You may be wondering aloud why I am resurrecting an interview that was conducted nearly four years ago. Normally, I would be right there with you questioning the relevance of anyone bringing up any topic that presumably had a short shelf life. However, since the photographer Platon is incapable of dropping the subject matter, and chose to let it resurface in a condescending Instagram post, I felt that it is only right to respond and let him know one simple reality: it is not all about you.
The September 2013 edition of British GQ featured the then five members of British-Irish boy band, One Direction, and attempted to offer an inside-look into their lives on the road, performing for hundreds of thousands of fans on their world tour. It was the start of their prime as a band and certainly, everyone was watching them as they started breaking records left and right. However, more recognition also meant more inquiry into their private lives — to the point where it became highly intrusive, as seen in the interview.
The interview in question sexualizes the band — who at that point ranged from 19 to 21-years-old — in a way that were their genders reversed, more people reading this article now would likely be aware of the controversy. Naturally, fans were outraged by the way that they were portrayed — simply as objects, which can be credited to their Management who marketed them that way since they gained recognition on "The X Factor (U.K.)" in 2010. It was especially bad for the youngest member of the band, Harry Styles, who at the time was 19-years-old, and was interrogated by the interviewer about his sexuality, as well as how many sexual partners he has had in the past. Below are two separate excerpts from the interview, the first talking about rumors and the second asking about his past partners:
GQ: What do you make of the rumours about you and Nick Grimshaw?
Harry: What rumours would they be?
GQ: That you’re an item.
Harry: Oh, really? I didn’t even know. We’re not dating, no. We’re just friends.
GQ: So you’re not bisexual?
Harry: Bisexual? Me? I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure I’m not.
Below is the second excerpt:
GQ: Do you know how many people you’ve slept with?
Harry: I know the number of people I’ve slept with, yes.
GQ: What is that number?
Harry: I’m definitely not telling you!
GQ: Can you give me a rough, ballpark figure?
Harry: No!
GQ: Say “yes” or “no”. Less than 100?
Harry: No!
GQ: So higher than 100?
Harry: No, it’s definitely less than 100 ...
GQ: Lower than 50?
Harry: Yes, lower than 50.
GQ: Lower than 30?
Harry: I’m not doing this! You’re cornering me!
GQ: Come on you’re a rock star. OK, less than ten.
Harry: Yes. Two people. I’ve only ever had sex with two people.
GQ: I don’t believe you.
Harry: Well, that’s my answer. Read from it what you will!
Understandably, the interview received a significant amount kickback from fans that saw the problematic nature of the questioning. Regardless of how Styles defines his sexuality — he said in a 2017 interview with U.K. tabloid, The Sun that he does not “feel like it’s something I’ve ever felt like I have to explain” and that he has never put a label on it —, one would have hoped that in 2017 it would not need to be explained how invasive the above questioning was of anyone, let alone someone who is practically still a child. Nonetheless, Platon in his recent post still managed to not wrap his head around what had people so upset about the interview.
In his long post, Platon at one point said the following:
“When we published the GQ covers it created an explosion of outrage from the DIRECTIONERS. I believe GQ’s website was shut down with the onslaught of threats and I personally received thousands of terrifyingly aggressive threats from girls ranging from 11-16. I had destroyed the brand of teeny boppers in bed with their cup of coco in bed by 9pm. These young girls dreams of teddy bear pop icons had been destroyed, they were now verile young men ready to be grown up. What does this say about our culture?”
I could write a dissertation that discusses not only the condescending nature of his post and the particular passage, but also the hypersexualization of young adults in the culture that he aptly points out is at fault — he just misses the actual issue at hand. However, I will simply make three straightforward points. Firstly, spell-check is your friend — it’s spelt “virile.” Secondly, your dead-in-the-eyes, photo-shopped covers are not the reason why people were, and still are, upset. Although threats of any kind are never acceptable, you should grow the pair of the “cojones” that you claim Styles is the only band member to possess, and look at the facts: GQ perpetuated the culture of hypersexualization that we rightfully shame when it is done to women, but shamefully accept as standard when it comes to men. Thirdly and lastly, considering the fact that you were “drawn” to the “authentically unique and genuine” aspects of Styles — that many before and after you have acknowledged —, you should consider his words in his April interview with Rolling Stone about the “young ladies” that you talk down to in your post.
“How can you say young girls don’t get it? They’re our future. Our future doctors, lawyers, mothers, presidents, they kind of keep the world going. Teenage-girl fans — they don’t lie. If they like you, they’re there. They don’t act ‘too cool.’ They like you, and they tell you. Which is sick.”
