Obviously she had set out to make an absolute banger, sprinkled with artists like Bebe Rexha, Cardi B and Charli XCX, but what she got instead was a very angry LGBTQ+ community.
Eventually, Rita was forced to apologise, and in turn, came out to the world as bisexual (as a way to explain her actions and why the song meant so much to her).
It is unfortunate that this is the way Rita had to come out to her fans, but it's also a lesson learnt. It was not okay for her to use the lyrics that she did, but what is even less okay, is a certain publication throwing innocent Harry Styles under the bus to defend Rita.
This publication that will remain unnamed - as they don't deserve the clicks for the horrendously rude article they've written - was headlined "No one should be forced to come out like Rita Ora was, especially when people like Harry Styles get to 'gaybait' without criticism'.
Omg. The rage is SO real.
As a true Harry Styles fan (which, this writer is not), you'd know that Harry has 3,000% always been fluid with his sexuality and has never felt the need to identify as one thing or not.
However, the majority of the media only picked up on it when he sang an unreleased song "Medicine" on his 2018 world tour.
After they finally caught on, headlines around the world read "Harry Styles comes out as bisexual!" etc etc.
His song have the lyrics "Here to take my medicine, take my medicine/Treat you like a gentleman," and "The boys and the girls are in, I mess around with him, And I'm okay with it."
So yeah, maybe Harry Styles is bisexual, and that's his prerogative and he's never used it to to gain a following or attention, like this article suggests.
To accuse Harry Styles of gaybaiting is not only wildly inaccurate, but it's offensive to the large LGBTQ fanbase that Harry has. During each and every one of Harry's live shows, he insists on telling the crowd to be themselves 100% in that room, as he offers a safe space for them.
And do you want to know the difference between Harry Styles waving his rainbow flag around on stage singing his lyrics to Rita Ora's song? It's not the first time he has used fluid language in his songs, or gender fluid pronouns. It's also not the first time he has publicly spoken about his sexuality.
The lyrics in "Medicine" aren't suggesting that he has only tried bisexuality for the hell of it, like "Girls" does. Artists like Hayley Kiyoko and Kehlani have come out and addressed Rita's lyrics, which they have both called "dangerous" as they suggest that some girls being attracted to other girls is the result of alcohol, and a one-off fling that isn't taken seriously.
So, trashy news publication, maybe do your homework on an artist and their own sexuality before you accuse them of something that is incredibly offensive to them, and their millions of loyal fans.
