Harry Styles addressed long-running accusations of queerbaiting during his opening monologue while hosting Saturday Night Live, ending the bit with an onstage kiss with cast member Ben Marshall.
On Saturday (March 14), the 32-year-old singer, who was on hosting and musical guest duties, began his opening monologue by reflecting on the last time he hosted the NBC sketch show in 2019 and the public attention he received for his wardrobe.
“Back then, people seemed to pay a lot of attention to the clothes I was wearing, something called ‘queerbaiting’,” he said near the one-minute mark in the video linked above. “And some people accused me of it, but did it ever occur to you that maybe you don't know everything about me, Dad?!”
Further into the monologue, Styles turned the bit toward smooching.
“I mean, sometimes kissing can be great,” Styles said. “You know, if you're really good at it and you're a good person."
Several female cast members, including Chloe Fineman and Sarah Sherman, appeared on stage eager for a kiss but were rejected.
After Styles joked that kissing could also be good "if you have a tight little bum," Marshall walked out to join him. Marshall quipped, "Well, you said ‘tight little bum. ‘So where's my kiss?"
Styles laughed and replied, "Come on, Ben. Everyone knows there's nothing little about that thang. You're haulin' a damn wagon back there."
The singer said, "Whatever, come here," before the two shared a kiss as the audience cheered. Styles capped the bit by joking, "Now, that's queerbaiting!" and winking.
Debates about queerbaiting have followed Styles throughout his solo career.
As explained by Them, the term commonly refers to public figures who infer non-heterosexual attraction or relationships to appeal to LGBTQ+ audiences without explicitly depicting or confirming their own identity.
Styles has often been accused of doing queerbaiting because of his gender-fluid fashion and refusal to label his sexuality.
In an April 2022 interview with Better Homes & Gardens, around the era of his album Fine Line, he said, “I've been really open with it with my friends, but that's my personal experience; it's mine."
He added that the goal should be “toward accepting everybody and being more open,” saying it “doesn't matter, and it's about not having to label everything, not having to clarify what boxes you're checking.”
Speaking with Rolling Stone later that year, he also addressed scrutiny about his personal life: “I've never talked about my life away from work publicly and found that it's benefited me positively."
He continued, “There's always going to be a version of a narrative, and I think I just decided I wasn't going to spend the time trying to correct it or redirect it in some way.”
When discussing speculation about his relationships, he said, “Sometimes people say, 'You've only publicly been with women,’ and I don't think I've publicly been with anyone.”
Styles has also spoken about fashion and gender expression during a 2020 interview with Vogue after becoming the magazine's first solo male cover star.
“When you take away, ‘There's clothes for men and there's clothes for women,’ once you remove any barriers, obviously you open up the arena in which you can play,” he said at the time. “I'll go in shops sometimes, and I just find myself looking at the women's clothes thinking they're amazing."
Styles’ appearance marked his second time hosting SNL while also serving as musical guest. He performed "Dance No More" and "Coming Up Roses" from his new album Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally, which was released last week (March 6). He has previously appeared on the show several times, including in performances with One Direction and as a solo musical guest.