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[pinkrubberducky]

Is Harry Styles the One to Break the Curse of Toxic Masculinity?

By Jillian Bradin in September 2022

Harry Styles, a former One Direction band member, otherwise known as Fruit Man among his fans, is one of the most controversial pop stars of the summer. There a lot of people who have said he is queer-baiting, a term defined as someone who presents “queer ideas” soley for the purpose of marketing and gaining a larger audience. This began when he was pictured in Vogue Magazine in 2020 wearing a Gucci dress and since then has been helping people come out to their families or friends at his own shows. 

pic via rolling stone uk

People seem to have an issue with this because he, himself, has not actually said anything about his sexuality, however that shouldn't matter. Why are we questioning other people’s sexuality in 2022? It’s just a way people live, it's how people are, and again, like Harry says, we should treat people with kindness. Sexuality is a fluid spectrum and people should love people regardless of gender, sexuality and how one dresses. 

Consequently, from this idea of dressing or acting “gay” stems toxic masculinity. The idea of being more femine as a cis man has created backlash of not being “manly” enough, the sole definition of what toxic masculinity is. Toxic masculinity is doing things to seem like you are this alpha male, who is “better than everyone else” because they’re the most “manly”. This has led to issues of homophobia if you’re seen wearing or saying something “not manly enough”. 

So how does his music bridge this idea of toxic masculinity and interpersonal struggles? 

While it is true that Styles sings about fruit like Watermelon Sugar, many of his songs have a lot of longing to be more feminine throughout them. The media, a large scope of it at least, have begun to assume that he is part of the LGBTQ+ because of the qualities he possesses that are seen more in women, such as wearing more “feminine clothing” and being a decent human. This creates a fine line- no pun intended- between what men can do, how they speak, what they can wear and who they can be, without being called a woman, which is degrading for so many reasons. 

His music contains lyrics that can be listened to with many different perspectives, whether on the surface or with intent. There are a lot of songs I could analyze, however, I will be choosing one album that seems the most fitting as it contains a lot of songs longing to be who is with no remorse.  

On the album Fine Line, the songs She, Cherry, Fine line, and Treat People With Kindness, include lyrics that have a double meaning, or in other words contain double entendres. 

Although there are these amazing songs, I'm afraid if I write about all of them, no one will read this blog. So, without further ado, I will give you my top 3 songs off Fine Line that represent what a true man is. 

Fine Line; Put a price on emotion, i’m looking for something to buy

      I don't want to fight you, And I don't wanna sleep in the dirt

       We'll get the drinks in, So I'll get to thinking of her

       We'll be a fine line

The lyrics on a more shallow perspective look like they are talking about struggles with an old lover or past relationship. However, looking more closely, you can see that he says, Put a price on emotion, I'm looking for something to buy; to me, those lyrics scream that he wants to be allowed to have emotion but it will come at the price of being seen as less masculine or not manly enough. He then says, I don’t want to fight you and I don't want to sleep in the dirt, we’ll get the drinks in so I'll get to thinking of her. In this case, I think that he doesn’t want to suppress his feminine side, which I believe is the “Her” he is referring to. The lyrics seem like he wants to be his masculine self and not care about if things are seen as less masculine, which could be seen as defying toxic masculinity. 

She;    He takes a boat out, Imagines just sailing away (away, away)

And not telling his mates (not telling his mates), He wouldn't know what to say     (wouldn't know what to say, to say)

She (she), She lives in daydreams with me (she), She's the first one that I   see

And I don't know why, I don't know who she is (she), Lives for the memory

A woman who's just in his head (just in his head), And she sleeps in his bed (his bed)

While he plays pretend (pretend), So pretend (pretend)

The lyrics of “a woman who's just in his head, and she sleeps in his” might refer to how he recognizes himself in different aspects of his identity that he holds within himself, almost like a secret. Unlike Fine Line, this song seems to tell the story of how he wants to show who he really is and tell his friends and people closer to him, but seems afraid as if something bad might come of it. He also writes that he takes a boat and imagines sailing away. This, to me, symbolizes day dreaming about something and escaping from reality. To put it in context, Harry wants to get away from the reality of being scared or afraid of who sees him as how he sees himself. 

  Finally, the song Treat People With Kindness just embodies emotions of finding who you are and wanting to be yourself in a place where people don’t judge you. 

TPWK;  I got a good feeling, I'm just takin' it all in

   Floating up and dreamin', Droppin' into the deep end

   And if we're here long enough, They'll sing a song for us (ah- ah-ah-ah), 

   And we'll belong,

   Maybe we can, Find a place to feel good

   And we can treat people with kindness

  The lyrics “floating up and dreaming” conveys a world in which Harry wants to escape to. One where people live alongside you and encourage you to be the best version of yourself with no judgment or criticism. The next set of lyrics, “if we’re here long enough, they’ll sing a song for us” represents the patience he is willing to endure in order to make his dream a reality, and maybe, just maybe, everyone will treat people with kindness. 

Overall, Harry Styles has done an incredible job trying to diminish the ideas of toxic masculinity. I think that if more men, and even women and people in between, were to follow in the footsteps of him, the idea of being manly enough would expire and people could truly be themselves. Why try to fit into society’s standards when we could change the standards of society instead? Maybe if we did that, the world would be a better place and more men would be singing about fruit. 

[their-misplaced-wings]

Just need to scream to everyone how absolutely perfect this passage is for everyone of every age, but especially young women. Don't let the adults in your life turn you into monsters. Try to understand and talk with someone before making them your rival out of jealousy and spite.

[withinsight-motivation]

[rickollie]

Blooming at my own pace this Valentines Season with a reflection on love, healing, and learning to hold on to what truly matters as I fight cancer. #ValentinesDay #CelebratingLove #HopeAndHealing #BeMyValentine #LoveStillWins #PersonalReflection #LoveMeAnyways #CancerFight #KnowYourWorth #LoveYou

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[mumisanerd]

Amen.

[ellediablo98]

Decent Person Pro-Tip

If you are going to bring up the so called Alt-Right, refer to them as The Alt-Reich or simply, Nazis for complete accuracy reasons. Don't allow hate groups to hide behind new branding and allow them to normalize themselves.