The Guardian: "Bad Bunny: does a straight man deserve to be called a 'queer icon'?"

[Urbanney]

Bad Bunny has become a LGBTQ+ icon. First, he stood up for Alexa Luciano Ruiz, a Puerto Rican transgender woman that was ******** after having the police called on her for using the women's restroom. After the media described Alexa as "a man in a skirt," Bad Bunny performed on The Tonight Show wearing a skirt and a shirt that said (translated) "They killed Alexa, not a man in a skirt."

Next, Bad Bunny released Yo Perreo Sola (translated to "I Twerk Alone"). The music video featured a Bad Bunny in drag twerking on himself and ended the video with a message that said (translated), "If she doesn't want to dance with you, respect her. She twerks alone." The song and video both brought attention to the LGBTQ+ community, encouraged feminism, discouraged harassment, and broke gender roles.

Not only has Bad Bunny been praised for these actions, but he has been praised for breaking the toxic masculinity and gender roles that are common in Latinx culture. It's incredible brave and commendable for a straight man to be standing up for such a macho-dominated culture. 

I recently came across an article on The Guardian discussing Bad Bunny's role as a LGBTQ+ icon. The article discusses how he has gathered praise from queer media, as well as queer icons like Ricky Martin. However, it also discusses how Bad Bunny is relatively new to this role and how it can be problematic that a straight male is getting more recognition for this than other actual queer artists. They argue that maybe we should be more careful about celebrating straight allies more than celebrating actual queer celebrities. They provided the example of Nick Jonas, a straight ally, frequently being hailed as well.

What are your thoughts on the article? For me personally, I completely disagree with the article. I think this comment on /r/popheads sums it up perfectly:

Quote

Honestly, he has done more to LGBT+ and toxic masculinity than most of the male queer icons. He doesn't ignore the trans community, he doesn't try to portrait himself in a ambiguous way despite his androgeny look, he has done drag in a video to portray female empowerment, he is doing all of this work in the latin community which is not often seen as keen as the US-centric public as something normal for a male artist to do and there's far less example of people like him.

The fact that he, in national television, used a skirt to protest the killing of a innocent trans woman with shows how concrete his work is considering many queer icons often times are more about imagery than actual implement on society.

Thoughts? Should we be celebrating Bad Bunny as a queer icon as much as we have been?

[sullivanSP]

5 minutes ago, Urbanney said:

Bad Bunny has become a LGBTQ+ icon. First, stood up for Alexa Luciano Ruiz, a Puerto Rican transgender woman that was ******** after having the police called on her for using the women's restroom. After the media described Alexa as "a man in a skirt," Bad Bunny performed on The Tonight Show wearing a skirt and a shirt that said (translated) "They killed Alexa, not a man in a skirt."

Next, Bad Bunny released Yo Perreo Sola (translated to "I Twerk Alone"). The music video featured a Bad Bunny in drag twerking on himself and ended the video with a message that said (translated), "If she doesn't want to dance with you, respect her. She twerks alone." The song and video both brought attention to the LGBTQ+ community, encouraged feminism, discouraged harassment, and broke gender roles.

Not only has Bad Bunny been praised for these actions, but he has been praised for breaking the toxic masculinity and gender roles that are common in Latinx culture. It's incredible brave and commendable for a straight man to be standing up for such a macho-dominated culture. 

I recently came across an article on The Guardian discussing Bad Bunny's role as a LGBTQ+ icon. The article discusses how he has gathered praise from queer media, as well as queer icons like Ricky Martin. However, it also discusses how Bad Bunny is relatively new to this role and how it can be problematic that a straight male is getting more recognition for this than other actual queer artists. They argue that maybe we should be more careful about celebrating straight allies more than celebrating actual queer celebrities. They provided the example of Nick Jonas, a straight ally, frequently being hailed as well.

What are your thoughts on the article? For me personally, I completely disagree with the article. I think this comment on /r/popheads sums it up perfectly:

Thoughts? Should we be celebrating Bad Bunny as a queer icon as much as we have been?

Yeh there’s nothing wrong with that, Whatever gender, a decent human can protect human rights. 

[Gayseus911]

This is my opinion, but I personally believe that he is in the closet,  I also think he's a total verse bottom. His buns look thick and plump, they look like they have been clapped and slapped. He referenced enemas in one of his old mixtapes and that's tea 

He totally deserves the title, my Latin queen 

[Exaholic]

Why should a straight man NOT be a queer icon? If they stand by the LGBTQ+ community and advocate for us then there is no reason why anyone can’t be.

98% of female gay icons are straight women. I see no difference. If it’s an argument because people think a lot more men are homophobic or transphobic than women are - that’s complete BS. Some of the most homophobic people I have met in my life have been women.

[OnlyFacts]

Is he straight? I thought he was bisexual? He’s a gay icon regardless of his own sexuality. We need more straight men as allies 

[OnlyFacts]

17 minutes ago, No Seas Cortés said:

Why should a straight man NOT be a queer icon? If they stand by the LGBTQ+ community and advocate for us then there is no reason why anyone can’t be.

98% of female gay icons are straight women. I see no difference. If it’s an argument because people think a lot more men are homophobic or transphobic than women are - that’s complete BS. Some of the most homophobic people I have met in my life have been women.

Agreed! 

[LickedABattery]

I'm here for it. Britney is considered a gay icon also. 

[Mxra]

I'll just be honest and say that i've never really considered him any kind of icon, queer or otherwise. 

[Fenixxx123]

The translated lyrics into english sound so funny to me

[aleomg]

The answer is short and simple:

[TheySayImCrazy18]

He Is Not A Gay Icon.  I Think All Of Us Part Of The LGBTQ+ Community Here On Exhale Can Agree On That.     He Is Hot Tho 

[ColdAsFire88]

Wait...he’s straight?  

Yes, we need to celebrate an ally. He supports everyone and thats hard to find in his community. Plus his music is great, he’s a cutie and I hope he’s fluid 

[Alejandromc]

Pop culture right now is so fleeting, these people can bring out something new every month to be in the area but still nothing iconic or important many years ago, except for obvious Brit Brit and Shak and Jlo's Super Bowl performance. The boys now overvalue some characters and content so... Bunny, balvin, influencers...

[Deyonce]

I think the real discussion should be about why we are giving so much praise to allies for simply being decent human beings.

[PrettyGorl]

2 hours ago, Gayseus911 said:

 His buns look thick and plump, they look like they have been clapped and slapped.

Clapped and slapped 

Lmao I'm stealing that 

[Blackout2006]

2 hours ago, Urbanney said:

Yo Perreo Sola (translated to "I Twerk Alone")

[MissSpearsSaysSo]

1 hour ago, ThatIsTheRealMeHONEY said:

I'm here for it. Britney is considered a gay icon also. 

Well Madonna probably owns the rights and album masters to homosexuality itself, and Britney kissed her live on TV once so they’re basically the same people now. Britney is very much a gay icon.

[MissSpearsSaysSo]

27 minutes ago, PrettyGorl said:

Clapped and slapped 

Lmao I'm stealing that 

What does this mean? I have buzzed hair, I’m not about that life..  

[Cheshire-B]

Well...... Straight woman get called "Queer icon" all the time so.... the argument about the gender and being straight is very invalid imho. 

Honestly I am so so so happy that an actual straight man is doing this. It's awesome ! 

[Silhouette]

I think it's fantastic that he's an ally and I love that he's not a stereotipical overly-masculine singer like a 98% of reggeaton artists, but it frustrates me how people decide to acknowledge him as a queer icon when there are soooo many queer artists that no one pays attention to. It sucks that the public is only willing to pay attention to our struggles when they're highlighted by a straight cis man and refuse to listen to us telling our own stories.