Bad Bunny is spearheading a reggaeton revolution – and an LGBTQ+ one at that.
In a category that is typically associated with extreme masculinity, the 29-year-old individual has been designated as Spotify’s most frequently listened to artist for three consecutive years, achieved victory in three Grammy Awards, and consistently surpasses his previous accomplishments. The album titled “Un Verano Sin Ti,” which garnered the highest number of global streams in 2022, is attributed to him.
During his appearance on the “Tonight Show,” he donned a skirt and assumed a drag persona for the “Yo Perreo Sola” music video. Additionally, he openly kissed a male backup dancer while on stage. In a candid interview with the Los Angeles Times, he honestly stated, “It’s impossible to predict if my preferences will change in the next two decades. Life is full of surprises.”
Bunny Bad hasn’t allowed himself to be labeled, but many have speculated about his sexual identity. I want to make it clear that he hasn’t allowed himself to be labeled, but many have speculated about his sexual identity.
He has adeptly challenged bias against homosexuality in reggaeton, examined the notion of masculinity in the Latino community, and shown solidarity with the LGBTQ community.
Dr. Nathian Rodriguez, a professor of Media and Journalism at San Diego State University, emphasizes that the main theme of his message is fluidity. He highlights that people are paying attention to these popular cultural arenas and engaging in a global conversation. It is worth mentioning that he has not explicitly disclosed his sexual orientation, and the impact of Bunny Bad is not restricted to a specific group.
As a person who identifies with the gender they were assigned at birth, however, their support can only extend to a certain limit.
There is a misconception that the culture of Latinos is overly masculine. However, it is not any more male-dominated than the majority of other cultures.
According to Jessica Lopez Lyman, a Xicana feminist scholar at the University of Minnesota, “Due to the overpowering nature of these structures, artists who aim to challenge them must possess strategic skills in navigating them. Similar to how capitalism symbolizes a cultural aspect, reggaeton represents patriarchy in particular when discussing reggaeton.”
And that’s a component of Bad Bunny’s genius.
Vanessa Díaz, an assistant professor at Marymount Loyola University, states that in his music video “Caro” released in 2019, Bad Bunny gave a pointed critique about gender expectations and the norms surrounding gender performance.
Appearing on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” the following year, Luciano Negrón called attention to the brutal killing of Alexa, a transgender homeless woman in Puerto Rico, by wearing a white T-shirt that read, “They killed Alexa, not a man in a skirt.”
When fellow reggaeton star Don Omar spewed homophobic comments online, Bad Bunny tweeted: “Homophobia in this day and age? How embarrassing, man.”.
According to Díaz, Bad Bunny’s words and deeds have established him as a “symbol of much-needed transformation.”
His support for the Vanguard Award will pay tribute to Bad Bunny on Thursday at the 34th GLAAD Media Awards, one of the nation’s leading LGBTQ advocacy groups, GLAAD.
USA TODAY has contacted the representatives of Bad Bunny for a statement.
It’s a great start, but there’s a long way to go
Bad Bunny is definitely a revolutionary figure, but he isn’t “shattering any sort of rainbow barriers,” Rodriguez states.
However, other artists can gain knowledge from his illustration.
La Fountain-Stokes declares, “however, he reaps significant advantages from being a fair-skinned, cisgender, heterosexual male artist.” Within the realm of reggaeton and música urbana, Bad Bunny has demonstrated that “it is not necessary to harbor homophobia or transphobia in order to achieve success.”
However, it is the fluidity of his artistic message and his drive to empower his fans that reject societal expectations and embody authenticity in his home community.
According to Díaz, “a portion of his creative endeavor” is integrated into his identity and contributes to the significance or assessment that others may place on his decisions, which I genuinely believe he is not concerned about.
Is Bad Bunny queerbaiting?
Fans frequently criticize celebrities for “queerbaiting” when they appear to exploit LGBTQ music, acting, and other opportunities while identifying as a cisgender and heterosexual individual.
Queerbaiting is dependent on how a celebrity engages with the LGBTQ community and what they do to make something that can go awry with these accusations. Remember the accusations against Harry Styles for veering away from gender-conforming clothing choices, like prominent same-sex kisses?
According to Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes, a professor specializing in culture and gender studies at the University of Michigan, “The term ‘queerbaits’ is not to my liking or something I use.” He further asserts that “Beyond the American preoccupations with inflexible classifications and gender norms, there exists a rich tradition of playfulness in the Hispanic world.”
Naturally, nobody – whether famous or not – is obligated to provide an explanation about their sexual orientation to anyone.
“He doesn’t need to explicitly claim his queerness to showcase a queer mindset,” Díaz affirms.
When you have a public profile, there is a certain extent of responsibility that comes with it, of course. According to Lyman Lopez, perhaps we have certain expectations of him that everyday people may not have, or perhaps we have certain expectations of him that everyday people may not have, or perhaps we have certain expectations of him that everyday people may not have, or perhaps we have certain expectations of him that everyday people may not have, simply because Bunny Bad is famous and therefore scrutinized more on those platforms.