How Harry Styles helped these LGBTQ+ fans

It’s Pride month! And we all know that Harry is a huge advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. From releasing bi-anthem “Medicine” to expressing that he doesn’t label his sexuality; the Harry fandom is a safe place for LGBTQ+ fans. For some fans, Harry’s words gave them the strength and courage to come out of the closet, some fans feel more comfortable with who they are, and some even found their significant other thanks to Harry!

Alyssa

I have always struggled with my sexuality, but I came out as bisexual when I was around 15/16 years old. I had a really hard time accepting I was ‘different’ than most people my age. Through Harry’s music, he thought me to love and accept me for who I am.

Although Harry doesn’t label himself, on stage you can see he is comfortable with his sexuality and he’s not scared to show what he stands for. This makes me feel so valid when I am at his shows, it’s like a safe place to me; and I learned to also apply that philosophy in my personal life. My label does not define me and I am proud of who I am, and I owe it all to him.

Shauni

I was already out before I crossed paths with One Direction or Harry, but the people close to me where mostly straight – and I did not have much contact with people outside of my own environment. When I became a One Direction fan, I started using Twitter – and I started making LGBTQ+ friends and we became a group of friends, which was an amazing experience. The people I met during that time were all so different and diverse, and it felt like I discovered a whole new world, in contradiction to what I was used to. I met a bunch of people with different gender identities, sexualities and ethnicities.

And then came Harry, who already helped me realising that I should not change for anyone. I learned that I could be myself and should not conform to anything to be accepted. When Harry started to go solo, I had a group of friends who went to Pride. I never went to one before, as I did not have anyone around me who went. Maybe I sound a bit dramatic, but for us it was some sort of liberation that a superstar, that was being watched by the whole world, was waving around pride flags on stage; if he could do it, I could do it. I realised that even though I was already out, I still was conscious and hesitant about waving the pride flag and being “out and proud”. Harry helped me with that.

I met Soraya during Pride in 2017. She was a Twitter friend of one of my Twitter friends from Harry stan Twitter, and we started talking. We decided to go on a date a month later, but she lived in the Netherlands and I lived in Belgium, so needless to say communication was not straightforward. We stopped talking, and two months later we bumped into each other at Harry’s concert in Amsterdam.

After this, we kept in contact and we decided to be together! It’s been 2,5 years since then, we are super happy together, we have engagement rings on our fingers AND tickets to see Harry’s next show!

Nadine

Harry has helped me come to terms with my sexuality just by being himself and supporting the LGBT+ community. Even by not labeling himself; your sexuality is not the thing that defines you, but you should embrace it. Your sexuality is yours and no one can tell you otherwise! I’ve always struggled with being bisexual since there is such controversy about being bisexual; inside and outside of the community.

Through the fandom, I’ve found a lot of people who are bi as well and are not afraid to be confident about it and that has helped me. Being LGBT+ on my dad’s side of the family is a sin, and they would never accept me the way I am, but I have a whole other family of fans that will accept me for who I am! Most people I’ve met on Twitter through Harry are accepting.

I’ve always felt safe on Twitter; both 1D and solo twitter. I love it when Harry brings light to the LGBT community, I’ve been at a few shows where I’ve actually cried because I felt seen and accepted. I’ve never felt that, but at Harry’s concerts, I feel safe. Harry has always been so vocal about his support of the LGBT+ community and it means a lot to me, him being so accepting is honestly a breath of fresh air.

Sanj

Harry has definitely helped me the most in terms of accepting my own sexuality by not labelling himself. People always ask “are you gay?” and “are you bisexual?”. There are a lot of stories of people coming out, so growing up I felt the pressure to know and figure it out. I truthfully see sexuality as a spectrum with so much fluidity, and it can change when you get older. I think there is an underlying expectation to come out in your teenage years, and if you don’t; then it’s too late and “how can you not know who you’re attracted to?”. I struggled with it, because I tried to figure it out, but I didn’t really know how to go about that.

Having looked up to Harry since I was 14 years old, it was so uplifting for me to hear that he doesn’t want to label himself and doesn’t feel like he needs to. I’ve realised that my sexuality is my business, and as long as I accept myself for it; then it doesn’t matter what people think.

I think 1D/Harry stan Twitter has made me feel accepted in ALL areas of my life, and my sexuality is just one part of that. Harry supporting the LGBT+ community makes me feel valued. Harry has such a big platform, it is so important for him to use it to demand justice and equality; and thus LGBT+ rights. With the amount of power and impact he has and the fact that’s talked about his own sexuality himself, I honestly think that it’s his moral obligation to make is own fans feel comfortable and safe in their experience and environment.

Harry has helped fans come out and I think that’s so special because I can’t even imagine how hard it is for some people. Waving a pride flag on stage is such a small but powerful statement to make especially when a lot of the industry executives are closely viewing his shows, performance, and fan reactions.

Jill

Before I joined the fandom I already knew that I was not 100% straight. Harry showing his support to the LGBT+ community made me accept myself and that is okay not labelling yourself because you are still trying to figure it out. Knowing someone that you look up to accepts you for whoever you are means a lot.

Stan Twitter is a safe place, talking to people that won’t judge you for whoever you are makes me safe here. I’ve never been to one of Harry’s concerts, but seeing videos of him showing his support makes me feel like I am not alone int his. Harry’s concerts are a safe place to be whoever you want to be.

Nathan

Coming to terms with my sexuality and expressing myself has been a lo journey, but Harry has helped it so much. He has made me feel so accepted and loved. His constant belief in not having to put a label on yourself and being able to just be… you, has been so powerful for me being able to accept myself for who I truly am. His ability to make me feel safe is priceless and I love him for it.

Over the last 2 years, I’ve entered myself into stan Twitter and I’ve changed so much for the better since then. Harry has enabled me to meet so many nice and supportive people who love me for me and that has been super important in my journey to coming out. Sometimes, when you see hate directed right towards you, it can get you down. But when the man, the myth, the legend Harry Styles waves our flag on stage, and brings light to the community it makes me feel strong.

I haven’t come out to people in my personal social circle, but with support from everyone, even all up to Harry, everyone is playing a part of me feeling ready to come out to everyone.