I think something I've been noticing lately is how queer men somehow get a lot of slack for shitty things they do simply because they are queer. There is this trope that straight cis men are the worlds shittiest creatures but the second a man says he is queer, then he can do no wrong. It's almost as if sexual assault/rape/misogyny is limited to straight cisgender men.
I recently dated a pansexual man who is probably one of the most egotistical, mysogynostic, narcissistic men I've ever met. At first, I told myself that it couldn't be true that he was queer and shitty at the same time because I felt this sense of shame that saying that a queer man truly is still a shitty person despite his sexual preferences would somehow make me homophobic. But I think that limiting this to straight men is honestly invalidating to those of us who experience it with queer men. I think that the belief that people who call out queer men on their shitty behavior are homophobic needs to be put to an end. Calling people homophobic or transphobic the second they say anything negative regarding a queer person is ridiculous, especially if the thing being said has nothing to do with the persons sexuality.
Soo…it’s not okay for Michael Bublé to make a song called Santa Buddy, but it’s okay for Billy Eyelash to queerbait and to say racial slurs, okay for Cardiovascular Bronchitis to drug and rob men (and do God knows what other crimes) and be transphobic, and okay for Harry to be a homewrecker????
So you guys will just call anyone a homophobe, even when one of the “homophobes” might have GAY UNCLES???
10 months has taken you to come down to the idea that Vogue’s and to the extend Harry’s choice (or team’s) on that November 2020 cover wasn’t the best decision to ‘represent the new conversation’ on fashion.
As a fan, I can say that it hurts many of us to see how Harry's image appears distant from who he really is; and therefore, can't defend himself from the accusations that you have spit and thus explain what reasons led all those involved in making the unanimous decision on the cover and why he, in particular, felt comfortable with it without damaging his career. To do this, he would have to expose himself, make statements that can be compromising and that he does not want/are not convenient at this point; it's not fair, how this would be the only way to make the public understand how his motivations are stronger than they may seem and not only about figures.
These statements are quite surprising coming from someone that stands for tolerance, considering the values you support and the injustices that happen in this industry and you recall to be aware of. Since Harry's (official) image is ultimately what it is, I'll go along with your speech: yes, Harry is a white young successful man but has not labeled his sexuality publicly to date.
Deep into your declarations & checking with your path, I can assure you have not created COLLABORATED in keeping the binary conversation in fashion, but I want to highlight that thank goodness many already wore skirts if we can simplify it into that. MANY!
I might be wrong, but reading into your statements seems like you defend that only "some" are worthy of such a cover because they have been struggling over a lifetime, fighting against the system, etc...if you only knew but what if the movement that was intended to be reflected is not the one you have assumed to be? what if it is to support the elimination of boundaries between what is considered to be feminine and masculine, as a symbol of freedom and tolerance with oneself and with others (regardless of sexuality), ironic that it has awakened this situation, ha?. It is not necessary to explain that there are many colors and ways of understanding one's sexuality, with which, have you thought that Harry is speaking the language of an existing social group? What if the fact that not labeling his sexuality publicly permits each individual to read into this event differently and therefore reach a wider audience?
However, you are concerned enough, which makes me think that maybe you see how this can be representative, is that the issue a posible threat?Isn't it ultimately your interpretation of what the cover could represent that led you to claim a limiting imposition? "Only a masculine queer person can wear dresses." I'm confused... Say it clearly, who would you have liked to see on that cover?
Of course, it is a controversial move, and that says a lot about the society we live in; these statements, that show Harry's choices empty of principles, also speak volumes. I just hope that you find softer judgments in your journey and no one has to resort to putting you in the spotlight for gaining a few clicks or popularity using such sensitive topics when people cannot speak up.
Disclaimer: There are infinite details that touch this topic and that are not shown in this brief post and that should be in order to make a fair breakdown of what we are facing here, so please no offense to anyone. We all know how Harry’s image is portrayed and why, how he is not the only one in the industry and how does that works. Making the small movements that he is capable of making a poor one for being taken as privileged, hurts. I cannot isolate his own bts fights from this situation.
