Actionable accusations that Bad Bunny is ‘queerbaiting’

The accusations

The accusations that Bad Bunny is ‘queerbaiting’ have surfaced like a well-oiled machine, but his followers aren’t buying it one bit.

Puerto Rican pop superstar was ‘queerbaiting’ his fans

Some people on social media expressed their opinion that the Puerto Rican pop superstar was “queerbaiting” his fans while “actually” being a straight guy after he made out with one of his male backup dancers onstage at the Video Music Awards over the weekend. To be clear, this was not the case at all. This point cannot be emphasized enough.

As some users of Twitter pointed out, Bad Bunny’s kiss could have been a direct response to another gay incident that occurred in Latin music. Specifically, the recent backlash that occurred as a result of Villano Antillano, a trans woman, kissing fellow rapper Tokischa while she was performing.

Bad Bunny has a long tradition of serving as an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ populations. During a performance of his single “Ignorantes” in 2020 on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, the singer wore a black skirt and a shirt reading “They killed Alexa, not a man with a skirt,” making a reference to the murder of Neulisa Luciano Ruiz near San Juan. The following year, he appeared in full drag for the music video for “Yo Perreo Sola.”

Bad Bunny being a good ally

However, this is not only about Bad Bunny being a good ally; he is also allowed to be as straight or not straight as he wants, and none of that constitutes “queerbaiting.” It’s a common accusation that gets levied against performers who some people think are being queerly inauthentic, and it doesn’t matter what the actual persons involved say or feel about themselves; the accusation still stands.
We saw this most recently with Harry Styles, and Cardi B had to remind everyone that she was “a whole bisexual” last year after she caught social media flack for her appearance in Normani’s “Wild Side” video. Both of these instances involve celebrities who have recently come under fire for their sexual orientation.

Also Read: Harry is the new Pop icon of the generation

Patrick Kelleher’s editorial for PinkNews

This week, Patrick Kelleher wrote an editorial for PinkNews in which he said that it helps no one to require public figures to identify themselves before letting them speak their minds and learn more about who they are.

“Whatever the truth is, making public figures give their names doesn’t help anyone,” Kelleher said. Out’s Bernardo Sim agreed with this assessment, saying that the celebrity doesn’t have to pretend to be gay to move up in his career. “Bunny’s career has never been better,” Sim wrote, which is one reason why he won the Artist of the Year trophy at the Video Music Awards (VMAs).

Bad Bunny, a heterosexual

As for Bad Bunny himself, he has been clear about the fact that he is heterosexual “does not define” him, and he has left the door open for the possibility that he may in the future be attracted to other men. Be content that we have this excellent Bad Bunny and let him live wherever life may lead him. Just be thankful that we do.

Lakshmi Durga