Culture

Fans Accuse Liam Payne of Fetishizing Bisexuality With His New Song “Both Ways”


Liam Payne officially dropped his debut album, LP1, on Friday, December 6, and while some of his fans celebrated the release of his new music, others are criticizing the singer for one track in particular, accusing him of fetishizing bisexuality in his lyrics.

The song in question is track #10, titled “Both Ways,” which seemingly details a sexual encounter with two women. With lyrics like “Lovin’ the way that she’s turning you on / Switching the lanes like a Bugatti Sport / Nothing but luck that she got me involved, yeah,” the track has angered many people on social media who are calling to light the harmful stereotypes that are often attached bisexual people, especially bisexual women.

“I’m sick and tired of people thinking my sexuality is made for threesomes,” one person wrote in a tweet, adding: “Bisexual women are NOT for your sexual fantasies.” Another Twitter user similarly declared: “My sexuality is not your f*cking fetish.”

While it’s possible that Liam’s song was written with good intentions (after all, having fantasies is normal, and it’s also fair for him to write about his own experiences if that’s the case), the lyrics invoke a pervasive trope about bisexuality that can be damaging. The over-sexualization of bisexuality often plays into bi-erasure, which can result in people feeling like their identities aren’t valid, or that they exist in relation to others. As one person pointed out: “I am a bisexual woman, I want to be accepted for being bi, not fetishized!” It’s important to remember that bisexuality is real, and bisexual people don’t solely exist for the pleasure of others.

At the time of writing, Liam has not addressed fans’ concerns about his song. The One Direction singer performed a surprise concert on Friday night at London’s Omeara Nightclub. On social, he shouted out his fans after the release of his album, writing: “Blown away by this reaction already! Thanks to everyone that’s picked up the album so far, your support doesn’t go unnoticed.”

This story originally appeared on Teen Vogue.





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