Is Harry Styles a New Queer Icon?
When Harry Styles released his debut album in 2017, one song didn’t make the cut. After a live performance in Switzerland in 2018, however, “Medicine” caught the media’s and fans’ attention—with some dubbing it the new bisexual anthem due to the line, “The boys and the girls are in/I mess around with him/And I’m okay with it.” While there is some debate around whether or not the word Styles sings is “them” or “him,” most fans are pretty sure it’s “him.” After all, it almost rhymes and matches the theme introduced in the previous line.
In early October, there was also debate about whether or not Styles’ new single “Lights Up” was another bisexual anthem. The song was released on October 14th, 2019, or National Coming Out day. Some took this as a sign that Styles was not only beginning a new musical era, but making an important announcement about his sexuality. In his own words, Styles has expressed that the song focuses on freedom which definitely leaves room for interpretation from listeners. He also recently performed on Saturday Night Live, with the “Sara Lee” skit featuring particularly not-very-straight content, including suggestive messages sent to Nick Jonas and Shawn Mendes.
When questioned about his sexuality in the past, Harry has made it clear that he prefers not to use labels and doesn’t feel the need to disclose the details to anyone else. Furthermore, it seems that labels are becoming less necessary for many. Although they can be validating for some, for others they feel restricting.
While fans are still speculating, people’s desired privacy should definitely be respected, even those whose lives are seemingly on display for all to see. Recently having left the sensational boyband One Direction, Harry Styles had already amassed a huge fan base before debuting as a solo artist. This means he has many loyal fans, but some boundaries have been crossed. It’s common for celebrities to be “shipped” by fans – meaning fans want a relationship to happen. This shipping can become invasive when fans are persistent and insist it become reality. Some people were rooting for “Larry”, or for Harry to get with his former bandmate Louis Tomlinson, even though Louis Tomlinson has been in a relationship for several years. Luckily, Harry doesn’t seem too fazed, and it seems he doesn’t think he owes anyone an explanation for his personal life any more than his sexuality.
Keeping all this in mind, is it okay for fans to crown Harry Styles a “bicon?” There’s nothing wrong with looking up to someone and supporting their identity, but it is just as important not to force an identity on someone, especially when it’s been made clear he prefers not to use a label or explain himself to anyone. Regardless, it’s exciting to see Harry Styles entering a new era of expression.
by INES DUPUPET