Harry Styles says Gay Sex in Film is “Two Guys Going at It”
The singer sparked controversy when discussing his role as a gay cop in the upcoming movie ‘My Policeman.’
Harry Styles stirred online controversy — again — with his latest comments on gay sex.
The singer spoke with Rolling Stone about “My Policeman,” an upcoming film in which Styles plays a 1950s gay police officer hiding his sexuality. In the article, published Monday, August 22, Styles said he wanted to show what sex between men is really like.
“So much of gay sex in film is two guys going at it, and it kind of removes the tenderness from it,” Styles told the magazine.
“There will be, I would imagine, some people who watch it who were very much alive during this time when it was illegal to be gay, and [director Michael Grandage] wanted to show that it’s tender and loving and sensitive.”
On Twitter, some fans criticized his comments, arguing that Styles spoke for the queer community without claiming a place in it.
“Harry Styles codifying queer movies as ‘So much of gay sex in film is two guys going at it, and it kind of removes the tenderness from it’ is crazy to me cause MOST queer films are about tenderness, sadness and longing,” one person tweeted. “Most sex scenes are suggested or inexistent.”
Harry Styles codifying queer movies as “So much of gay sex in film is two guys going at it, and it kind of removes the tenderness from it" is crazy to me cause MOST queer films are about tenderness, sadness and longing. Most sex scenes are suggested or inexistent💀
— TEVIN (@diornowhere) August 22, 2022
“harry styles when he finds out gay people fuck each other instead of just wearing ugly outfit combos and painting their nails pink together,” wrote another, accompanied by a short video of a person screaming in horror.
harry styles when he finds out gay people fuck each other instead of just wearing ugly outfit combos and painting their nails pink together pic.twitter.com/M0HfT4uzeY https://t.co/HnDea65LjY
— greta thunberg (@tyongbbI) August 22, 2022
Others joined the conversation to note that Styles is entitled to privacy about his own sexuality.
“why is it ‘don’t out someone’ ‘don’t force someone out of the closet’ ‘clothes ≠ sexuality’ until it’s harry styles,” wrote a Twitter user. “someone else’s sexuality is none of your business even if it’s a celebrity.”
why is it “don’t out someone” “don’t force someone out of the closet” “clothes ≠ sexuality” until it’s harry styles
— eros ⭐️🦊⁶⁹ (@erostweetsbot) August 23, 2022
The debates about Styles are nothing new. For years, fans have speculated and argued about his gender, sexuality, and interactions with the LGBTQ community.
Some say Styles queerbaits fans by appropriating a queer image — playing with his gender expression, for example — to draw in LGBTQ fans without being openly LGBTQ himself. But many critics have pointed out the danger in insisting celebrities either come out publicly or adhere to heterosexual norms.
In the Rolling Stone article, Styles said the boundaries between his private and public life are forcibly blurred by fans sometimes, especially when it comes to sexuality and dating. He’s had to learn to compartmentalize his inner life from his celebrity persona.
“I’ve never talked about my life away from work publicly and found that it’s benefited me positively,” Styles said.
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