The Counteract: Why the One Direction fandom is predominantly queer
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- Опубликовано: 3 мар 2022
- thank you so much for watching and thank you to everyone who helped bring this project to life. this topic is near and dear to me and i hope i did it justice
the counteract follows a group of queer one direction stans discussing experiences related to being an LGBTQ+ fan of a thing built from the ground up for straight women. between conversations of marketing, concert environments, song lyrics, and community, we aim to explain exactly how the directioner space become one of a queer hotspot.
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my parents are extremely homophobic so when i went to my louis show, i was finally able to wave my pride flags in the air, and for one for the first times in my life, i felt free. i actually felt proud to be who i am. i had always thought that there was something wrong with me, but being there, with so many other queers, i felt safe. i was home.
I'm so proud of you
I am so happy that you have found your safe space where you can be who you truly are! Keep your head up love and stay strong! ❤️🔥
There is nothing wrong you with dear...U are born right just the way you are and just because ur family and society doesn't accept ur identity doesn't mean you should question its truth by thinking there is something wrong with you. God made you right. And I am happy that u felt free in Louis's concert but i hope u feel free like that everytime 💜
There is nothing wrong with you❤️❤️❤️
Welcome home love
"RuPaul himself does not have as queer of a fandom as Louis Tomlinson" SO TRUE OML
As a Louie, I totally agree
"i wanna smoke a joint with louis sooo badly"
*this girl is my spirit animal*
I WENT TO RT THEN REALIZED THIS ISNT TWITTER
@@QuicklyLiquid haha welcome to the louie space:)
same
Thinking about how I used to sing "I just wanna tell the world that you're mine girl" a little too passionately
Same LMAOOO
same!
THIS IS STILL ME NOW LMFAO
oop~ me too lol
Me but with Girl Almighty 😂
I never realized that maybe I’m not straight and that heterosexuality is not the only sexuality until I became part of the fandom.
Same ❤️
FR SAME
SAME
SAME
same
I feel like 1D is for queer femmes what people like Dolly Parton or Gaga have been for cis gay men. Like that level of iconic .
Yessss omg
I'm more masc and totally agree, I always felt like 1D is for sapphics what Lady Gaga is for the gays lol
I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO WANTS TO BE FEMININE IN THE WAY A MAN IS!?!?😭😭
Thank you!
every freaking day i feel like this
Me too
Lol, that's something I thought all the time before I realized I was trans
this line just…like there’s this feeling i get every day when i stand i front of my closet and i just couldn’t express it or name it. this is what it is. wanting to be feminine in the way a man is
that was my reaction too😭
i wanna be a feminine AMAB, not a feminine AFAB (but I'm still non binary)
this is the exact way to describe what I feel and I didn't know there are more people like me-
As a straight fan of one direction, I don't at all feel threatened by the queer fans. I think that even though I am straight, the 1D Fandom has given me a safe space to explore and learn about myself, and it is a huge part of what got me through some severe anxiety I experienced in 2020. For that, I will always be grateful.
I also feel like it has helped me as a straight person to learn more about the community and how to be an ally. I feel like I have such strong PRIDE for someone who identifies as straight. (To the point where I questioned my sexuality because I felt so strongly about queer rights)
Same, im straight but i am so happy that the queer fans have find a safe place in the fandom and that we are all learning to tpwk.
i agree 100%
Omg literally same
Same!!!! People always assume that the fandom is only queer. Like the fandom also has straight people. But the fandom is so excepting and welcoming and overall just a safe space for all our anxieties.🥲🤣 this community really has helped my through a lot.
Also, people often talk abt Zayn like “there are chances he could be homophobic” when he’s literally collaborated with two sapphic artists??. And definitely has queer undertones in his own music. Is just so. The islamphobia/racism shows sometimes.
the lyric ”sitting with my legs across your torso” says it all
@@rina-kx7by we are who we are when we’re alone. He was so wrong for that one. It literally made me cry
@@cazzietomlinson3267 no literally im screaming throwing up and shitting tears at the same time
Lmao Zayn complimented H when he painted his nails, talked about how he liked that guys found him attractive etc but hes homophobic?!?! The other guys in the band have said v stupid stuff that can be seen as homophobic but lets target the only brown person 🙄
@@enjajajajaja EXACTLY
in his show in denver, louis said "i see ya, darlin', i see ya" to a fan with a sign that said 'help me come out', or when someone threw a lesbian flag to stage, he thanked them♡ i personally feel so safe with him and with how he cares about us
yeah i never really had any support for lgbtq+ growing up, i was taught being gay was wrong and unnatural but since coming into the fandom and you guys being so accepting has helped me and thousands of others realise that its okay to be who you are?? like the support here is actually overwhelming and i dont know if id be in the place i am and accept who i am without the boys and the fandom today
Same!!
@@euphoriaenthusiast7393 i love you and proud of you !!
Same
They made me feel comfortable to come out as bisexual recently. I first told my husband then social media that’s all to them they gave me the Courage.
This vid was sooooo good it was so interesting to me that girls don’t like them cause they’re attractive, but as a gay man I think that was the first thing that attracted me to 1D. When “one thing” came out I was like 17 and I’d watch it over and over again to focus on each boy separately lol
omg josh hiii
Josh!!!.....you cheeky, nawtty!! 😂😂
Josh I love u
I do that EXACT thing with the One Thing mv, haha, not just because they're attractive but because they're so charming and you can just see their smiles and silliness
Josh omg hey baddie b
I’m not even a huge boy band fan, but it is soo interesting to see fans perspectives of their love for all the one direction members.
the projects for only the brave during louis' shows look so incredibly beautiful♡ thousands of pride flags everywhere and the flashlights on to show a rainbow, it's such a comfortable environment. it feels like home
I'm straight and I gotta say when I got into the 1d fandom (via louis lol) it felt so safe and comfortable and if had to guess I'd probably say that around 80% of louies are queer it was all so new to me but I knew this was like my fandom ykwim it felt like this was mine and I absolutely love it
EYYY A STRAIGHT ALLY!!
@@lll.24601 always
jasmine this project was so beautifully done!! i saw harry in dc back in september and seeing him dancing around with the bisexual flag while singing tpwk is a feeling of support and joy i don't think i'll ever forget. brought tears to my eyes :') forever grateful for the community of queer directioners
Me as a het cis female (the initial target audience) I am just so happy and glad that alot of people support eachother or the least can coexist in this fandom... I made so many online frnds because of our mutual love for the boys many of them r from the queer community which made me want to learn and understand about LGBTQ+ to be an ally... I am from India and you don't really see or hear people talking openly about being queer..
If it wasn't for this fandom I would have never understood what I was meant to believe by my society hell even my family was wrong about homosexuality...
I am so happy to hear that the 1d boys make everyone feel save regardless of their gender or sexual orientation :)
Same, I'm from India too and homosexuality is something that is not discussed at all in India except for slurs and demeaning comments. Being a part of this fandom helped me accept myself and the biggest thing that one direction has given me is my supportive friends.
I was in grade 9 when I figured out this stuff and at that time many of my classmates and friends were 1D fans too and they didn't mind talking supportively about the LGBT community even thought they were straight (i think) and there was no other queer person. this gave me the courage to come out to them very early on and they were very supportive of me.
i made the decision to come out to my whole class in grade 10 and all my classmates, even the ones who used to used homophobic slurs as a joke in the past accepted me, I think it might be because many of these people knew me form the last 5-10 years abd i even made some queer friends in my school.
This showed me that most young people in India are not homophobic, and made me felt accepted.
I live in India as well , as a fifteen year old girl . I think that I would never have been half as open minded if it wasn't for them . I think that some of us would never have been even exposed to these concepts even , without 1D. I love that I made mistakes with these assumptions and comments in my head that I regret now because without them I feel like I would not have found out . Or maybe I would have and not supported , I guess my point is that I get you and Its amazing that five guys almost twice my age that I've never met have had such a big impact in me and my mindset.
@@nithyavishwas9873 same , i am from india too i was a little to young when 1d broke up and i got into the fandom after i came out to my family and friends but the idea that gay love is real and not some fictional object for entertainment mesmerized me
being feminine in a way a man is feminine, shit. this is exactly how i feel. i'll cry rn because for so long i couldn't really verbalise how it actually is in my head but now i do? thank you so much. loved this video as always, really loved the way you bought the whole timeline together and the fact that its so thoroughly researched. you're doing amazing jas hoping only good things come along your way. lots of love
omg the person who talked about that was me i’m so glad i could help u figure out how to verbalize your feelings it’s such a freeing feeling :)))
@@kimayasaijpal8158 thank you so muchhhh you icon,, hope you're doing great
yesss so aptly put
you are so valid 💗
We listened to end of the day and they don’t know about us ONCE and decided our fate 🥰
Oops hehe
Soooo true 💙
@@babydollrosier haha yup I have a playlist full of accidentally lesbian one direction songs
@@babydollrosier they really pushed it saying “GIRL” every other lyric
I find it interesting how for gay women growing up, One Direction was a shield (since they were marketed to hetero women), because as a gay man growing up I stayed as far from 1D as I could, I liked their songs, I thought they were handsome, but I couldn't fully dive in as a fan because I feared it would cause people to make fun of me or even cause people to have thoughts of "wait, does he like boys because he's a One Direction fan?"
I laughed so hard when I noticed this years later, but I realized I was lesbian shortly after One Direction broke up. It was like One Direction was the only thing keeping me "straight" for years.
F E L T
Honestly (haven’t seen the whole vid yet, gonna watch later so if this is a repeat myb), seeing the boys be close with each other without “fearing” looking gay was so refreshing & one of the main reasons I love them! Even if any of them are 100% straight, they’re comfortable enough in that sexuality & with each other to not be hateful to each other. Like they’d be all touchy feely, literally eat off a candy thong off each other, & hit each other in the balls & clearly be ok with it & laugh it off.
After growing up in many schools where guys don’t even wanna hug or say “no homo!” every 2 seconds, our boys are clearly proven elite🥰
Same. When I was in junior high, I would definitely tell myself how it didn't effect me, but seeing guys being this close to each other, without resorting to homophobic banter or just plain violence. Made me realize you can have close friendships with other guys where you hug and stuff. Everybody's experiences are different.
oooh yes, this is also an important point that wasn't mentioned in the vid! i think it's important to mention their potential impact on men/boy's experiences with masc/femininity and how important their apparent comfort with their identities in setting a positive example.
I think Louis is a part of why I was able to become "okay" with the fact that I'm attracted to women as well as man when I discovered that I'm bi. I obviously love when Harry is super clear about his support, running on stage with a pride flag etc. but Louis... he taught me that you don't have to do much and you don't have to scream to be really loud about what you belive in. It's kinda hard for me to describe it, but it's all of the small things he does to make everyone feel complitally safe and understood. It's his smile when he saw Harry jumping around the stage with a pride flag, just a smile but it was so meaningful, complitally free of judgment. It's the way he simply said "I see you" to a fan at his concert who had a sign "Help me come out". I was never a very outgoing person and I don't tell much about myself, I have to be really close with somebody to open up. The same applies to my sexuality. At first I felt this pressure that I should come out to my family and friends even tho I didn't want to, because it felt like I was trying to deceive everyobody that I'm "normal" when I knew I wasn't heterosexual. But looking at Louis made me realise that it's nobody's business and it's really just about me feeling comfortable with my identity. I think I'm similar to Louis in a sense that I'd rather not say something straight up, but let my actions and details speak for themselves. That way if someone really listens to you they will see the real you, because "come on, when you know, you know" :D I just feel like Louis is treating his gay/non-cis fans so normally, like it's the most obvious thing in the world and I really needed that when I found out I was bi. I felt like a freak, outcast and a stranger even to myself, because my country is very religious and homophobic. It felt alone and awfull, but seeing Louis behave that way made me realise that it's really "not that big of a deal" and I'm still the same person. I love seeing people be comfortable with their sexuality, wearing rainbows, going to pride, say openly about themselves but it's just not for me, I don't want to make my whole personality about my sexuality and I'm not strong enough to be an activist and fight all of the homophobic people around me. Louis taught me that I can be kind and accepting to other LGBT+ people and myself in a very firm way while not "looking stereotypically gay at the first sight" which wasn't so obvious to me because I didn't really have an exposure to "ordinary gay people" outside mostly american social media. To summarize my thoughts - Louis and this fandom made me feel accepted, normal, safe and understood when I needed it the most and I will be forever gratefull for that, I can't even find the right words to say how much he means to me and how he saved my life
I fully relate to that.
💙
this comment beautifully put into words EXACTLY what i’m feeling. i too felt obligated to formally “come out” to my family members and friends, i haven’t yet and i don’t think i ever will- i’m going to let my actions speak for themselves and so far, i’ve been doing just that. my parents haven’t commented on it since and even told me that they don’t care if i’m gay or straight which was a huge validation for me. it’s the exact vibe i get from louis. he really cares about his fans for who they are as people. not gender or sexuality 😭😭🫶🏼🫶🏼
this really made me realize that they are so important to my identity and finding who i am and being comfortable with myself i honestly think if i didn’t find them i’d be utterly lost for a long time just because of how safe they all made lgbtq+ directioners feel…like literally even though i know people in my life are very homophobic i feel comfortable knowing that at the end of the day (no pun intended) i have a community where i can feel at home
this video just make me want to share my experience even more, i became a fan of Harry in 2019 then i became a louie in quarantine, the entire atmosphere on this fandom and our favs make me feel comfortable with the idea of not being a straight woman, harry and louis have helped a lot in this journey of discovering my sexuality. Seeing harry dancing with rainbow flags on stage, louis writing queer song (specially only the brave) has been such a huge part of my identity and i will always be thankful with them for build this lovely environment for us.
hey that’s me!! thank you for the incredible opportunity
one of my favorite moments of this project ugh thank you for being the best EVER
@@jasminezade says u bbg
“ I wish I could be feminine in the way men are” I think I can relate to this on a whole other level. Also Thankyou for making this video it really speaks to me and helped me understand the rainbow direction campaign ❤️
that was a stand out quote huh
I’m a straight Louies and I love the fandom they’ve taught me so so much about queer culture. It’s such a safe space that louis has created. Massively important for so many queer people :)))
I was 14 when I first joined the fandom. I didn't grow up in a space where LGBTQ topics were part of any conversation. I knew almost nothing about queer people when I first joined and I definitely didn't plan on learning anything about it in the fandom. Thankfully, I was wrong. I started learning so many things from so many different people just as I got into high school. Everyone around me (friends, family, classmates, adults) seemed to know nothing about the things I was learning online every day and I realized how behind everyone was.
It was a beautiful journey to watch myself, the boys, and the fans go through this process of learning and understanding.
They couldn't have come at a better time in my life. Honestly. I know for sure I'm a more educated, kind and accepting person because I chose to be part of the fandom so many years ago.
Even now, as an adult, whenever I'm afraid to commit to myself, to be myself, I remind myself of all those people behind the screen I used to talk to when I was a teenager. I think about how their life may have turned out and I think about the boys. I think about all of them and how they would encourage me to do what's best of me (even if it's scary). Then I do it.
I want to thank every fan I ever talked to or whose post I read. I hope they're doing great and I hope life's easier.
as a trans guy who loves/loved one direction, this is also very eye opening to me. finding out i liked women, finding out my true identity as a boy, i wouldn’t have been able to do it without them.
though i do get made fun of by some people for still liking 1D, they are just such wonderful people and helped me in ways i can’t even begin to explain.
We all love them so much, don't worry about getting made fun of, I get made fun of at work all the time and by my mother and family for loving them. I will never be ashamed of being a directioner.
trans guys unite!
The part about Louis having so many sapphic stans is so true... If it wasn't for the 1D and 5H fandoms I would have likely never accepted my lesbianism. One of the things I'm most grateful about several years after I stopped stanning both of those groups (I grew out of their music, still appreciate them though).
your video is one of the reasons that a 1d documentary should be made/directed by an actual fan. nobody can transport the history and meaning of this band as well as somebody who has been I this community forever and gone through all up and downs. it just not possible to show the true meaning and effect that those boys and the resulting fandom and community had and has on individuals. especially industry ppl would rlly make a documentary or even solo biopic very dull; we still would it eat it up, but it definitely wouldn't hit all the angles and most certainly not some really important ones like the queer perspective. think you for your video, you're very very talented and I hope you have a great anniversary
through the years I got more and more queer friends irl but being a lesbian teenager was so difficult for me. one direction (especially Louis) was my safe space. even now the fandom is still a place where I belong and I'm thankful
Thank you for sharing this 🌻💗
Literally had to pause to cry after you talked about Louis. I have struggled to understand why I feel so drawn to this fandom and now, finally, it all makes sense. Thank you for doing this amazing video, it helped me a lot. All the love
Them and this whole fandom are the only reason i’m comfortable with who i am today. They always made me feel comfortable and this fandom just added to the feeling they boys gave me. And I feel like no one who didn’t experience being in this fandom as a queer person will ever understand how we feel. Having this support by almost everyone in the fandom and the boys as well is a feeling i’ll never be able to describe. This video means so much, thank you jas
I had never questioned my sexuality until I joined the family. I never knew what it was that sparked the whole "am I actually straight?" thing for me. Thanks for the video, Jasmine!
No cause that little mention of the Asexual spectrum made me so happy🥺💗. Most of the time we get forgotten!
I love this community so much!🤍🤍
"I wish I could be feminine in the way that men are" well that just put me in a spin..... I don't feel feminine in the way a woman is feminine AT ALL, and for some reason I'm attracted to men who dress more "feminine" but are still masculine if that makes sense, and I am curious about women who appear androgynous.... I always feel more comfortable dressed in "menswear"type womenswear.... IDK what all this means. Im just rambling really.
that’s what i thought before i realised i was a trans guy, good luck on your questioning!
me too babe, you are so valid 💗💗
another reason FOR ME that i think drew me to louis was when he became “edgy” around the midnight memories album. i wasn’t really a louie before then, but something about his aesthetic shifting and morphing to a more alternative style i think was very representative of my own shift into embracing my queerness.
this literally made me cry. made me remember the day i logged into tumblr the day harry picked up the flag and what i felt that day. i became a fan in 2011 when i was 14 and i grew up with them, i spent my teen years with them and discovered myself with them by my side. my teen years were rough but having them and the fandom itself was a comfort place; i remember having a really shitty day, coming home and rewatching an interview and i couldnt help but have a smile on my face.
the fandom is a warm hug on a cold night and its a thing that accompanies with you forever, it grows with you, it matures with you and makes you never regret have joined
Can I just say i LOVE this video not even just the topic but like literally everything about this video. i really really like this concept of you interviewing these other people, as a viewer i love this concept it's like i am not only just listening to one person on a topic but alot of other one's as well and having there opinion on things make me trust and understand more nicely and the vibe of this video the way it was edited you put alot of work in it and it is 1000 percent showing the whole video fells in a cohesive asthetic and I can be wrong about the next part but i am really happy that your
comfortable again talking about 1d cuz for some time it felt like you were not and you wants to get away from hey angle zade as far as possible but now you talking about them. feels like you are finally comfortable in your skin although i can be totally wrong about this part lol anyway just wanted to tell you i love this new style of video and your hard work is showing and we are very proud of you about that
wow, what an amazing video
i had intended to contribute to this but after seeing the questions i felt like my experience was not the target of this video. my queerness, specifically hesitancy towards labels was not something i felt was welcomed, and when i was coming to terms w/ my sexuality the impression that the fandom gave off (granted it was 2013) was not a place i felt safe, so i stayed away from the fandom aspect while enjoying their music. i do think it’s changed as they’ve gone solo, though! that said, this is so well done and really powerful!!! it’s wonderful to hear other peoples positive experiences and oddly reassuring to know my feelings are the exception, not the rule.
I wasn’t part of the fandom back then, simply because i was very young and not really into music yet at that time. But it makes me so happy to see all these people express how much of a safe space and comfort this fandom has given them! As a queer man myself i always feel drawn to fandoms that are very queer positive and that have a lot of queer representation. Thinking about it now, I just realized that the bubble i am in on twitter is predominantly queer in so many aspects. So i think this fandom culture of the past years is truly one of the greatest things that’s happened because it allows you to be whoever you want to be without any judgment coming from others since they feel the same way.🌈🤍
first off, the video is fucking amazing. genuinely, I'm so proud of you Jasmine, you've come so far.
i live in Asia, the middle east to be specific, which is extremely transphobic and homophobic.
i got into one direction back in april 2021. by becoming a (queer) directioner i felt a sense of belonging that no community ever has. harry helped me feel comfortable in my sexuality, at times when i doubted myself. made me feel valid and seen, and accepted. he made me feel that it's okay to not fit into gender/sexuality stereotypes. LHH, and this may seem stupid, made me feel comfortable in embracing both femininity and masculinity. as i openly liked LHH, many people around me just assumed that i was a boy crazed cishet girl. i mean, yeah, he is pretty, but that era helped me in many different ways. he was feminine and masculine at the same time, something i secretly craved to be.
seeing louis support trans directioners made me feel comfortable in not knowing my gender, that it's okay to not fit into the male and female boxes. it's okay to not know your gender and be confused. that it's okay to question things, you'll figure it out along the way. i knew it was completely okay to not fit the binary genders, but i never had the guts to think that i could be one of those people. Louis made me feel accepted and supported.
(harry wearing dresses and not being afraid to act against the stereotypes aslo helped me a lot. the song "she" guided me to figure out my gender identity and "only the brave" made me feel seen and accepted)
as i don't live in an accepting country, seeing the pride flags at their shows, them picking it up or just pointing at them, meant a lot to me.
also, being a brown person, Zayn really helped me in ways others artists didn't. seeing that representation, knowing that a brown person could achieve the success he did, made me feel valid, in a way.
the last part is so true, and all of the statements u mentioned
that is why people need to stop complaining when we ask about more representation in medias
@@allaboutmika yep, i don't understand why people get mad when we ask for representation. it's really important, especially for teens.
I'm newer to the fandom and didnt know anything about the Rainbow Direction movement so thank you so much for educating me here! I grew up in other very queer fandoms tho and could see the parallels because without those I also never would have discovered anything along the queer spectrum about myself and even tho I wasnt there for the whole journey I still get that feeling of euphoria and safety you guys were describing❤️💗
as someone who was not in the fandom until like 2019 watching this video felt like learning about lgbtq history. it was so interesting and well made thank you for it❤️🩹
I feel really safe with them with my own kind of interactions, especially in my head, through music, fanart, fanfiction and community. I am living in a place where it is not safe to come out to my parents or to general public but in my mind I feel safe with them and it means a lot. I don't know how to describe it properly but sometimes it feels like fandom is the only place that keeps me sane.
since joining this fandom, i have... discovered myself? i guess? as a bisexual (i thought i was straight for a long time, because i thought it was "right" and i'm glad i've learned differently). when i got here i was a liam girl because i am -- and have been for a long time -- the "mom friend", a role i love, and i knew liam was that. but i became a louis girl quickly because i loved his personality and his humor (ok and his looks), but above all, he and his fanbase brought me a sense of security that is really hard to find. i am so grateful to louis and all of the boys for everything they have done to pull me out of my shell and help me through hard times, whether they know it or not.
I couldn’t be anyone else’s fan but Liam’s. All the guys are great though. I started off as a Harry fan, then gravitated to Liam.
The one direction community absolutely created the most open and safe space to explore my own queerness. The spaces I have felt the most seen and understood and allowed to be exactly who I am were at one direction/solo tour shows. I have grown to be the person I am today because of this fandom and the open space to explore identity that it has always had.
When i say one direction was and is my safe place i mean it ...im straight but i learned about many things and im always thankful for that. Being fan of 1D was not just about how good they look or how i wanna be their girlfriend its about how they made me and thousands comfortable in their own skin. Fandom was a place were we could explore and learn and the fact that we had our boys supporting is in all ways gave us something no one could. It made me believe in myself and made me open about things i couldn't be. And I'm always thankful for that🏳️🌈❤️
i wouldnt be here and comfortable in myself if one direction hadnt made me feel it was okay to try things out and figure yourself out one step at a time and im so so grateful to be a part of this community
this video actually brought me to tears MULTIPLE times. you really outdid yourself this time. i’m proud of everyone in this fandom who has found themselves or is currently figuring themselves out. thank you for the people who spoke out in the video. thank you to the boys for helping us find ourself and thank you jas for making this beautiful video
I became a fan of Harry first, about a year and half ago, then a directioner and one year ago I became more of a Louie. At this point I was still straight, but just a few months later I understood Im queer. its been so nice to be queer in this fandom and learn more about lgbtq+ and myself! I feel so lucky for all of you and for the boys who makes me feel so comfortable.
This is very interesting indeed. I love the way you interview several people who experienced the fandom at that time. I'm a fan of 1D since 2011 and used tumblr a lot back then, I definitely remember how Rainbow Direction project was invented. There were various, diverse conversation in relation to how fans back then responded to queer discourse (shipping, gay rumours etc), especially the hostile ones. TMH Rainbow Direction was a genius campaign that brought us together, straight, queer to educate, help, and support each other. I remember we had this little rainbow hearts on our profile pictures to support the movement, and thus declaring our fandom (directioners) as an LGBTQ+ safe space. Its very interesting that the influence lasted even now, after their hiatus/break, it shows how powerful the campaign was.
when talking about queer issues and how it interacts with one direction, i think its also important to include liam: for example, the robertsons interview, his lyrics in both ways, etc.
Liam’s my favourite and he became my favourite in 2020, so it was after he released his album. But partway through my research into him and the inevitable binging of his content, I bought his album. So I had a completely different interpretation to BWs, before learning about him being cancelled and the interpretation of BWs that others subscribe to.
So I hate the fact that the initial interpretation or reaction to that song made Liam seem homophobic. I see his live streams, his interactions with those he works with, his friends and what they say about him and it’s so the opposite to the ‘Liam’ the tabloids depict and also the ‘Liam’ the main interpretation of BWs depicts.
I often ask myself what his writing partner on that song, who’s part of the LGBTQ community thinks of how he was attacked for it.
When Liam apologised for the song, I felt really conflicted, because I didn’t subscribe to the homophobic interpretation of the song. But I understood why he had to apologise.
However, when he stopped promoting his music in the way that he did before and when he didn’t promote LP1, when he didn’t tour LP1 and when he doubted his music talent, when he couldn’t decide if he wanted to put out another album, it just brought home to me how traumatising the attack on him was and still is… I have so many thoughts about this, but I’ll just keep it to myself.
Jas, you're really serving us with the literal BEST content ILYSM!!
Not me putting up this video in the background and I ended up crying listening to all the stories because I relate to many of them so much. Through this fandom I was able to realize that I am, in fact, ace. I feel seen in this environment, even if I'm invalidated elsewhere.
They’re not just “boy crazy” they are so excited to see their idols “boy crazy” is such a stereotype for girls who are excited. It’s not just an obsession, for me I love One Direction because they help me keep going and I don’t give up. Their management was so toxic and you’re so right about the “roles” they weren’t allowed to be who they are, they weren’t allowed to love who they want, they are different now but then again they are kinda the same. They have the same sort of personality but the style of clothes has changed because they can express the way they dress in whatever way they want.
this is such an amazing video and it was so fun to go back and remember all of these moments lol. I distinctly remember when I was first figuring out I was trans and wanting to come out as a trans man thinking back to how I always wanted to be a boy in a feminine way like one direction!! I remember being like 12 and laying in bed looking up at my 1D posters crying and just saying how I want to be a boy. It’s so bonkers that this is such a common experience and I never really thought about how I had so much access to the queer community being in a fandom. shoutout to you for making this, it made me so happy to watch
Ngl I was closed to tears. I love all of these people wtf 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺
You have no idea how happy this video made me.
Thank you for all your work on this!! This is the research into the fandom that we need
When came into the fandom i was as straight as a straight girl could be, in the “im not like the other girls” way. A year later here i am as a bisexual girl, its crazy how much one direction has helped me grow into myself and had helped so many others as well. I don’t think i w truly found myself and accepted me for me if it wasn’t for them.
thank you for doing the research and reaching out to other fans. I loved the video, and the way you presented it makes so much sense. you put words to the feeling i had about the fandom, but couldn't find the words to say
BRO I LITERALLY GOT SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS VIDEO...IM ONLY ON MINUTE ONE OF IT RN BUT I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS AND YOUR ANALYSIS AND ALSO YOUR NEW SETTING AND HAIRSTYLE
damn it the way you manage to create these complex but still fun videos that delve into subjects you have thought about but never explicitly explored is really mind blowing
JASSS THIS WAS AMAZINGG !! The work, detail and effort was all worth it. The information and flow was all put together so well, LOVE ITTT AND UUU
thank you sm for this documentary! u put so much effort into it wow
This was amazing. I cried so much hearing so many people share my experiences within this fandom and you just putting it all together in this way. So happy to be a part of this project and this fandom. ❤️❤️
this is so interesting to me cause while i never listened to 1d i'm a kpop stan and we are very queer too despite the idols being marketed to being datable for fans. but by now we have idols openly supporting us queer fans, my favorite idol saw my sign about lesbians loving him and had an amazing reaction despite not being allowed to take flags from the crowd. so despite this being two different fandoms i completely understand the feeling of having these people you love and look up to creating a safe space to be queer in and i'm glad so many found this in 1d
gosh i love your videos so so much, theyre so informative and especially this one is so interesting to watch as somebody who`s queer but only really recently got to know 1d!
You covered so many great points in one video! Mainly the power of persona and the fun/acceptance that can come from discovering parts of yourself while being supported by community. I missed the 1D craze, but a lot of my queer friends loved them in college. I could tell they had some bops then, but I've come to appreciate their music both in the band and independently, in more recent years.
jasmine- your editing! ITS SO GOOD 🔥🔥
im so proud of how your channel is growing!
thank you so much for this video.
this fandom is the reason why im so comfortable with myself and despite not being entirely out with my family (that thinks that i want to marry harry etc)
yet i am so thankful for the safe space that the boys "are" for me
This resonated with me so much. One Direction and being on tumblr defined my high school experience in so many ways and I came out as soon as I got to college which I don't think I would have been comfortable doing if it wasn't for being in the One Direction fandom. The fandom and the culture the boys created helped me feel safe and seen as a young queer person and I don't think I've ever really acknowledged that until I saw this. One Direction will always have a special place in my heart!! Thank you for this video you did a wonderful job exploring this!
i’m obsessed with your videos recently
Omg Jasmine I haven’t seen one of your videos in a while and wow this video was insanely beautifully done and so well thought out!!! Absolutely blown away by this video!!
This video was exactly what I needed after a very rough week, thank you. ❤️ Being a queer One Direction fan is the one thing that brings me the most joy in life, and that's 100% because of the community we've built. It crushed me to miss my Louis show last week (I got covid 3 days before the show) but I hope I can get the chance to experience that euphoria on his next tour because there really is nothing like it. Especially since I have very few queer friends, despite living in a relatively liberal area. 1D has been my comfort space since 2012 and I can never thank them enough for that. Also--"wanting to be feminine in the way a man is" TOTALLY helped me unlock why I sometimes want to be feminine but rarely ever feel comfortable dressing femininely, so thank you for that Kimaya!
Every video you make about one direction is so comprehensively researched, so intellectual and theory-heavy but easy to understand and so contextualised into THIS WAS PART OF THE CULTURE. Thank you!!
wow. talking about one direction with such an insightful view, i am in awe of this discussion. one direction was so much more than a band for some of us and this is crazy, i felt emotional throughout the whole video. thank you for this! literally one of your best videos. so proud of how far this fandom has come. can't believe we're all grownups now T_T
love you guys!
The lyrics in end of the day helped me a lot!
i am so excited about the video but right at the start i have to say that you look awesome today! hair and makeup on point again😍
Jasmine this was such a great video and I can tell you're so passionate about it. Amazing work!
i don't think i ever felt so understood by a video. like i know as a quarantine stan i wasn't here for the struggle back in the 'early days' but joining the fandom when it was already so accepting really opened doors for me. the things you said about being able to explore your identity however you want is so true. whenever i had problems in real life i knew i could count on my fandom friends on twitter to understand me and support me and i don't know where i would be without this. my louis concert is in two weeks and just thinking about meeting these people and waving out flags together brings me so much happiness that i know the post concert depression will be so much more than just that
LOVE THIS VIDEO!!! perfectly explains stuff i've felt but struggled to put into words
this was sooo good, i feel even more included in the fandom. and the video was so well edited, great work.
getting to participate in this was so fun and the video turned out amazing!!!
this is such a beautiful video. this really needed to exist so thank you very much!
this is one of the nicest videos I’ve ever watched, thank you ❤️
this means so much to me. this means so much to me. this means SO MUCH TO ME
Now that the boys are older it’s interesting and even heartwarming to see how inclusive they are in their music and personal lives
this video needed to be made. thank you for using your platform to speak out on this.
This video is just amazing, thank you for creating! Definitely relate to a lot of things said in this video.
I never realized before now that I have learned all about LGBTQI+ because I was in this fandom.
it's so nice to hear similar experiences from different people. the space that this fandom created for me is something i'm not sure i'll experience again in the same way but one that i am glad to have. i've always known that they had a part in me figuring out who i am but this video really highlighted how much of an impact they had. forever grateful for the years i got with them
Oh Jas i loved this video, please keep em coming, if you post about 1D i´ll be here, as a bisexual man it was such a safe space too and i learned everything about identity with this fandom, i´m truly happy i joined when i was still a minor. thanks for the content
this felt like a really wholesome and nice video and it has made me really happy so thank you :D
Jasmine!!! I've intended to watch this for a long time and just not gotten around to it but I finally did and it was soo good and interesting! I had to pause several times just to process my own thoughts about it, such a great video!
Love this video, 1D was so important to me as a young queer person!