Sam Smith's new music video brings out the haters — and a lot of supporters
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Fans are defending Sam Smith online after their latest music video received a wave of fatphobic, anti-LGBTQ criticism.
Since the video for Smith's new track "I'm Not Here to Make Friends" debuted on Friday, haters have body-shamed and misgendered the pop musician on social media.
In the video, the singer models a number of glamorous costumes — ranging from a giant, fluffy, hot-pink coat to a white corset and matching nipple covers — while singing about their "blessing of a body to love on."
Some have claimed that the visuals are overly sexual and inappropriate for children. Others have mocked Smith's appearance and/or accused them of being a "groomer" — a term often used inaccurately to vilify members of the LGBTQ community. A few words that internet trolls and conservative pundits have used to describe the video are "immoral," "disgusting," "vulgar" and "depraved."
Smith's record label did not immediately respond Tuesday to The Times' request for comment.
However, numerous fans, members of the LGBTQ community and others have leaped to Smith's defense and called out the complainers for their remarks.
"wild how sam smith was probably one of the most well-loved queer artists by straight people out there for so many years but all it took was a little weight gain and five seconds presenting as anything less than masculine for them to turn into a laughing stock to you people," tweeted @gl99dys.
"I was going to ask 'what has sam smith done to deserve this amount of hate directed at them' but it’s quite literally that they’re queer and fat isn’t it," tweeted @das_penman. "that’s what it comes down to."
"The backlash against Sam Smith is absolutely about people not wanting people to be overtly sexual unless they’re skinny," tweeted @marcusjdl. "If they were doing that routine with exposed abs there would be no articles about this debating if it’s suitable for children."
Several pointed out that the outfits and choreography featured in the "I'm Not Here to Make Friends" video are no more experimental and sex-positive than those of Smith's predecessors and contemporaries. Because of their body and identity, some argued that Smith has been held to a double standard.
"There are thousands, if not millions, of far more sexually explicit pop videos than that Sam Smith one," tweeted @AidanJohnMoffat. "Most of them will feature young girls. It must be exhausting being so hateful all the time. And to be so utterly terrified of difference."
"I finally watched the Sam Smith video and was like 'that's...it?!'" tweeted @SoozUK. "Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon were in full joyful drag in the I Want To Break Free video almost 40 years ago. In the middle Freddie is writhing with ballet dancers. Ya bunch of prudes."
"harry styles, a straight man shows femininity and wears dresses in videos and gets praised for it, sam smith a non binary person does the same and is misgendered and shamed," tweeted @keaaaaley. "social media makes me sick."
Smith released the music video for "I'm Not Here to Make Friends" in tandem with their new album, "Gloria." See more responses to the backlash below.
You just know that the men ‘appalled’ by Sam Smith couldn’t see the problem with Blurred Lines
🙃— Amy Nickell (@AmyNicks_) January 28, 2023
Parents worried about children seeing the @samsmith video (which has no full frontal nudity or naughty words) should ask why they allow unsupervised access to the internet. Three taps away from ACTUAL hard core porn and your worried about innuendo and some sassy costume?? 👀
— Cheddar Gorgeous (@CheddarGorgeous) January 31, 2023
It’s really interesting that people only seem to be “worried about the children” when it comes to queer people in the media.
Some kids are *literally* starting their school day without a meal and our government is doing nothing about it???
Leave @samsmith alone.— Baby (@bby_ldn) January 31, 2023
The Sam Smith hate and saying “I miss the old Sam smith” is so gross to me. Like why can we only support queer people if they meet your beauty standards?
— The Drag Detective 🔎 (@DragDetective) January 27, 2023
i know for a fact that if sam smith was rail thin with a mullet the cries of "they're so Gender" would be endless, but nobody wants to have that conversation because you'll be forced to address your fatphobia and your idea of what a non binary person needs to look like.
— local bog witch (HE/THEY) (@lazyjunebug) January 31, 2023
I hate the “if Harry Styles wore it you’d be gagging” argument for Sam Smith because one, fat bodies’ aspiration shouldn’t be throwing on whatever skinny people do for some weird equality. Also, Harry’s styled looks are often a mess too…
— Ira (@iramadisonthree) January 30, 2023
So women artists can make explicit music videos, as can straight men, for decades there can basically be soft porn in mainstream music & that's all harmless hetty fun but now Sam Smith does it & suddenly it's perverted grooming filth. HELLO HOMOPHOBIA & TRANSPHOBIA!
— Dr Finn Mackay Adult Human Queermale (@Finn_Mackay) January 29, 2023
sam smith looks so much sexier and happier now and it’s pretty sad how many people would prefer for them to he thin closeted and depressed
— samson (@testochunky) January 29, 2023
Sex has always been a running theme in modern pop music, and music videos often flaunt it.
But Sam Smith has made the criminal offence of being a) queer and b) not skinny, and in an increasingly anti-LGBTQ culture, that can’t be tolerated.— Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) January 30, 2023
If Sam Smith were thin, cis, and straight, they wouldn’t be ridiculed for how they present and dress. If Harry Styles wore the same fits on a magazine cover, y’all would be screaming YAS QUEEN. Anyway, support fat queer people.
— Mae Murray (@maemurrayxo) January 30, 2023
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
