Harry Styles Claps Back at Queerbaiting Criticism During ‘SNL’

[ANVEEROY 63,799]

Harry Styles finally clapped back at the extensive criticism aimed at him for queerbaiting during his opening monologue on “Saturday Night Live.”

He began the segment reminiscing about his last time hosting the show in 2019 and finishing his most recent tour in 2023. “Back then, people seemed to pay a lot of attention to the clothes I was wearing, something called queerbaiting,” he said. “And some people accused me of it but did it ever occur to you that maybe you don’t know everything about me, dad?”

“I mean, sometimes kissing can be great,” he continued. “You know, if you’re really good at it and you’re a good person.” At this point, multiple female cast members such as Chloe Fineman and Sarah Squirm made advances, all of which he denied.

When castmember Ben Marshall approached, he cheekily said, “Or if you have a tight little bum!” and went in for a full-on smooch. “Now that’s queerbaiting!”

Read More: https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/harry-styles-snl-opening-monologue-queerbaiting-male-kiss-1236688197/

Edited March 15 by ANVEEROY

[zevthepaparazzo 1,805]

okay?

still don't care bout him

[Squidward T 2,411]

So he fights the queerbaiting accusations with more queerbaiting. Makes sense 

[Jawline4dayz 516]

Love it tbh

[Lord Mayhem 3,155]

I've never seen that before...

[Rahrahbitchson 21,924]

Don't act as if those lips hadn't been in contact with any other part of a man's body.

[PrinceGaga 7,599]

So is he a forgette or not I’m still confused 

[Gagasdisease 325]

https://x.com/azzurrochurro/status/2033029755487007023

Edited March 15 by Gagasdisease

[monketsharona 88,972]

Yes but still queerbaiting at the same time 

[AsleepOnTheCeiling 6,777]

1 hour ago, Squidward T said:

So he fights the queerbaiting accusations with more queerbaiting. Makes sense 

But only ever does it when he has music coming out

[Monstermilo 5,387]

his queerbaiting is the most interesting thing about him............ sad

[ALGAYDO 34,343]

Wearing cloying designed for the opposite sex is not “queerbaiting” tho so his statement doesn’t make 100% sense, but I still dig it lol 

[Pigatha 825]

idc what anyone says. PEOPLE cannot queerbait, queerbaiting is target and other companies releasing their basic pride merch every year or trying to appeal to the LGBTQ community. 

Accusing people of queerbaiting only harms members of the community and reinforce society norms and expectations.

One could argue being an artist is their "brand" or "product" but there's no way to actually prove that's what's actually happening, nor would it make much sense since Harry Styles main demographic has always been straight women lol

Edited March 15 by Pigatha

[River 123,372]

it's like we're back to the 90s when it was brave to kiss a man on tv lol

Like honestly, we shouldn't even give it attention, it's kind of sad.

[River 123,372]

5 minutes ago, Pigatha said:

idc what anyone says. PEOPLE cannot queerbait, queerbaiting is target and other companies releasing their basic pride merch every year or trying to appeal to the LGBTQ community. 

Accusing people of queerbaiting only harms members of the community and reinforce society norms and expectations of people.

One could argue being an artist is their "brand" or "product" but there's no way to actually prove that's what's actually happening, nor would it make much sense since Harry Styles main demographic has always been straight women lol

It depends on the company honestly.

Like Marvel Comics is releasing every year a Pride issue with collection of LGBTQ+ pride stories and introducing new characters though these issues.. but at the same time during the rest of the year they are not hiding their LGBTQ+ characters, they are always there, even the kisses, the sex, their struggles.. they are part of the stories, there's even a trans-hero group, so for me Marvel is not queerbaiting but they have been helping the LGBTQ+ cause, even when it was not cool, in 1982 they introduce Arnie Roth, Captain America gay friend who was murdered for being gay.

But then we have Netflix that queerbaiting for years, they will put hot pics of shirtless guy in  the thumbnails, they will add non-LGBTQ+ shows to the LGBTQ+ collections, just because there is one irrelevant LGBTQ+ character and usually again the thumbnail is of a hot shirtless guy... and then they will cancel LGBTQ+ shows without even blinking.

And last thing, I think Harry knows what his doing, many straight women are lusting for hot gays making out, just like many straight guys are lusting for hot lesbians, so this queerbaiting is exactly for THIS demographic in some sense.