Harry Styles has opened up about the rumors around his sexuality in a new interview, leaning into the ambiguity of his image.
Questioned by The Guardian whether he’s ever been asked if he’s bisexual, Styles responds:
“Um. I guess I haaaaave been asked? But, I dunno. Why?”
“It’s not like I’m sitting on an answer, and protecting it, and holding it back. It’s not a case of: I’m not telling you cos I don’t want to tell you. It’s not: ooh this is mine and it’s not yours,” he says. “It’s: who cares? Does that make sense? It’s just: who cares?”
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Well, his young LGBTQ fans, some of whom face hardships over their sexualities, likely care.
He takes a similar approach in describing his fashion choices:
“What women wear. What men wear. For me it’s not a question of that. If I see a nice shirt and get told, ‘But it’s for ladies.’ I think: ‘Okaaaay? Doesn’t make me want to wear it less though.’ I think the moment you feel more comfortable with yourself, it all becomes a lot easier.”
Later in the interview, Styles is asked about what some fans have perceived as hints about his sexuality. Namely, his Fine Line album sleeve, which appears to reference the bisexual flag.
“Am I sprinkling in nuggets of sexual ambiguity to try and be more interesting? No. In terms of how I wanna dress, and what the album sleeve’s gonna be, I tend to make decisions in terms of collaborators I want to work with. I want things to look a certain way. Not because it makes me look gay, or it makes me look straight, or it makes me look bisexual, but because I think it looks cool. And more than that, I dunno, I just think sexuality’s something that’s fun. Honestly? I can’t say I’ve given it any more thought than that.”
He concludes:
“What I would say, about the whole being-asked-about-my-sexuality thing—this is a job where you might get asked. And to complain about it, to say you hate it, and still do the job, that’s just silly. You respect that someone’s gonna ask. And you hope that they respect they might not get an answer.”
Josh447
Haha perfect advertising.
witchboybrian
He doesn’t owe anyone an answer, but this is absolutely the opposite of addressing the rumor head on.
controversial2019
I love how the tag for the article, which is supposed to just be a quote from the article, is what all of us readers are thinking about him, the subject, and the article. … who cares?!
redzebra1
I guess some fans and people on the staff of Queerty can’t get over their high school crush on him!
michel_banen
People don’t really care as more that they are just curious. It shouldn’t matter and in that way he gives the perfect answer which could also include the message of “Love who you love, it shouldn’t matter to anyone”. And isn’t that exactly the best answer to give to young LGBTQ people ?
Pistolo
Just another boring straight popstar trying to catch us queers because we’re fantastic fans, consumers, and visionaries.
Catholicslutbox
I’ll taking gay baiters over blatant homophobes, that other 1D guy, any day.
*I don’t care for that type of music. the type that the typical gays like and presumed to like. gaga madonna rupaul w/e.
enlightenone
Actually, no!
Michael1500
He’s so homely and bland, who gives a damn WHAT he is?
Jimmyk321
Right…. projecting much?
Donston
It is true that it shouldn’t matter. And it’s not really our business. No one should have to cop to any identities. And people should fvck who they want to fvck and love/be with who they want to love/be with. However, I call BS on him claiming that he doesn’t egg on these rumors. Hell, a certain section of his fan base even thinks he’s “out”. He also doesn’t seem to get (or he’s unwilling to admit) that being a guy whose success greatly depends on his supposed good-looks and his appeal to young females means that showing unabashed same-sex passions, affections, preferences, love, relationship ambitions is still pretty much a no-no in the entertainment industry. Ultimately, Harry is playing a game. But he’s very actively playing that game. None of this is accidental.
MISTERJETT
when asked, he should say “none of your business”.
redzebra1
Yeah he broke the rule of “Don’t think of an elephant.” Instead he milked the interview question for clicks and attention
boymikefl
He & Zayn were boyfriends (sex, bj’s). Call it what you want. Boy George’s drummer/lover claims to be straight. Everybody’s got male/females chromosomes. F***ing is one thing. A relationship is another. A hole’s a hole. I mean, how many guys in here have slept with “str8” guys? Zactly.
Donston
You don’t really know what he and Zayn did together. You’re putting it out there like it’s common knowledge or something. There were rumors that Harry hooked up with all his band-mates at some point. None of those rumors mean much of anything. However, the current rumors about Harry are ones that he is purposely instigating.
There are plenty of people who indulge same-sex relationships but still claim “straight”. Just like there are people who indulge hetero relationships but claim to be “gay”. And there are folks who don’t do anything beyond one sex yet say that they’re bi/pan/fluid. Identity is mostly about sociology, politics, perception and personal ego. That’s especially the case for public figures. People pick and choose what they want different identities to mean and what they wish to embrace or not embrace. It is what it is. And it’s not going to change.
Rock-N-RollHS
@ Dr. Don. People can “choose” whatever identities they want. But that doesn’t mean crap when the Nazi’s (or police or legislators) come knocking on your door. People are gay, straight, or bi (and, in rare cases, asexual), most often not through choice. So, just as Jews or blacks have claimed expedient identities (when they could) in the past to save their hides, gays can do that same thing. But that doesn’t change who they are.
Donston
I don’t really see those as comparable. Race is based on appearance, DNA, family history and societal experience. Yes, no one can choose their attractions, sexual desires or sexual fulfillment. And no one can choose where they fit within the gender, romantic, sexual, emotional investment, relationship contentment spectrum. But people do choose what behaviors they indulge. They choose to come out or not. They choose what identities they embrace or don’t embrace. People used to be deemed gay/bi based strictly off of behaviors and sociology. But in more “cultured” societies even that’s somewhat changing. Sexuality, orientation, identity will never be as straight-forward as race. That’s partly why things are more convoluted than ever. We can’t even come up with general consensuses around what all these different identities actually mean. Hell, folks are still arguing about the sexuality/identities of people from 50 years. The “social construct” argument does have some fair points.
I do agree with your post below. There needs to be less focus on what public figures are up to. Everything starts at home, with a safe and supportive environment. And you must build up your own esteem and mental health.
Kieran
I remember when Elton John was a bisexual.
Rock-N-RollHS
getting tired of the b.s. that out celebrities save lives. (Of course, celebrities feed the business models of sites like these.) There are plenty of out gays, and more kids kill themselves than ever. You know what really saves lives: loving and supportive family, friends, and/or communities. Without those, you’re much pretty screwed.
Ronbo
#metoo
Asked and answered. Now can we stop harassing him with these sex-focused questions? At this point it seems Harry is being sexually abused by shady journalists and horny pervs.
Why hound him with this kind of nonsense? It’s yellow journalism, at best.