Harry Styles controversies: 3 times the actor found himself trolled online

As an artist who had to grow up in the public eye, Harry Styles has been in the news for various scandals and controversies. Throughout his career as a part of One Direction as well as during his solo venture, Styles has had his every move scrutinized by the media and fans.

From his romantic endeavors to his red-carpet outfits, Harry Styles has faced a number of controversies throughout his career. While these controversies have garnered attention and sparked debate, Harry Styles has also been praised for his unmatched talents in music and cinema, as well as his activism and philanthropy.

Here is a look at three controversies that Styles was involved in recently.

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3 times Harry Styles had to face the wrath of the internet

1) The December 2020 Vogue cover shoot

Harry Styles became the first man to feature solo on a Vogue cover in the history of the magazine when he was featured in Vogue's December 2020 issue. The photoshoot featured Styles in a frilled Gucci dress and jacket.

While many fans and celebrities praised the shoot as a celebration of gender fluidity and breaking gender norms, others argued that the photoshoot represented a threat to traditional gender roles and masculinity.

The Vogue cover shoot sparked a conversation about gender norms, fashion, and societal expectations. It also brought attention to the ongoing struggle for gender equality and acceptance, particularly in the world of fashion and entertainment.

Despite the controversy, Harry Styles himself has remained relatively silent on the issue. In the same issue, Harry talks about his passion for dressing up, saying:

"Clothes are there to have fun with and experiment with and play with. What’s really exciting is that all of these lines are just kind of crumbling away. When you take away ‘There’s clothes for men and there’s clothes for women,’ once you remove any barriers, obviously you open up the arena in which you can play. "

He added:

I’ll go in shops sometimes, and I just find myself looking at the women’s clothes thinking they’re amazing. It’s like anything—anytime you’re putting barriers up in your own life, you’re just limiting yourself. There’s so much joy to be had in playing with clothes. I’ve never really thought too much about what it means—it just becomes this extended part of creating something."

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2) The Spitgate Controversy

During the world premiere of Harry Styles' film Don't Worry Darling at the Venice Film Festival, a controversial video emerged online where Styles appeared to be spitting on co-star Chris Pine as he took a seat next to him.

The moment quickly turned viral after several videos of the same incident from different camera angles were posted online. Although the event was put to rest by their respective publicists, the internet took it upon themselves to troll Styles for his alleged behavior. The infamous incident even earned the title of "The Harry Styles Spitgate controversy."

Styles himself fueled the controversy further as he joked during one of his concerts a few days later that he had gone to Venice to spit on Chris Pine. Pine, however, addressed the incident later in a video interview with Esquire Magazine, explaining that:

"He didn’t spit on me. I think Harry leaned down and said, 'It’s just words isn’t it?.' We had this little joke. We were all jet lagged and trying to answer questions and sometimes when you’re doing these press things your brain goes befuddled and you start speaking gibberish, so we had a joke: ‘It’s just words.’"

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3) When he did a shoey during his concert in Australia

During his recent concert in Perth, Australia, Harry Styles tried the Australian tradition called a shoey, where one drinks out of their shoe. Videos from the concert show the singer filling up his sneakers with an alcoholic drink, before chugging it down.

The singer himself seemed disgusted by the activity, calling it "one of the most disgusting traditions I’ve ever witnessed” while on stage. He added:

"I feel ashamed of myself. It feels so personal. Such an intimate moment to be shared with so many people."

The internet was quick to chime in, with many commenting on how disgusted they were. Despite the online comments that berated his actions, Styles seemed to have taken part in the tradition out of jest. The shoey became popular after several pop stars and celebrities, including Post Malone and Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo, tried their hand at it.

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Despite all the hate and trolls that Harry Styles receives on a daily basis, he is also one of the most celebrated pop singers of his time. From sold-out concerts to chart-topping songs, Harry Styles has achieved so much at such a young age.

With a loyal fanbase and a string of hit songs under his belt, Harry Styles has established himself as one of the most iconic and influential figures in contemporary pop culture.