Harry Styles Addresses Sexuality and Why He's So Private About His Dating Life
Being in the spotlight for over a decade can take a toll on your personal life. British superstar Harry Styles discussed the impact on his sexuality and privacy, specifically, in his most recent feature with Rolling Stone.
In the interview, it’s noted that Harry has previously been accused of “queerbaiting,” but the mega pop star notes that although his love life and sexual identity has been scrutinized, questioned, and picked apart for years, he’s never gone public with a partner. “Sometimes people say, ‘You’ve only publicly been with women,’ and I don’t think I’ve publicly been with anyone,” he said. “If someone takes a picture of you with someone, it doesn’t mean you’re choosing to have a public relationship or something.”
Harry has been dating Olivia Wilde for almost two years, and in his interview, expressed that although he tries to set boundaries between his personal life and his public life, he’s found that “other people blur the lines for you.” Because of that, privacy — especially with the existence of social media and the instant proliferation of photos and videos — become much more complicated.
“Can you imagine going on a second date with someone and being like, ‘OK, there’s this corner of the thing, and they’re going to say this, and it’s going to be really crazy, and they’re going to be really mean, and it’s not real.… But anyway, what do you want to eat?,’” he said.
When discussing his role in the upcoming film My Policeman, Harry shared that “everyone, including myself, has your own journey with figuring out sexuality and getting more comfortable with it.”
This isn’t the first time Harry has opened up about his sexuality and why he’s never labeled himself publicly. Back in April, the former boy bander spoke to Better Homes & Gardens on the subject, and addressed his experience working through dating and love-related issues with a therapist at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"For a long time, it felt like the only thing that was mine was my sex life. I felt so ashamed about it, ashamed at the idea of people even knowing that I was having sex, let alone who with," he said.
The public has been keeping a close eye on nearly every aspect of the singer's life since he first rose to fame in 2010 as a member of One Direction. The pop band that was founded and handpicked on the talent TV show, The X Factor, quickly found itself as the center of attention for millions of adoring fans, who wanted to know everything about the group's beloved members Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, and Harry.
"At the time, there were still the kiss-and-tell things. Working out who I could trust was stressful," Styles added.
Harries have speculated that the star is private about his relationship with Wilde because before he went public with the filmmaker, the internet was abuzz with rumors — some of them downright hateful and intrusive — regarding Styles's sexuality and dating life.
Since his press circuit for his sophomore album Fine Line, the "Watermelon Sugar" crooner has been known to sport dresses, gracing the cover of Vogue in a gown back in 2020 as well as adopting an overall more traditionally feminine-coded style. In 2021, he even launched his own beauty brand, Pleasing, which has become popular for its variety of pearly nail polish shades. Harry is also a known LGBTQ+ supporter, frequently waving pride flags during concerts, including when he headlined Coachella earlier this month when he grabbed a bisexual flag from the crowd, and donating to charities that support the queer community.
And Harry seems very secure with his undisclosed identity, with him calling speculation over his sexuality "outdated."
Styles said, "I've been really open with it with my friends, but that's my personal experience; it's mine," adding, "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."
Cheers towards a more open, accepting, and label-free future, Harry!
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