singer and actor Harry Styles Addressed long-standing accusations of ‘queerbaiting’ during his time hosting the show saturday night live The debate turned into a punchline on March 14 before sharing a kiss on stage with actor Ben Marshall.
During the monologue, Styles acknowledged the discussion surrounding his public image and fashion choices. “People seem to pay attention to what I wear, and some have accused me of ‘queerbaiting’ behaviour,” he said on the show.
Then he joked: “Dad, have you ever thought that maybe you don’t know everything about me?”
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Kissing jokes on the SNL stage
Later in the monologue, Styles joked that his new album is titled “Kissing all the time. Disco, occasionally.” The singer clarified that despite the name, he doesn’t actually want to kiss often.
Actors Chloe Fineman and Sarah Sherman made brief appearances, feigning disappointment.
When Ben Marshall walked on stage, Styles leaned in and kissed him on the lips. Moments later, Styles joked, “This is queer baiting.”
What is Queerbaiting?
The term “queerbaiting” is often used to describe a celebrity, brand, or fictional work that adopts queer aesthetics or themes in a way that seems designed to appeal to an LGBTQ+ audience without affirming their identity or representation.
According to USA Today, the label is sometimes applied to public figures who embrace gender-fluid fashion or queer-coded imagery without explicitly identifying themselves as belonging to the LGBTQ+ community.
Styles has faced such accusations before, in part because of his widely discussed bold fashion choices, including a 2020 Vogue cover in which he wore a lace ball gown.
Styles returns as host and musical guest
Styles’ appearance marks his return to hosting and performing on Saturday Night Live. The Grammy-winning singer recently made a surprise guest appearance on the March 7 show hosted by Ryan Gosling, USA Today reports.
In an earlier appearance, Styles joked that he was on the show to “see and get a feel for it” before hosting next week. Gosling later reciprocated by briefly appearing on Styles’ show to introduce one of his musical performances.
