March 1, 2023
By Camille Echols
Staff Writer
Queerbaiting is defined as a marketing tactic that feeds into romantic tension between same-sex characters or hints at a character being queer, but never explicitly states so. This way, popular shows and movies can appeal to both the queer community and to people uncomfortable with queer relationships and have the “best of both worlds.”
One of the most prominent examples of queerbaiting in media is seen in the CW show “Supernatural,” where romantic tension is hinted at between two of the main characters over the course of the seasons, only for them to not get together in the end. Due to criticism from fans, one of the characters was confirmed to be queer in the finale. LGBTQ fans viewed this as “too little, too late,” and the scene lacked the sentimentality they were looking for.
Queerbaiting in media is a prevalent issue with which the LGBTQ community struggles. However, a new issue has arisen: the term is now being used incorrectly, and real people are being accused of queerbaiting. Many celebrities in recent years have been harassed with accusations of queerbaiting, despite the fact that the true definition of queerbaiting does not apply to real people.
An even bigger issue arises when it turns out that the person who was harassed for queerbaiting turns out to be LGBTQ themself. Coming out is something that is meant to be liberating for LGBTQ people. It is meant to be a choice that someone makes when they feel ready to do so and should never be done due to pressure from others.
Sadly, this ended up being the case for Kit Connor, the star of the Netflix drama series “Heartstopper.” Connor was accused of queerbaiting after he was seen holding hands with his female co-star Maia Reficco in November 2022. He came out as bisexual on Twitter shortly after in order to dispel the rumors, even though he was not ready to do so. His coming out reflected frustration on his end, instead of celebration like it should have been.
While it is refreshing to see active allyship and coverage of LGBTQ struggles, it is also frustrating that queer voices are being ignored, and these celebrities are continuously being attacked over a non-issue.
Harry Styles is another popular artist that has come under fire for queerbaiting. This has happened due to his choice to wear more “flamboyant” or “feminine” clothing, as well as his refusal to directly state his sexuality. Styles, like every other person in the world, has a right to his own privacy and ambiguity about his identity. Demanding he put a label on himself goes against everything for which the LGBTQ community stands..
Despite the insistence of queer people, celebrities continue to be labeled as “queerbaiters” by others for simply not sharing every single detail of their private life online for everyone to see. While it is refreshing to see active allyship and coverage of LGBTQ struggles, it is also frustrating that queer voices are being ignored, and these celebrities are continuously being attacked over a non-issue. Instead of focusing on prevalent issues such as hate crimes or the struggles of queer people in other countries, people continue to try and “cancel” celebrities.
While cancel culture is not necessarily a bad thing and definitely demonstrates progress, it can create a cesspool of misinformation that ends with innocent people being attacked and bullied online.
Cancel culture has forced more and more celebrities to engage in performative activism on social media in order to avoid backlash. Performative activism is when people, usually celebrities or people in power, pretend to care about an issue or a struggle of a marginalized community and use that as a way to gain media attention and support.
While it may seem like queerbaiting is a pressing issue, it does harm many closeted queer celebrities and makes them feel pressured into coming out because they do not want to be labeled as controversial.
Attacking real people over queerbaiting is more harmful than it is helpful. Celebrities, like everyone else, have feelings and emotions, no matter how larger-than-life they may seem. One would not accuse their family member or friend of queerbaiting if they did not explicitly state their sexuality but displayed some stereotypical queer behavior, so they should make an effort to treat celebrities with similar respect.
