.

About the rad louies and stuff. I am a larrie, I love H&L but I wasn't expecting this level of stunting from Harry at this point and it makes me sad. This is kind of a cry for help because the last think I want is to think bad about Harry, but sometines I'm genuinely concerned... would he give up all of his creative ambitions just to be with him? I hate the ladies man he is trying to sell AGAIN, and many harries, larries, directioners don't like it either, so Harry WHY? :( Please don't be mad

hey babyyy,

i'm not mad! i don't blame you for being sad and confused. i'm not a discourse blog and i don't plan to become one (despite my last few posts, sorry!) but i want to answer this because this is such a hard time in the fandom and we could all use some comfort.

it's fair to say none of us were expecting this level of stunting after 2019 and 2020. but i think it is important to emphasize that just because he is no longer as tightly controlled as he was as a teenager, does not mean he likes stunting. this stunt was not his idea. he was not sitting in a board room going "hey guys what if i make out with olivia on a yacht, that'd be so fun!" he is a closeted gay man who has to do some ridiculous stuff to maintain his closet and to be successful in the music industry and now hollywood.

now, you say you "hate the ladies man he is trying to sell again." i want to be very clear here, he, himself, is not and never has tried to sell this. this image was pushed upon him incessantly at the tender age of 16 (when he was a LITERAL child) and he was buried deep in that image by 1d's team and the tabloid media for eight years straight. while in 1d he pushed back on this image as much as he possibly could. he hates this image and he had no choice in it. just listen to Don't Let Me Go, listen to Something Great, listen to Two Ghosts, and if you need further reassurance of something recent: listen to Falling!!!!! watch the Falling music video! what do you think he is talking about when he says "what if i'm someone i don't want around?" the image of "the drink in my wandering hands." i see Harry far more in his music than i do in his pap pictures or than i do in HSHQ. i cannot picture someone writing those songs who is not incredibly self-aware, good intentioned, and deeply deeply loving.

yes, we hate this stunt. yes, it is bringing back some of the narrative that haunted us during 1d of the womanizer. yes, we are all slightly confused as to why he agreed to it after what looked like a serious image rebranding in 2019. we do NOT have the answers. i simply don't know, anon. BUT i am not going to start questioning who Harry is and how he wishes to be seen. and, honestly, that takes some faith right now. especially after yachtgate 2.0. but i am happy to say it is not blind faith because Harry is still Harry. i am going to pull out the big guns and attach fimq's video "The Womanizer." perspective is important and it hasn't been a very long time in the grand scheme of things since fimq made this video. re-watch this or watch it for the first time and tell me who the real Harry is:

i think it's easier to vilify harry for rads because 1) his uber success and 2) he distanced himself very purposefully once the band went on hiatus. i highly suspect harry did so for his mental health and likely after working through some serious trauma in therapy. it's easier to think someone's a villain when you rely on tabloid fodder. i don't believe tabloid fodder about louis, so why would i about harry? just because i have less access to him, doesn't mean he's now a different person from the one i've grown to know.

harry's success means all the stunts are in your face but louis still has a whole ass beard and child. and he talked about that child and beard during promo in 2020! i don't think he is any less brave or good because of that. so it'd be cruel to say so of harry. closeting is never the fault of the closeted person. no matter how famous and successful.

and, finally, your question of would he still give up all his creative ambitions just to be with louis referencing what i said in my post which harkened to IICF. well, i think that question is moot. i think they likely determined a long time ago, 2015 or 2016, that both of them did not want the other to give up their ambitions for the other. and gladly so because that would not make for a very healthy or happy relationship. they decided they could stick together and still support each other's dreams; that they could survive the closeting if they had each other. it's a measure of love to say you would give up everything if they asked you too. but assuming louis loved/loves harry just as much, do you think he would even entertain the idea of allowing harry to give up on his dreams of singing, writing music, acting, being a gender-fucking fashion icon? nahhhh!!! would you let your partner do that? so to answer your question... i think harry still loves louis just as much as he did when he wrote IICF, probably even more now. do i think his ambition is a hindrance to his love for louis? no, not at all. i think louis is the biggest harrie there is, just like i think harry is the biggest louie.

okay, i think i've gone on long enough. i hope i've brought you some comfort in some way, anon. and i apologize to anyone who has to scroll past this fucking novel. but i think i needed this chat just as much as anon did. harry is a good and beautiful princess even when he is harder to access!

if you're not already all discoursed out, anon, i will leave you with two posts that i felt were helpful to my thinking recently. this post about bravery and being generous to closeted individuals. and this post about closeting and coming out. also, i hope you did watch that fimq video, it's an important reminder for all of us right now!

this is officially the end of my apparent anti-rad manifesto.