Harry Styles gave a polarizing interview with Better Homes & Gardens during which he opened up about how his personal life and sexuality have been scrutinized ever since he went solo with his first album.
In the interview, the 28-year-old and former One Direction singer reflected on how much pressure he put on himself to continuously gain the public's approval of him being a "likable person."
Based on social media reactions, it appears he still has his work cut out for him.
Better Homes & Gardens. June 2022.\n\nPhotographed by Tim Walker.pic.twitter.com/9BLnsmGHDK— Harry Styles. (@Harry Styles.) 1650991572
He told the magazine he used to worry about accidentally saying the wrong thing in interviews and being put on blast for it and about how relieved he would be instead of happy when good things happened–like a number one album.
Styles also mentioned the "cleanliness clause" he and his former boyband mates used to sign that would dictate their contracts being null and void if they did anything that was "supposedly unsavory."
Styles disclosed he meets with a therapist and has recently been working through his issues relating to intimacy and dating.
"For a long time, it felt like the only thing that was mine was my sex life," said the singer–whose third solo album, Harry's House, drops next month.
"I felt so ashamed about it, ashamed at the idea of people even knowing that I was having sex, let alone who with."
"At the time, there were still the kiss-and-tell things. Working out who I could trust was stressful," continued Styles.
"But I think I got to a place where I was like, why do I feel ashamed? I'm a 26-year-old man who's single; it's like, yes, I have sex."
When he finally signed his solo contract and discovered he could make music without being affected by his personal transgressions, he unexpectedly burst into tears, according to the magazine.
"I felt free," he said.
Styles faced scrutiny about his sexuality around the time of his second studio album, Fine Line, in 2019.
He wore gender-bending fashion and posed in a Gucci gown as the first solo male to grace the cover of Vogue magazine, which drew the ire of gay, gender-fluid fashion icon Billy Porter–who has since apologized to Styles after saying Porter "created the conversation [about gender-fluid fashion] and yet Vogue still put Harry Styles, a straight White man, in a dress on their cover for the first time."
Far-right political commentator Candace Owens was less apologetic when she encouraged toxic masculinity with her "bring back manly men" comment on Twitter in response to the historic Vogue shoot.
While the conversation about his ostentatious fashion became a viral talking point, Styles has remained cryptic about his sexual preference with journalists and on social media whenever they would question who he was sleeping with.
Styles said the expectation of labeling sexuality was "outdated."
"I've been really open with it with my friends, but that's my personal experience; it's mine," he said.
"The whole point of where we should be heading, which is toward accepting everybody and being more open, is that it doesn't matter, and it's about not having to label everything, not having to clarify what boxes you're checking."
People had passionate opinions on his statement about not being labeled.
Harry styles is % WRONG \nBLACK PEOPLE & Women can't live without Labels. Labels create VISIBILITY,Unity & POWER. #LGBTQ don't have #EQUALITY without Defining ourselves Publicly, because generally our unique qualities are Invisible.Defining ourselves Publicly creates #Equalitypic.twitter.com/P7PriBQwrc— Daniel Newman (@Daniel Newman) 1651083537
I feel like we should be talking about our queerness more than ever rather than just saying it doesn\u2019t matter— Lee Dawson (@Lee Dawson) 1650995878
this is indirect erasure, we had enough— fran (@fran) 1650993414
You know what else is \u201coutdated\u201d? Gay bashings.\nAnd yet, here we are, still dealing with it.— Paul (@Paul) 1651097780
Tremendously disrespectful to all queer people being attacked and marginalized right now for their sexuality and gender identity. \n\nIt's all quirky and fun for millionaire music stars, not so much for trans youth in Alabama and other red states.— join (@join) 1651001281
this sounds very straight— ember (@ember) 1650995535
Harry Styles isn't queer. Nick Jonas isn't queer. \n\n"It's not your business for him to out himself"\n\nQueer people are murdered on the daily for being themselves. If he can't see the need for visibility, then he's not queer.— PlasticMan (@PlasticMan) 1651007591
Some accused the singer of queerbaiting.
In other words, marketing— Raini the Goat (@Raini the Goat) 1650993358
no hate but it seems more like a marketing strategy than anything else, he is benefiting from the sexual ambiguity around him, if he comes out as gay or bi....he'll be less relevant cuz there is nothing new about a queer person wearing a dress or painting his nails— Narimene ISSAAD (@Narimene ISSAAD) 1651016920
Your sexuality IS important when you make it your whole brand and campaign but still refuse to give concrete answers— Sephirate is a pirate\u2077 (@Sephirate is a pirate\u2077) 1651007098
i respect that he wants to preserve his own experiences, but then, he shouldnt sell it like it doesnt matter, especially when people die in the middle of these speeches, i believe we need and must talk it out loud and proud, today more than ever— DANTAS (@DANTAS) 1651001734
The thing is Harry doesn't have the obligation to come out as queer, I agree with that. BUT once he's a public person and uses signals from LGBTQ community in his art, I think it would be important for the community if he spoke up more openly about it— Jota (@Jota) 1651010158
This is just backwards thinking disguised as woke and it fits perfectly in our LGBT+ phobic society. Sexuality shouldn't be hidden if you're not in trouble and yet people find stupid reasons to hide it. You wouldn't find the colour of your hair "personal"...— poshbottomd (@poshbottomd) 1651010571
He gets to enjoy all the privileges of being perceived as straight and all the queer support for allegedly being queer...— poshbottomd (@poshbottomd) 1651010694
celebrity who talks about living in a world without labels Celebrity terrified of losing straight fanbase. Celebrity very aware of LGTBphobia and still uses it as a protective shield.— Minimai (@Minimai) 1651079697
Those who were blind to the issue spoke out in defense of the pop megastar.
Can people stop f**ing saying he\u2019s queer bating and it\u2019s marketing! He\u2019s saying we don\u2019t have to put a label on our sexuality and don\u2019t have to explain/let people know what we are as long as we ourself knows!! Then it doesn\u2019t matter what other people think we are!!— Ella \ud83c\udf3b Saw Louis!!! (@Ella \ud83c\udf3b Saw Louis!!!) 1651006322
People claiming he is capitalizing on queerness by queerbaiting are very contradictory. People pressuring him to define his sexuality are the ones attempting to capitalize it. Why your community wants to claim he's part of it while he has not said he is?— you should just (@you should just) 1651057490
so someone who doesn\u2019t want to label their sexuality is queer baiting? Its like people think the default sexuality is straight. he\u2019s literally just being who he WANTS to be. he\u2019s not trying to do anything, he\u2019s being who he is and he doesn\u2019t need to explain himself— gracie\ud83e\uddc3 (@gracie\ud83e\uddc3) 1651025737
https://twitter.com/TheHarryNews/status/1519022765701046272\u00a0\u2026\n\nReading this made me sympathize. Because I personally understand where he was coming from. Not 100%, of course not, but 60% give or take, lol. The unfair expectations but mine are at a very miniscule scale. But it's the principle of it all.— Jodi B. (@Jodi B.) 1651025366
For the past couple of years, Styles has been linked to actress Olivia Wilde–who directed him in her upcoming thriller, Don't Worry Darling.
Her name was noticeably absent from the Better Homes & Garden interview.
In spite of everything, the modern rock star emphasized he didn't want to appear ungrateful, defensive or angry.
The interview concluded with him saying he feels lucky every day to be able to make music and do what he loves.