Okay, so last week I made a thread about Harry Styles and if he was a queer artist, and over 100 of you told me he was a "queerbaiter" and 5 of you didn't.

So then I went and made a joke in some Heated Rivalry thread about one of them "queerbaiting" (I've never actually watched the show, I just find amusement in triggering it's weird ass fans) and I was received with universal downvotes and literally thesis statement lectured by one user about how "queerbaiting is not a real thing"

So wtf is it? Does it exist or not?

idk ask harry styles

Edited February 1Feb 1 by Edu

Ask the cast of heated rivalry

Queerbaiting is a concept that is real because people think of it as real, thus creating it as a discussion point.

Its most popular application frankly is a product of gay insanity. Trying to find representation or identity in things presented to them rather than uplifting openly queer art, which can be hard to find and often limited by lack of resources in comparison.

I don't think I care enough right now to figure out an answer. the truth is: I turned 29 almost a month ago, I am bisexual, I am stressed out, I am manic, my financial situation is precarious, as you can see in my avi I just dyed my hair blue black, and I have a really cute girl sleeping in my bed right now. I am going to take a melatonin and try to sleep now too. what's f*cked is that my now ex roommate is stressing me out but I still care for him. I have too much on my mind to really answer this one for now but I love you all

13 minutes ago, jeauseph said:

I don't think I care enough right now to figure out an answer. the truth is: I turned 29 almost a month ago, I am bisexual, I am stressed out, I am manic, my financial situation is precarious, as you can see in my avi I just dyed my hair blue black, and I have a really cute girl sleeping in my bed right now. I am going to take a melatonin and try to sleep now too. what's f*cked is that my now ex roommate is stressing me out but I still care for him. I have too much on my mind to really answer this one for now but I love you all

This deserves a Pulitzer Prize.

@Swiftienator13 you have some debating to do

Yes, but Hudson is doing it tastefully. Kind of like the straight RPDR contestant Maddie.

1 minute ago, Genie in a Bottle said:

This deserves a Pulitzer Prize.

why thank you (virtual Joe-kiss on the cheek loading)

Yes, the Harry Styles we see is a carefully curated character that a record label has come up with. Someone decided they wanted him to appear a certain way and appeal to a particular demographic that loves androgenous, sexually ambiguous men.

If Harry Styles was a regular person and just liked wearing dresses, then no he would not be a queerbaiter. But the context is important.

Edited February 1Feb 1 by glitch

Yes.

yes, especially in the adult content creation industry

Yes, but most people don’t know what the term actually means so they use it incorrectly. A man wearing a dress is not queerbaiting; neither is a man not wanting to publicly announce their sexual orientation to the world. A TV show giving enough subtext so queer audiences can feel “represented” while also being subtle enough to not offend anti-queer audiences is actual queerbaiting.

As a rule of thumb, individual people cannot queerbait. There are exceptions, of course (e.g., Timothy Champagne). But, people often use this term too broadly and just end up perpetuating homophobia as a result. For instance, Kit Connor playing a bisexual character at the age of 18 was pressured out of the closet because he was seen holding hands with a girl which sparked “queerbaiting” allegations. Kit Connor never pretended to be bisexual for the sake of profit. He just played a character (even though, ironically, a bi man would also date a woman so it’s not even a logical allegation).

@psychodiva336 wait why are you confused hon

the poll results didn't disappoint

"real people can't queerbait!@#!@!!!!" is probably one of the dumbest arguments ever exist

Totally but a lot of people dont know what it means for example a straight men playing a gay role is NOT queerbaiting, only if he is like secretly homophobic or something

6 minutes ago, Johnny Jacobs said:

Wow the xTINA is really jumping out here

ask kpop idols

Edited February 1Feb 1 by hallucinate

This pig queerbaited most of her career, so yes

No. Unless you're Harry Styles.

8 minutes ago, Bloo said:

As a rule of thumb, individual people cannot queerbait. There are exceptions, of course (e.g., Timothy Champagne).

Okay but it's sentences like this that are sooo confusing to me. It's either something people do or they don't, how can individual people not queerbait, but there are exceptions… which means some individual people CAN

so what is the truth?

wait @Born to Run not you too please lmk why everyone's acting confused reacts I think I actually need to sleep soon I'm panicking

Just now, Genie in a Bottle said:

Okay but it's sentences like this that are sooo confusing to me. It's either something people do or they don't, how can individual people not queerbait, but there are exceptions… which means some individual people CAN

so what is the truth?

If a person is explicitly changing how they publicly identify sexually to chase an audience, then that’s queerbaiting (see Timothy Champagne). This is relatively rare. No, a celebrity not wanting to label their identity to the broader public is not equivalent because we are not owed people’s sexual identity.

If a person is expressing themselves outside the gender binary (e.g., Harry Styles wearing a dress), then that’s not queerbaiting; that is you imposing the gender binary on a person and accusing them of wrongdoing for not sticking within it.

Just now, jeauseph said:

wait @Born to Run not you too please lmk why everyone's acting confused reacts I think I actually need to sleep soon I'm panicking

If I could ship you some of my unused ambien bottles I would sis, just put on some relaxing ASMR and try to sleep