Recent Larry and 1D updates (Liam’s recent interview response)
Here is a very brief summary of some of the Larry related occurrences that I can remember happening since I finished my main Larry proof essay, but I mainly discuss Liam’s recent interview describing the lack of freedom in One Direction and how I hope we can all react to it. *
Since Harry’s yellow trousers with black stripes Louis has also worn yellow trousers with black stripes and Harry has worn another yellow and black stripy jumper (bee symbolism) Zayn got a bear tattoo heavily resembling RBB and made sure it was visible in the rip of his jeans for paparazzi to photograph. Louis got a tattoo of an ‘E’ on his hand and Eleanor got an ‘L’ tattoo on her hand, however there have been subsequent videos and photos of both of them without the letters on their hands. Louis was in LA only for the duration that Harry was in LA then went back to London when Harry also went back to London. Louis has worn nothing but white shirts right up until Two Ghosts was announced as Harry’s next single (the song where he sings about Louis in white shirts)
* Most notably, Liam has continued to reveal how restricted him and the other boys were in One Direction. He’s been explaining that his lyric “I used to be in 1D, now I’m out free” references how Harry wasn’t allowed to wear high waisted, bell bottom trousers and Zayn wasn’t allowed to dye his hair. Louis has also discussed at length how he was constantly made to feel like “the one at the back” of the band who didn’t get a single solo in the entirety of The X Factor, and didn’t have the confidence to ever see what it was that he was contributing to the band. It is also known that Niall barely had any solos either, and was forced to perform with a broken leg. Harry was forced to perform with a constantly bad back, and him and the other boys would still perform even when they lost their voices or were unwell, and Zayn obviously left the band due his lack of input in the music and the effect the entire thing had on his anxiety and his eating habits. It has also recently come out that someone spent 20 minutes pleading with Harry to not go on TV with lipstick on. One Direction’s make-up artist even said that she thought men should look like men and not be feminine and that if the 1D boys even requested their eyebrows to be slightly plucked that she would refuse to do it. I also recently learnt that Liam even had to spend time in hospital because of the impact that an alcohol problem was having on his health.
I’m bringing this news up and discussing it for a few reasons – we knew that One Direction were under heavy professional control with their gruelling schedules and the fact that they did an album and a world tour every year for five years with basically no break, but learning more specifically about just how severe their personal control was, has been shocking. These boys were as young as 16, and for them to be manipulated and pushed to the point of alcoholism, eating disorders, anxiety and hospitalisation, and for them to be so forcefully gendered, is disgraceful. I’m writing about this to process it myself. I could link it back to Larry and say that if management spent an entire 20 minutes begging Harry to take lipstick off and forcing him to wear more masculine clothes then why is it a surprise that they would closet his and Louis sexuality and relationship, as much as I believe that I’m more so bringing this up to try and calm people down.
Everyone has understandably been very upset to hear that Harry wasn’t allowed to dress how he wanted or wear make-up if he wanted to, and I am really shocked and saddened to only just learn about how terrible things got for Liam, but I just wanted to try and reassure people to not let this news affect us too much. It’s obviously heart-breaking. No one should be made to feel like who they are is not enough or is somehow wrong. No one should be forcefully told how to dress, how to look, how to act, what to say, who to love, or who to be, especially not at such an important and impressionable age when they are only just learning these things about themselves anyway. No one should be pressured and overworked and controlled to the point where it impacts their own physical and mental health or their own opinions about themselves. Especially not for up to 7 years. And most of all, none of these things should have been inflicted for somebody else to profit from.
BUT, however sad and unfair and wrong this is, we must absolutely not let this negatively affect our own emotions. As hard as this may be to hear, there is not much we can do about it. This is not necessarily our fight. All we can do is continue to love and support all the boys. We can do this the same way we always have - by sending nice messages on social media, listening to their music, being kind to them if we meet them, organising fan projects when we can, and reminding them that we value and respect them for who they are. That might not sound like much, but it is. We know that they appreciate this, because they always tell us that they do.
And if all this gets too much for you, then never forget that you are always allowed to take a step back and you should always look after yourself first. The boys wouldn’t want you to be upset. There are enough of us out there to keep supporting One Direction if some of us need a break, and the lads themselves have each other and their friends and families to support them too. Being a fan is meant to be fun and enjoyable. And the boys themselves have still had an absolutely amazing time and have been happy and made such valuable friendships with each other and have not given up. They are strong. And so are we. And as they say - just hold on, remember everything will be alright, we’re fireproof and nobody can drag us down.
And lastly, here are all the positive and beautiful things we should focus on –
Harry is out there right now finally able to openly wearing pink, satin, velvet, golden, embellished, sequin, high waisted, flared, women’s trousers, lilac, pink ruffled, women’s blouses, fully painted nails, probably some lipstick every now and again, in public, looking amazing, with a real smile on his face, and being continuously respected and accepted for it, by the fashion world and the general public, as well as writing his own honest and personal music that he is proud of. Harry covering his ‘things I can’t’ tattoo with an eagle tattoo shortly after One Direction’s hiatus is surely a metaphor for this freedom.
Louis got a serious and honest solo interview with a respected journalist which won him enormous love, respect and acknowledgement from the general public. There have been articles written solely about his music and not just his private life and the promotion for his new single is much better than it was for his first single. He is writing his own solo album and is finally feeling really confident and excited about his own abilities as a singer.
Niall is also writing his own solo album under his own conditions and in his own time and is also feeling confident in his own abilities as a singer and songwriter, and out of all the boys he now has the most followers on Twitter, which has happened purely as a result of good music and good promotion for it.
Zayn was able to finally make the type of music that he wanted to make, can dye and cut and style his hair however he wants and has had quiet time to himself to deal with his anxiety and his eating, as well as be honest and open about it.
Liam seems happy and healthy, his music is being is really well received and he has more control over his own words and the freedom to sing honestly about what he wants to say, and most of all, the fact that Liam is able to finally talk so openly about the lack of freedom in One Direction is a positive indicator at the increasing distance between them and 1D’s management.
Since the hiatus, all the boys have been doing what they want for themselves and have been genuinely happy, and have been constantly supporting each other publicly. As much as I miss them together and I do want them to come back, I want it to happen under the best possible circumstances, at the time that they want it to, and if they all definitely do want it. Although, as mentioned in my main essay, there is so much we don’t know, it seems like although things aren’t perfect and there is still a long way to go and they are still under control, things are the best they can be, and they are maybe the best they have been.
Harry, Louis, Niall, Liam and Zayn seem happy at the minute and they have more freedom than they have had since 1D began. No matter what they’ve gone through and although they aren’t perfect and we don’t know them personally, the boys are still true to themselves and their work, they’re doing brilliantly on their own and they continue to inspire and encourage people to stay strong and be themselves – if that’s not something to celebrate then I don’t know what is.
Finally, without wanting to sound like I’m telling you how to feel or that I would even have any right to do that, I would just like to advise you to please try not to worry or to get too emotional, and please try to always see the positives. Put yourself, your own feelings and your own life first and just enjoy being a fan :)
