated that automatically labelling outfits and performances that do not conform to heteronormativity as “queerbait” is an insult to their community. Additionally, for Lambert, it is “almost underestimating the intelligence of gay people.”
“We’re not that gullible, are we? I think people just like to find things to bitch about,” he said.
Queerbaiting is a term commonly used to describe content that tease homosexual love storylines, but then withdraws during the last minute. Furthermore, this has been used to accuse celebrities of manipulating their fans and utilizing queer aesthetics to market themselves.
Styles Refuses Label Anything Regarding His Sexuality
Throughout his tour, Styles manifested his allyship with the LGBTQ+ community by holding up pride flags onstage. The “Daylight” singer has also supported his fans who came out and bravely took gay roles in his acting stints.
This has led fans to assuming that Styles was either gay or queerbaiting. However, despite public criticism, the singer has refused to label himself as anything as regards his gender.
“For a long time, it felt like the only thing that was mine was my sex life,” he said. “I felt so ashamed about it, ashamed at the idea of people even knowing that I was having sex, let alone who with.”
Moreover, Styles emphasized that everyone, including himself, has their own journey in figuring out sexuality.
