Menu</tle><path d="M8 10h16v2H8v-2zm0 5h16v2H8v-2zm0 5h16v2H8v-2z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg></div></button></div><div class="StandardNavigatnSectnLogo-bghSeq dUMiOJ"><a href="/" data-ttid="Logo" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM StandardNavigatnLogoLk-bfpyLL iUEiRd JArb lijBeg jYKccq"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset StandardNavigatnLogoImage-kyNDxs jVwXYs"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa StandardNavigatnLogoImage-kyNDxs jVwXYs rponsive-image"><img alt="Pchfork" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="/verso/static/pchfork/assets/" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/></picture></span></a></div><div data-ttid="StandardNavigatnHeadLeBlock" class="StandardNavigatnHeadLeBlock-kwGkqn dqfBFX"><div aria-hidn="te" class="StandardNavigatnHeadLeBlockHeadLe-dfABRF jCpHZr">Is Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” Actually About Comg Out?</div><div class="StandardNavigatnHeadLeBlockChannelNavigatn-ccHZSK fkgYDz"><div class="StandardNavigatnSectnPrimaryLks-eSbMKK bxboNM"><nav aria-label="Primary" class="NavigatnWrapper-bFftAs fKSZRK StandardNavigatnNavPrimaryLks-envmpy dktYVh" data-ttid="navigatn"><ul class="NavigatnListWrapper-gWXLVS dNBjg navigatn__list" data-ttid="navigatn__list"><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/news/" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">News</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/reviews/albums/" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Reviews</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/bt/" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Bt New Mic</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/featur/" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Featur</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/featur/lists-and-guis/" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Lists</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/thepch/" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">The Pch</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/tv/" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Vio</a></li><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/podst/the-pchfork-review/" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Podst</a></li></ul></nav><span class="NavigatnDivir-fEDnwq ixXXMs navigatn__divir"></span><div><div class="MoreDropdownWrapper-dDKmCE kHwcPy"><button data-ttid="MoreDropdownLabel" aria-expand="false" type="button" class="MoreDropdownLabel-hfApoZ JEqi">More<i class="AcuntDropdownToggleIn-cZvvYy hlzQAp"><svg class="in in-chevron" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns="><tle>Chevron</tle><path d="M19.071 16L12 8.929l1.414-1.414L21.9 16l-8.485 8.485L12 23.071z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg></i></button><div data-ttid="StandardNavigatnDropdown" class="StandardNavigatnDropdown-iQQRZT iCXwWr"></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="StandardNavigatnSectnUtilyLks-ecAXBS eHwKbu"><nav aria-label="Utily" class="NavigatnWrapper-bFftAs fKSZRK StandardNavigatnNavUtilyLks-bnFfCi ixxmNg" data-ttid="navigatn"><ul class="NavigatnListWrapper-gWXLVS dNBjg navigatn__list" data-ttid="navigatn__list"><li class="NavigatnListItemWrapper-cxLZKD dsgTQs navigatn__list-em" data-ttid="navigatn__list-em"><a class="NavigatnInternalLk-cWEaeo knabMb navigatn__lk" href="/newsletter" data-ttid="navigatn__ternal-lk" role="lk">Newsletter</a></li></ul></nav><span class="NavigatnDivir-fEDnwq ixXXMs navigatn__divir"></span><div class="StandardNavigatnConsumerMarketgUnWrapper-iemhjj dZqPLK"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--nav-dialog" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--nav-dialog"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--nav-cta" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--nav-cta"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--nav-rollover" role="prentatn"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--nav-rollover"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--nav-gift" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--nav-gift"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><a href="/search/" aria-label="Search" class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ crsMOk joNFVN button button--utily StandardNavigatnSearchButton-bhoYY dDDfGZ" data-event-click="{"element":"Button","outgogURL":"/search/"}" data-ttid="Button" type=""><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Search</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="ButtonIn-YqaGo iwlhuX button-in in in-search" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns=" data-ttid="inSearch"><tle>Search</tle><path d="M14.5 10a4.5 4.5 0 1 0 0 9 4.5 4.5 0 0 0 0-9zm5.249 8.335l4.458 4.458-1.414 1.414-4.458-4.458a6.5 6.5 0 1 1 1.414-1.414z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg></div></a></hear><div aria-hidn="te" class="StandardNavigatnPrimaryLks-hsfnqT eaOiYu"><ul><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/news/">News</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/reviews/albums/">Reviews</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/bt/">Bt New Mic</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/featur/">Featur</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/featur/lists-and-guis/">Lists</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/thepch/">The Pch</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/tv/">Vio</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/podst/the-pchfork-review/">Podst</a></li></ul></div><div aria-hidn="te" class="StandardNavigatnSendaryLks-UJYFF giBLkc"><ul><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/rad/">Pchfork Rad</a></li></ul></div></div><div class="PersistentBottomWrapper-eddooY bIieWF persistent-bottom" data-journey-hook="persistent-bottom"><asi class="PaywallBarWrapper-hbEokK lcyTCU paywall-bar"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut paywall-bar__nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--paywall-bar-ll-to-actn" role="prentatn" aria-live="pole" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--paywall-bar-ll-to-actn"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></asi></div><div class="SpaceHolr-oayp fXtswJ ad-height-hold"></div><div class="StickyHeroAdWrapper-eNLJUc gStsdY ad-stickyhero ad-stickyhero--standard ad-stickyhero-enable-mobile should-hold-space"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--hero"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--hero" data-no-id="98kwx6"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-hero" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-hero"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="SpaceHolr-oayp fXtswJ ad-height-hold"></div><ma id="ma-ntent" tabx="-1" class="BasePageMaContent-kFvAuh ewPCZH page__ma-ntent"><article class="article ma-ntent" lang="en-US"><div class="ArticlePageLeBackground-EufvU tFsh"><hear class="ContentHearWrapper-clujbs gZtDNK ntent-hear article__ntent-hear"><div data-ttid="ContentHearContaer" class="ContentHearContaer-cGKRbE knDxNq"><div class="ContentHearHedAccredatnWrapper-GFiQf cDNVlV"><div data-ttid="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper" class="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper-cjmSKp brREPZ"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubric" class="ContentHearRubricBlock-LmpbT iuTaVM"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubricDateBlock" class="ContentHearRubricDateBlock-kAQcZP fTFWxD"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX irmJOI bric ContentHearRubricContaer-eTudtt iRsSlw"><a class="RubricLk-gRWSOU liwQmm bric__lk" href="/thepch/"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">The Pch</span></a></div></div></div><h1 data-ttid="ContentHearHed" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearHed-NCyCC iUEiRd hWGSa-D jTptLg">Is Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” Actually About Comg Out?</h1><span class="ContentHearContentDivir-liIxwf kOTubb"></span></div><div class="ContentHearAccredatn-lfctVB etVsnJ ntent-hear__accredatn" data-ttid="ContentHearAccredatn"><div class="ContentHearDek-bIqFFZ gMTlPZ">This is edian Guy Branum’s theory, as amgly tailed this exclive excerpt om his new book, <em>My Life as a Godss</em>.</div><div class="ContentHearByle-kmPyCa emiglw"><div class="ContentHearByleContent-dpPmNn DRFq"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl ContentHearByl-cZqgyJ bHLeKI"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH jslqCu byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span><a class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ByleLk-gEnFiw iUEiRd JArb kUYkyS eErqIx byle__name-lk button" href="/staff/guy-branum/">Guy Branum</a></span></span></p></div><time data-ttid="ContentHearPublishDate" dateTime="2018-08-07T13:13:19-04:00" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearPublishDate-eIBicG iUEiRd jIyViq eMOiwD">Augt 7, 2018</time></div></div><div class="SocialInsWrapper-hKMEXV ffgPVr social-ins social-ins--standard ContentHearAccredatnSocialIns-jorO fPzfaa ntent-hear__social-share"><ul data-ttid="socialInslist" class="SocialInsList-cHVTIA ivmblD social-ins__list"><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR fxaFQj social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--facebook social-ins__list-em--standard"><a aria-label="Share on Facebook" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU lobXkm social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--facebook" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-facebook" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Facebook</tle><path d="M13.621 11.099V13.302H12V15.995H13.621V24H16.951V15.995H19.186C19.186 15.995 19.395 14.704 19.496 13.292H16.964V11.45C16.964 11.175 17.327 10.804 17.686 10.804H19.5V8H17.033C13.539 8 13.621 10.696 13.621 11.099Z" fill="black"></path></svg></div></a></li><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR fxaFQj social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--twter social-ins__list-em--standard"><a aria-label="Share on Twter" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU lobXkm social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--twter" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-twter" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Twter</tle><path d="M13.032 22.003C19.07 22.003 22.372 17.001 22.372 12.663C22.3719 12.5216 22.3686 12.3803 22.362 12.239C23.0045 11.7744 23.5592 11.1991 24 10.54C23.401 10.8056 22.7656 10.9799 22.115 11.057C22.8003 10.6467 23.3132 10.0013 23.558 9.24103C22.9138 9.62343 22.209 9.89297 21.474 10.038C20.9799 9.50946 20.325 9.15892 19.6112 9.04091C18.8973 8.9229 18.1644 9.04403 17.5265 9.38545C16.8886 9.72688 16.3813 10.2695 16.0836 10.9289C15.7858 11.5884 15.7142 12.3277 15.88 13.032C14.5746 12.9664 13.2976 12.6269 12.132 12.0356C10.9663 11.4444 9.93808 10.6145 9.114 9.60003C8.69297 10.3223 8.56366 11.1782 8.7525 11.9926C8.94134 12.8071 9.43407 13.5187 10.13 13.982C9.60866 13.9664 9.0987 13.8258 8.643 13.572V13.614C8.64319 14.3718 8.90547 15.1063 9.38536 15.6928C9.86525 16.2793 10.5332 16.6818 11.276 16.832C10.7924 16.9633 10.2852 16.9825 9.793 16.888C10.0027 17.5404 10.411 18.1109 10.961 18.5197C11.5109 18.9286 12.1749 19.1552 12.86 19.168C11.6971 20.0805 10.2611 20.5754 8.783 20.573C8.518 20.573 8.257 20.558 8 20.528C9.5011 21.4921 11.248 22.0038 13.032 22.002" fill="black"></path></svg></div></a></li></ul></div></div></div><div class="ContentHearLeadAsset-hGbumP dDDxdb lead-asset ContentHearLeadAssetWrapper-hfXHEc Grck" data-ttid="ContentHearLeadAsset"><figure class="ContentHearLeadAssetContent-kOfYSG dRGWbI"><div class="ContentHearLeadAssetContentMedia-bLEIpi jjhWdS lead-asset__ntent__photo"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset ContentHearRponsiveAsset-bREgIb hONbnm"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz ducRj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa ContentHearRponsiveAsset-bREgIb hONbnm rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w, 1920w, 2240w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Freddie Mercury performs onstage" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></div></div></span><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE wZGox ptn ContentHearLeadAssetCaptn-hPWmSN jwFdza"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd kHsNUl fNaHcW ptn__cred">Freddie Mercury performg live on stage at Groenoordhallen, Lein. Photo by Rob Verhorst/Redferns.</span></div></div></figure></div></div><asi class="PersistentAsiWrapper-VGrR oEIBz persistent-asi persistent-asi--align-left" style="posn:absolute;top:to;height:to" data-ttid="PersistentAsiWrapper"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jNgrSF sticky-box ContentHearPersistentAsi-fsnAmQ dFzKzm"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="SocialInsWrapper-hKMEXV ffgPVr social-ins social-ins--has-background ContentHearSocialIns-jzJiyg fgMkJI social-ins--share"><ul data-ttid="socialInslist" class="SocialInsList-cHVTIA ivmblD social-ins__list"><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR gQILrJ social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--facebook social-ins__list-em--has-background"><a aria-label="Share on Facebook" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU ktsBmR social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--facebook" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-facebook" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Facebook</tle><path d="M13.621 11.099V13.302H12V15.995H13.621V24H16.951V15.995H19.186C19.186 15.995 19.395 14.704 19.496 13.292H16.964V11.45C16.964 11.175 17.327 10.804 17.686 10.804H19.5V8H17.033C13.539 8 13.621 10.696 13.621 11.099Z" fill="black"></path></svg></div></a></li><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR gQILrJ social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--twter social-ins__list-em--has-background"><a aria-label="Share on Twter" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU ktsBmR social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--twter" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-twter" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Twter</tle><path d="M13.032 22.003C19.07 22.003 22.372 17.001 22.372 12.663C22.3719 12.5216 22.3686 12.3803 22.362 12.239C23.0045 11.7744 23.5592 11.1991 24 10.54C23.401 10.8056 22.7656 10.9799 22.115 11.057C22.8003 10.6467 23.3132 10.0013 23.558 9.24103C22.9138 9.62343 22.209 9.89297 21.474 10.038C20.9799 9.50946 20.325 9.15892 19.6112 9.04091C18.8973 8.9229 18.1644 9.04403 17.5265 9.38545C16.8886 9.72688 16.3813 10.2695 16.0836 10.9289C15.7858 11.5884 15.7142 12.3277 15.88 13.032C14.5746 12.9664 13.2976 12.6269 12.132 12.0356C10.9663 11.4444 9.93808 10.6145 9.114 9.60003C8.69297 10.3223 8.56366 11.1782 8.7525 11.9926C8.94134 12.8071 9.43407 13.5187 10.13 13.982C9.60866 13.9664 9.0987 13.8258 8.643 13.572V13.614C8.64319 14.3718 8.90547 15.1063 9.38536 15.6928C9.86525 16.2793 10.5332 16.6818 11.276 16.832C10.7924 16.9633 10.2852 16.9825 9.793 16.888C10.0027 17.5404 10.411 18.1109 10.961 18.5197C11.5109 18.9286 12.1749 19.1552 12.86 19.168C11.6971 20.0805 10.2611 20.5754 8.783 20.573C8.518 20.573 8.257 20.558 8 20.528C9.5011 21.4921 11.248 22.0038 13.032 22.002" fill="black"></path></svg></div></a></li></ul></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></asi></hear></div><div data-attribute-verso-pattern="article-body" class="ArticlePageContentBackGround-cNiFNN kJkLmH article-body__ntent"><div class="ArticlePageChunksContent-etcMtP bwyLBj"><div data-ttid="ArticlePageChunks" class="ArticlePageChunks-fLyCVG eOdfIs"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bCHUuY body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>The edian and TV wrer Guy Branum first me to our attentn through his brazen bs about gay culture, which were regular highlights of “Totally Biased wh W. Kam Bell” and “Chelsea Lately.” In the years sce, Branum has sred his own show: tTV’s “Talk Show the Game Show,” half mashup, half sendup, and wholly queer. Last week, Branum released his first book, <em><a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">My Life as a Godss: A Memoir Through (Un)Popular Culture</a></em>, a llectn of humoro says that untangle the personal experienc and cultural artifacts that ma Branum who he is.</p><p>The book is touchg but not so touchg that Branum n’t argue directly wh judgy Ed Sheeran lyrics or joke about kn bikis givg him boners, almost immediately after sharg his g-out story. That is where we pick up the excerpt below: Branum, the midst of an ill-fated go at law school, has fally told his parents the tth about his sexualy. He’s also e to the realizatn that “Bohemian Rhapsody” uld easily be about a gay man g out to his mom and not gog so well. After this close read, you might not hear those cri of “Sramouche! Sramouche!” the same way aga. <em>–Jillian Map</em></p><div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-mid-ntent" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-mid-ntent nsumer-marketg-un__slot---ntent"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><hr/><p>First of all, I didn’t tell them I was gay. I said I was bisexual, then twenty mut later, I ma clear that I had never really been turned on by women any way.<strong><sup>13</sup></strong></p><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><p>My mom said, “Are you tryg to hurt me? Bee if that’s what you’re tryg to do, you’ve succeed.”</p><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad---ntent"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot---ntent" data-no-id="u5wug"></div></div><p>My dad said, “What? Did God make a mistake?” And I said, “No, you did.” And my mom, to some extent, still believ that if my father had not rhetorilly fumbled so hard at the begng of this, they might have succsfully argued me out of homosexualy.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-1 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>That’s what they tried to do. They tried to argue me out of beg gay. They tried to shame me and threaten me. They let me know that they were no longer possible fancial support, jt as I’d spected. For weeks and months afterward, my parents let me know that there was no promise. If there was a me that was gay, they didn’t want . Fally, they rorted to the fal tool. They stopped lovg me as much.</p><p>Let first addrs the fact that they uld have jt never spoken to me aga. Lots of parents do that. My parents thought they were beg bold and liberal for not dog that. Their generosy was ntug to speak to me until the pot at which I said anythg rporatg the ia that I might be gay or date guys. And y, they need the ias to be separate, bee they eply, fundamentally believed that my homosexualy was an affectatn I jt wanted to brg up to hurt them and seem ol at parti.<strong><sup>14</sup></strong> It uld not have a practil meang my life. I had ma so much of my life visible to them for such a long time that any time I tried to make visible, they were horrified.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB kNleGZ sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="smir"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="2u808m"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bCHUuY body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>And they <em>did</em> stop lovg me as much. You n say, “<em>Guy!</em> They never stopped <em>lovg</em> you.” You don’t fuckg know. And I didn’t say they stopped lovg me. I’m sayg they whdrew. They beme ld. They harned their hearts, like when God harned Pharaoh’s. Their sympathy was gone, their tert gone. As I was slidg to the harst perd of my life, the two people bt posned to be there for me let me know that wasn’t an optn.</p><p>There is ltle good art about g out. Y, ’s the only story we’ve got, and we sure do put our one-man shows, but we n’t reprent . The people who have experienced nnot have enough distance to ment on . Also, is a moment of raw feelgs. “Raw” don’t pture what I’m tryg to say. Rather, let say is an act of graphic emotnal nudy wh no poise or sophistitn. It’s snot-drippg-out-of-your-nose emotns, and gay men don’t like those. We like watchg Vla Davis experience them, but only bee we never let ourselv be that hont. We are creatur wh the optn of hidg, and even when we’re tryg to be ank about a moment like this, we’ll always retreat to the safety of a bland se and prumed normalcy.</p><p>There’s an exceptn: Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” You know and are faiar wh “Bohemian Rhapsody.” You loved <em>Wayne’s World</em>. You may say, “That’s not what ’s about!” or the gentler “Is that what ’s about?” But you will skeptilly hold to a nstctn of the song that is not about gayns. You know Freddie Mercury was gay, or you may sist he was bisexual, bee he was married to a woman and no gay man has ever been married to a woman.<strong><sup>15</sup></strong></p><p>Also, you have no ia what “Bohemian Rhapsody” is about. You don’t have some rival theory, you jt know that your non-readg is more valid than my readg (which we still haven’t gotten to bee I’m fightg wh you about opns you probably don’t have) bee I’m not allowed to jt say somethg’s gay when isn’t explicly gay.</p><p>That’s one of the magnificent thgs about “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It uldn’t be explicly gay. Freddie Mercury, like all other gay guys, had this bundle of emotns that he uld not let the world see directly, bee if they saw, they would be horrified. He also need to share them, jt as much as I need to share them 1999, maybe as much as I need to share them now, so he created a puzzle wh all the piec a gay guy would need to create art that uld soothe him but enough plexy to be plsibly niable.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="owrk"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="RecircMostPopularWrapper-bRuGTi jkTTgR recirc-most-popular-wrapper viewport-monor-anchor"><div class="RecircMostPopularConter-jiViNn ktrplG recirc-most-popular-sparrow-trackg hi-asi-ad" data-most-popular-id="mod-most-popular-3"><div class="RecircMostPopularHeadg-iVzhzt ggoCpM">Top Stori</div><ul class="RecircMostPopularItems-dCAajf gqcRrp"><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff STePr summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw cGRyZE" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Ma Ameri Cancels 2023 Ftival Wh Headlers Lizzo and SZA, Cg “Severe Circumstanc”" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dQteGc summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ dupIXR summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Ma Ameri Cancels 2023 Ftival Wh Headlers Lizzo and SZA, Cg “Severe Circumstanc”</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Allison Hsey</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff STePr summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw cGRyZE" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Travis Stt 2023 Tour, His First Sce Astroworld Tragedy, Preemptively Announced by Live Natn (Updated)" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dQteGc summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ dupIXR summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Travis Stt 2023 Tour, His First Sce Astroworld Tragedy, Preemptively Announced by Live Natn (Updated)</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Evan Msker</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff STePr summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw cGRyZE" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Pchfork Staffers on Their Most Formative Rap Albums" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dQteGc summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ dupIXR summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Pchfork Staffers on Their Most Formative Rap Albums</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Pchfork</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw iOZoWR ad ad--asi"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--asi" data-no-id="ptdvyn"></div></div></li></ul><div class="RecircMostPopularFooter-enPjgs gCLhcL"></div></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="2pcm"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bCHUuY body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Image may nta Human Person Advertisement Poster Brochure Paper and Flyer" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div></figure><p>“Bohemian Rhapsody” is a breakup song for your mom. Let’s do a close readg.<strong><sup>16</sup></strong></p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-2 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>The speaker the song begs by askg if what he’s experiencg is real or fantasy. He’s talkg about his sexual sir. He is fantasizg about men, but is part of the real life of who he is, or jt his bra playg a trick on him? Like me at any pot before July 11, 1999. He, for the first of many tim, intifi his sexual sire as somethg that has been thst upon him. He nnot ny the landsli of emotns men give him, or the simple realy of what mak his dick hard. A le after speculatg that this whole thg is fantasy, he adms ’s not jt realy but pable. Like me on July 11, 1999.</p><p>Okay, why is the person who’s about to sg you “Bohemian Rhapsody,” the most melodramatic song of all time, sayg nothg really matters to him? Why is this person about to sg of pa tellg you he needs no sympathy? This passage is all about the emotnal displacement of closetedns. It’s about the managed md of the closet se that divts self om an emotnal world n’t participate . He’s tellg himself he needs no sympathy, bee there’s gog to be none for him if he asks for . The sger “Bohemian Rhapsody” is lookg up at the sky for the same reason I spent my teen years studyg for the SAT too much: the slim hope that there might be somethg else out there better than the life you’re currently livg. A place where you f.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="gdcsd"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="RecircMostPopularWrapper-bRuGTi jkTTgR recirc-most-popular-wrapper viewport-monor-anchor"><div class="RecircMostPopularConter-jiViNn ktrplG recirc-most-popular-sparrow-trackg hi-asi-ad" data-most-popular-id="mod-most-popular-4"><div class="RecircMostPopularHeadg-iVzhzt ggoCpM">Top Stori</div><ul class="RecircMostPopularItems-dCAajf gqcRrp"><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff STePr summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw cGRyZE" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Ma Ameri Cancels 2023 Ftival Wh Headlers Lizzo and SZA, Cg “Severe Circumstanc”" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dQteGc summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ dupIXR summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Ma Ameri Cancels 2023 Ftival Wh Headlers Lizzo and SZA, Cg “Severe Circumstanc”</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Allison Hsey</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff STePr summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw cGRyZE" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Travis Stt 2023 Tour, His First Sce Astroworld Tragedy, Preemptively Announced by Live Natn (Updated)" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dQteGc summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ dupIXR summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Travis Stt 2023 Tour, His First Sce Astroworld Tragedy, Preemptively Announced by Live Natn (Updated)</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Evan Msker</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff STePr summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw cGRyZE" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Pchfork Staffers on Their Most Formative Rap Albums" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dQteGc summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ dupIXR summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Pchfork Staffers on Their Most Formative Rap Albums</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Pchfork</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw iOZoWR ad ad--asi"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--asi" data-no-id="7tdm5"></div></div></li></ul><div class="RecircMostPopularFooter-enPjgs gCLhcL"></div></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="llwk6v"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bCHUuY body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>Now we get to the mama. He’s tellg her or longg to tell her. “But Guy,” you say, “this isn’t about sex. He says he has a gun, ’s a <em>crime</em>. He’s sad bee he mted a <em>crime</em>.” And I say, “Y, he is sad that he mted a crime, bee that’s what gay sex was Bra the 1970s. His dick was as adly a weapon as a pistol. It turned the other du to a nonperson as his cum verified that du’s homosexualy.”</p><p>I know ’s not an easy or transparent readg, but one of the thgs I’m sayg is that Mercury had to this song to make not obvly gay, or would have stroyed him. Worse, revealed him.</p><p>The key is the word “my.” He didn’t pull “the” trigger, he pulled “my” trigger. It lks him to the bullet/asm/ejaculatn an timate way. If he’s talkg about a leral murr, why do he seem to be sayg he’s thrown his life away? Aga, one might say, “Bee he mted a crime.” The sger don’t seem to be worried about beg ught, though. It seems that whatever he’s done to throw away his life was pleted wh the act mted by his “gun.”</p><p>The preoccupatn of this song is ang emotns. The sger who has already exprsed his abily to not be emotnally vted is now urgg his mother to do the same. She’s cryg, and as we prevly tablished, moms <em>always</em> cry. Whatever he’s done means he needs to leave, and his mom needs to an her emotns around that fact.</p><p>Then we get to the spe shivers and body achg. This is how we know ’s not a leral murr. Murrs don’t send shivers down your spe or make your body ache. That’s what dicks do, that’s what dicks your butt do, that’s what sexual sire do. The sger’s sexual sire is the tth he mt face, and after the brief reactory perd sce he “killed” that man wh his “gun,” the sire is back.</p><p>The sger do not want to die, but he also says he wish he’d never been born. It’s a strange paradox. One uld say he fears the punishment of the state for the murr he prevly mted, but you’d be the one brgg the state to this. The sger’s words make clear that whatever ath this is would be ed by nothg more than the actns he’s already discsed. He is also unma by the act of gay sex. As much as he is a murrer, he is a suici.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="l9uvug"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="RecircMostPopularWrapper-bRuGTi jkTTgR recirc-most-popular-wrapper viewport-monor-anchor"><div class="RecircMostPopularConter-jiViNn ktrplG recirc-most-popular-sparrow-trackg hi-asi-ad" data-most-popular-id="mod-most-popular-5"><div class="RecircMostPopularHeadg-iVzhzt ggoCpM">Top Stori</div><ul class="RecircMostPopularItems-dCAajf gqcRrp"><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff STePr summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw cGRyZE" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Ma Ameri Cancels 2023 Ftival Wh Headlers Lizzo and SZA, Cg “Severe Circumstanc”" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dQteGc summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ dupIXR summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Ma Ameri Cancels 2023 Ftival Wh Headlers Lizzo and SZA, Cg “Severe Circumstanc”</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Allison Hsey</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff STePr summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw cGRyZE" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Travis Stt 2023 Tour, His First Sce Astroworld Tragedy, Preemptively Announced by Live Natn (Updated)" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dQteGc summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ dupIXR summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Travis Stt 2023 Tour, His First Sce Astroworld Tragedy, Preemptively Announced by Live Natn (Updated)</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Evan Msker</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff STePr summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw cGRyZE" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Pchfork Staffers on Their Most Formative Rap Albums" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dQteGc summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ dupIXR summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Pchfork Staffers on Their Most Formative Rap Albums</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Pchfork</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw iOZoWR ad ad--asi"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--asi" data-no-id="r08q8e"></div></div></li></ul><div class="RecircMostPopularFooter-enPjgs gCLhcL"></div></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="wxnjkc"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bCHUuY body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><figure data-ttid="IameEmbed" class="IameEmbedWrapper-sc-dRedg hZiq iame-embed"><div data-ttid="IameEmbedContaer" class="IameEmbedContaer-hptgUZ kHuUWr"><div class="IameEmbedAspectRatWrapper-hFVJps kaOLzO"><iame class="IameEmbedContent-cMdiev csnuAY IameEmbedContent lazyload" height="345" width="620" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-popups allow-same-orig" tle="Embedd Frame" data-src=" allow="toplay *; encrypted-media *; clipboard-wre; toplay; fullscreen; picture--picture"></iame></div></div></figure><p>Then the song chang. It lets go of gravy and prsn and starts beg fun. He se a man’s “ltle silhouetto.”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-3 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>A dick. I thk ’s a dick. It’s a ltle silhouette of a hard dick si pants. Is his, is someone else’s? I don’t re. After all the emotnal hand-wrgg of the song, fally, this kid has somethg to be posive about. In this portn of the song, Mercury is throwg a lot of proper nouns at . Everyone lik all the ol-soundg words, but no one n ever give you a plsible readg for what they mean together. Bee keepg his meang opaque is really important to Mercury, I thk he the words as a kd of llage to give ias of his nstctn of gay sexualy, but not a clear narrative.</p><p>Sramouche, of urse, is a media ll’arte character. He’s a clown. Is the sger sayg sexual sire mak all clowns? Maybe. Sramouche also showed up as a popular puppet <em>Punch and Judy</em> shows. He was always gettg beaten by Punch, which led to Sramouche beg a term for a type of puppet wh an extendable neck. A thg that gets beaten and has an extendable neck, you say? Maybe the ltle clown he’s speakg of is a dick, and I thk we know what kd of fandango he’d want to do wh that.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="gfcxzp"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="RecircMostPopularWrapper-bRuGTi jkTTgR recirc-most-popular-wrapper viewport-monor-anchor"><div class="RecircMostPopularConter-jiViNn ktrplG recirc-most-popular-sparrow-trackg hi-asi-ad" data-most-popular-id="mod-most-popular-6"><div class="RecircMostPopularHeadg-iVzhzt ggoCpM">Top Stori</div><ul class="RecircMostPopularItems-dCAajf gqcRrp"><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff STePr summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw cGRyZE" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Ma Ameri Cancels 2023 Ftival Wh Headlers Lizzo and SZA, Cg “Severe Circumstanc”" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dQteGc summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ dupIXR summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Ma Ameri Cancels 2023 Ftival Wh Headlers Lizzo and SZA, Cg “Severe Circumstanc”</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Allison Hsey</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff STePr summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw cGRyZE" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Travis Stt 2023 Tour, His First Sce Astroworld Tragedy, Preemptively Announced by Live Natn (Updated)" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dQteGc summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ dupIXR summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Travis Stt 2023 Tour, His First Sce Astroworld Tragedy, Preemptively Announced by Live Natn (Updated)</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Evan Msker</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff STePr summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw cGRyZE" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Pchfork Staffers on Their Most Formative Rap Albums" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dQteGc summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ dupIXR summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Pchfork Staffers on Their Most Formative Rap Albums</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Pchfork</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw iOZoWR ad ad--asi"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--asi" data-no-id="2ck0zn"></div></div></li></ul><div class="RecircMostPopularFooter-enPjgs gCLhcL"></div></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="ump8aj"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bCHUuY body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>This person who keeps sayg nothg matters to him is eply ightened once the “thunrbolts and lightng” start. If the thunrbolts and lightng are the electric sire that om sex, the fear is what that sex might mean to the outsi world. That is immediately followed by name-checkg Galileo, a du who was tried for hery by the Catholic Church. Then he name-checks a famo ic lover. The forc that are workg on the sger are makg him a heretic and a fool.</p><p>Then the song shrks aga to scribe his emotnal impoverishment. The sger cycl om the empowered votn of the figur back to his pathos. The forc that created the thunrbolts and lightng are a monstrosy that threaten him and his fay. He’s not dulgg ; he’s beggg to be saved.</p><p>Now the song approach s apex. The sger has been kidnapped and spired away by his sire. He’s a damsel gettg tied to the railroad tracks. He the word “bislah,” which is an Arabic word meang “ the name of God.” The forc that hold him are so monic, ’s gog to take God to save him.</p><p>But God isn’t strong enough to save him. The forc will not let him go, and Beelzebub, Satan himself, has intified him for torture. The sger is havg to tell his mom that however much she might hope he uld e self-disciple and self-hatred to manage his sexual sire, there is a vil of sire that will not release him.</p><p>Then we turn to the rolutn, which is also the most lic part of the song. He is dignant about the lack of empathy he’s facg om the people around him. He referenc stong, a biblil punishment, and sptg his eye, an asslt to personal digny. His fay and loved on want the right to huiate him for his sir. That’s when the sger wants to “get out” of the suatn and abandon his dience. Our sger fally lash out at his mother. He’s gone through a drama of self-hatred to illtrate his lack of ntrol, but now he tak ntrol enough to blame his mom for not beg able to al wh the suatn. He’s mad that she’s dog this, but he still lls her baby. His jury and his love for the person who is jurg him are at war, so the only optn is to leave and start supprsg a new set of emotns.</p><p>That’s why we return to the cri of “nothg really matters.” The gay man mt return to supprsg his emotns to get through a new suatn. Before he was hopg he uld live whout a lover; now he mt accept that wantg a lover means he n’t have a mom.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="097b5u"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="RecircMostPopularWrapper-bRuGTi jkTTgR recirc-most-popular-wrapper viewport-monor-anchor"><div class="RecircMostPopularConter-jiViNn ktrplG recirc-most-popular-sparrow-trackg hi-asi-ad" data-most-popular-id="mod-most-popular-7"><div class="RecircMostPopularHeadg-iVzhzt ggoCpM">Top Stori</div><ul class="RecircMostPopularItems-dCAajf gqcRrp"><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff STePr summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw cGRyZE" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Ma Ameri Cancels 2023 Ftival Wh Headlers Lizzo and SZA, Cg “Severe Circumstanc”" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dQteGc summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ dupIXR summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Ma Ameri Cancels 2023 Ftival Wh Headlers Lizzo and SZA, Cg “Severe Circumstanc”</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Allison Hsey</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff STePr summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw cGRyZE" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Travis Stt 2023 Tour, His First Sce Astroworld Tragedy, Preemptively Announced by Live Natn (Updated)" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dQteGc summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ dupIXR summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Travis Stt 2023 Tour, His First Sce Astroworld Tragedy, Preemptively Announced by Live Natn (Updated)</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Evan Msker</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff STePr summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw cGRyZE" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Pchfork Staffers on Their Most Formative Rap Albums" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dQteGc summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ dupIXR summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Pchfork Staffers on Their Most Formative Rap Albums</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Pchfork</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw iOZoWR ad ad--asi"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--asi" data-no-id="g0cr1n"></div></div></li></ul><div class="RecircMostPopularFooter-enPjgs gCLhcL"></div></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="1ku1"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bCHUuY body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>I didn’t bee “easy e, easy go.” I stggled, I strove, I fought tooth and nail wh my parents, and my prsn got worse and worse. There was one cute gay boy my law school. He seemed impossibly tall and impossibly handsome and so very good at beg sophistited and gay. I got a csh on him; I’d never gotten a csh before, and overwhelmed me. The thunrbolts and lightng om the song. And he was kd and patient wh my loudns and obssn until he uldn’t take anymore and told me he’d never be to me.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-4 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>I cracked, I crashed. I drank too much and sent a msage of help to everyone my email ntacts list. It was a bad thg, but also sent me to the mp health service for mental health re. I went to a therapist, and I went on Prozac.</p><p>Prozac helped me bee easy e, easy go. It helped me make the emotns the right size so I uld move past them.</p><p>But I wonr, like the sger “Bohemian Rhapsody,” did I go too far? Did I release my hope to protect my heart and, the procs, sulate myself too much?</p><p>There’s only one way to fd out. If you’re an attractive, funny, rilient gay man, try makg me fall love wh you. I’m sure I’ve got some fandango left me.</p><hr/><p><strong><sup>13</sup></strong> There was one photo <em>Gee</em> Magaze of Cameron Diaz a kn biki that gave me a boner once high school, but that may jt have been a reactn to the ia of a kn biki.</p><p><strong><sup>14</sup></strong> My mother told me I only thought I was gay bee I was prsed and had fallen wh a band of homosexuals who treated me kdly to take advantage of me. I wish I had met such a band. I knew like two gay guys Mnota.</p><p><strong><sup>15</sup></strong> Osr Wil, Vcente Mnelli, and Rock Hudson were all married to women.</p><p><strong><sup>16</sup></strong> For pyright reasons, I nnot reprt the lyrics. You are, however, ee to listen to the song or Google the lyrics to reh your memory of the song.</p><hr/><p><em>Excerpted om</em> MY LIFE AS A GODDESS: A Memoir Through (Un)Popular Culture, <em>by Guy Branum. Copyright © 2018 Guy Branum. Published by arrangement wh Atria Books, an imprt of Simon & Schter.</em></p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="ohk0h"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 PaywallInleBarrierWhWrapperGrid-fyrGfS kLQIUk grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="body body__le-barrier article__body"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"><asi class="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper-iBnuqk lfXXa-D" data-ttid="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--paywall-le-barrier" role="prentatn" aria-live="pole" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--paywall-le-barrier"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></asi></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ContentWrapperGrid-fvkmBv brYtrA grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="body body__ntaer"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"></div></div></div></div></div></div></article><div class="ContentFooterWrapper-jVNdRG dTJkpP ArticlePageContentFooterGrid-ccsXYy eMZRHU article-body__footer"><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div data-ttid="TagCloudWrapper" class="TagCloudWrapper-gGgndx gahkFV ContentFooterTagCloud-krQmRG ZLGh"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudSectnHear-cOforY iUEiRd hcQCsi kQQRmu">Tags</span><a href="/thepch/tags/excerpt/" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd JArb fNjBDf hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd fWKTlx bUkXwu">excerpt</span></a><a href="/thepch/tags/say/" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd JArb fNjBDf hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd fWKTlx bUkXwu">say</span></a><a href="/artists/12927-queen/" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd JArb fNjBDf hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd fWKTlx bUkXwu">Queen</span></a><a href="/thepch/?genre=rock" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM TagCloudLk-kvjZFu iUEiRd JArb fNjBDf hIhJOI"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TagCloudName-eAUnLd iUEiRd fWKTlx bUkXwu">Rock</span></a></div></div></div></div><div data-ttid="ContentFooterBottom" class="ContentFooterBottom-jwWZfC kcbyiW"><div class="ContentFooterNewsletterContentWrapper-bmjtna kyeKXU"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div data-ttid="NewsletterSubscribeFormWrapper" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormWrapper-fCqqkN eiNbkU newsletter-subscribe-form ContentFooterNewsletterForm-hKeYwa liPqcf"><div data-ttid="NewsletterSubscribeFormHedDekWrapper" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormHedDekWrapper-fpMElW eglIBL"><h3 class="NewsletterSubscribeFormDangeroHed-kRwWjt daQoaz newsletter-subscribe-form__hed ContentFooterNewsletterForm-hKeYwa liPqcf">Get Hot Lks</h3><div class="NewsletterSubscribeFormDek-kXonvc wFTHL newsletter-subscribe-form__k">A daily roundup of the most important stori mic</div></div><div data-ttid="NewsletterSubscribeFormInputsWrapper" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormInputsWrapper-keARJE hVWbzr"><form class="form-wh-validatn NewsletterSubscribeFormValidatn-iCYa-Dt dweEln" id="newsletter" name="newsletter" novalidate="" method="POST"><span class="TextFieldWrapper-Pzdqp gLbdoV text-field" data-ttid="TextFieldWrapper__email"><label class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TextFieldLabel-klrYvg iUEiRd hJnYqh dGjIbL text-field__label text-field__label--sgle-le" for="newsletter-text-field-email" data-ttid="TextFieldLabel__email"><div class="TextFieldLabelText-cvvxBl kMFYdD"></div><div class="TextFieldInputContaer-jcMPhb oFrOs"><put type="email" aria-scribedby="privacy-text" aria-valid="false" id="newsletter-text-field-email" required="" name="email" placeholr="Your Email Addrs" class="BaseInput-fAzTdK TextFieldControlInput-eFUxkf eGzzTT lakaCo text-field__ntrol text-field__ntrol--put" data-ttid="TextFieldInput__email"/></div></label><button class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ crsMOk kdYPbw button button--utily TextFieldButton-csBrgY cyGFAq" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" type="subm"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN hzwRuG button__label">Sign Up Now</span></button></span></form></div></div></div></div></div><div class="ntent-bottom-anchor"></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-footer" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-footer"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="recirc-list-wrapper viewport-monor-anchor"><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan ContentFooterRelated-kEBiFe kVUuwq"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 SummaryCollectnGridComponent-ktyEog bdTTVU summary-llectn-grid RecircListDefltOverlaySummaryCollectnGrid-AHJhY bEaXiL recirc-list__ems summary-llectn-grid--four-lumns summary-llectn-grid--TextBelowLeft"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="SummaryCollectnGridContent-eVUpRm gOErDJ"><div class="SectnTleRoot-dBGvdq kotSjS SummaryCollectnGridSectnTle-fCmYwG izjbVn" data-ttid="SectnTle"><hear class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SectnTleHed-dKqZet dxqEAa hSIcUX jttyjJ">Read More</hear></div><div class="SummaryCollectnGridItems-DZShR jNraQc hi-read-more-ad" data-ttid="SummaryCollectnGridItems"><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hymcSS summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm ijsXGm" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Ozzy Osbourne Pulls Out of Power Trip Ftival for Health Reasons" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX irmJOI bric SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">News</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM kHqDAk summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ lfbrty summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Ozzy Osbourne Pulls Out of Power Trip Ftival for Health Reasons</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Matthew Strss</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hymcSS summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm ijsXGm" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Special Intert Announce Tour Dat, Share “Dis 1.5”" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX irmJOI bric SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">News</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM kHqDAk summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ lfbrty summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Special Intert Announce Tour Dat, Share “Dis 1.5”</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Evan Msker</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hymcSS summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm ijsXGm" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Aretha Frankl’s Will Found Unr Couch Chns Deemed Official Court" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX irmJOI bric SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">News</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM kHqDAk summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ lfbrty summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Aretha Frankl’s Will Found Unr Couch Chns Deemed Official Court</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Matthew Ismael Ruiz</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm ijsXGm ad ad--read-more"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--read-more" data-no-id="djxn1t"></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hymcSS summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm ijsXGm" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Cherry Glazerr Announc New Album I Don’t Want You Anymore, Shar New Song" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX irmJOI bric SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">News</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM kHqDAk summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ lfbrty summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Cherry Glazerr Announc New Album <em>I Don’t Want You Anymore</em>, Shar New Song</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Evan Msker</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hymcSS summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm ijsXGm" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-5" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Phil Elvem Sgs New Song, Reads Poems on NTS Rad" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX irmJOI bric SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">News</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM kHqDAk summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-5" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ lfbrty summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Phil Elvem Sgs New Song, Reads Poems on NTS Rad</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Jazz Monroe</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hymcSS summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm ijsXGm" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-6" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Disclosure Announce New Album Out This Week" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX irmJOI bric SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">News</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM kHqDAk summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-6" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ lfbrty summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Disclosure Announce New Album Out This Week</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Evan Msker</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hymcSS summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm ijsXGm" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-7" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Haim to Reissue Days Are Gone for 10th Anniversary" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX irmJOI bric SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">News</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM kHqDAk summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-7" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ lfbrty summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Haim to Reissue <em>Days Are Gone</em> for 10th Anniversary</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Matthew Strss</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hymcSS summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm ijsXGm" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-8" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz gKnDpj"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Tune-Yards Share New Song From Boots Riley’s I’m a Virgo" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX irmJOI bric SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">News</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM kHqDAk summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-8" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ lfbrty summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Tune-Yards Share New Song From Boots Riley’s <em>I’m a Virgo</em></div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY jCKKIz summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH CViXj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd gebkj gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Matthew Ismael Ruiz</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryCollectnGridToActnWrapper-gnReGN eGayfk"></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="TaboolaWrapper-hMVdpE iYfBhy"><div class="TaboolaWidgetWrapper-egPIjc hkSrgt TaboolaWidget-eUSdED hQCCRa" data-ttid="TaboolaWidgetWrapper"><div class="TaboolaWidgetContent-iBEQTO eXroXG TABOOLA" id="taboola-below-article-thumbnails" data-ttid="TaboolaWidgetContent"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--footer should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--footer" data-no-id="tw0zfd"></div></div></div></div></div></ma><div class="BasePageMaFooterFiller-hTlZph jSriYf page__ma-footer-filler"></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--cm-footer" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--cm-footer"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan BasePageSeFooterRow-kpEBGH lfUKax"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 BasePageSeFooterRowGrid-iBGjXL zQNeb"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><footer class="SeFooterWrapper-bXjkRY VecEt se-footer--wh-store"><div class="SeFooterGridNoMargs-jSrXSj kdlxBX" data-ttid="SeFooterGridNoMargs"><div class="SeFooterBrandInfo-cdoqKy cdkwFG"><div class="SeFooterLogo-eYlNHY eigdAF se-footer__logo"><a href="/"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset SeFooterLogoRponsiveAsset-ckjzWk kubVDn se-footer__rponsive-image"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SeFooterLogoRponsiveAsset-ckjzWk kubVDn se-footer__rponsive-image rponsive-image"><img alt="Pchfork" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="/verso/static/pchfork/assets/" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/></picture></span></a></div><div data-ttid="SeFooterAbout" class="SeFooterAbout-lflfWa hwdcsM"><div class="SeFooterAboutText-XXKBX blTbmF">The most tsted voice mic</div></div><div class="SocialInsWrapper-hKMEXV hwdgCG social-ins social-ins--footer SeFooterSocialIns-cLAKVY pJQob"><ul data-ttid="socialInslist" class="SocialInsList-cHVTIA gBoIvv social-ins__list"><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR gQILrJ social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--stagram social-ins__list-em--footer"><a aria-label="Follow Pchfork on Instagram" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU gwwaKG social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--stagram" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-stagram" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Instagram

bohemian rhapsody gay

In the film, the real tensns of gay life the 1980s – om ernment apathy towards the AIDS crisis, to rampant anti-gay prejudice – don’t get their due.

Contents:

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY: ALL THREE MUT OF THE FILM’S GAY SCEN CENSORED CHATHE QUEEN BPIC WAS FALLY RELEASED CHE THEATERS, BUT REFERENC TO FREDDIE MERCURY’S SEXUALY DIDN’T MAKE THE CUT.BY YOHANA DTAMARCH 26, 2019COURTY OF TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATN.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEBOHEMIAN RHAPSODY HAS BEEN CENSORED CHA, MUCH TO THE ANNOYANCE OF SOME CHE THEATERGOERS. ACRDG TO THE NEW YORK TIM, THE QUEEN BPIC H THEATERS THE UNTRY LAST WEEKEND, BUT WAS AN ALTERED VERSN THAT OMTED REFERENC TO LEAD SGER FREDDIE MERCURY’S SEXUALY. PER THE TIM, THOSE REFERENC CLU THE SCENE WHERE MERCURY, WHO WAS BISEXUAL, DISCS HIS SEXUALY WH HIS FIANCéE, AND THE SCENE THAT TRODUC MERCURY’S FUTURE PARTNER, JIM HUTTON. IN ADDN, A SCENE WHERE QUEEN PERFORMS WOMEN’S CLOTHG HAS BEEN OMTED. ALL ALL, THE CHE VERSN OF THE FILM IS ABOUT THREE MUT SHORTER THAN THE ORIGAL RELEASE.OTHER TWEAKS WERE MA, THE TIM NOT. IN THE SCENE WHERE MERCURY REVEALS HE HAS AIDS TO HIS BANDMAT, THE DIALOGUE WAS SILENCED AND NO SUBTL WERE PROVID. MERCURY LATER DIED OF BRONCHOPNMONIA RULTG OM AIDS. A SPOKMAN FOR TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX, THE STUD BEHD THE FILM, TOLD THE TIM THE PANY HAD NO MENT ON THE CENSORED RELEASE OF BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY CHA.CENSORSHIP OF HOLLYWOOD FILMS IS FAIRLY MON CHA. THE MOST EXTREME RECENT EXAMPLE WAS THE UNTRY BANNG THE WNIE THE POOH FILM CHRISTOPHER ROB, LIKELY BEE POOH HAS BEEN ED AS A SYMBOL OF THE RISTANCE BY CHE ACTIVISTS. STILL, THE CHE THEATERGOG DIENCE IS A LUCRATIVE ONE FOR HOLLYWOOD, SO STUDS TYPILLY YIELD TO THE CENSORS.BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY WAS A MASSIVE BOX-OFFICE H, STARRG RAMI MALEK AS THE BAND’S LATE, GREAT LEAD SGER. MALEK WENT ON TO W A BT-ACTOR OSR FOR HIS PERFORMANCE. HE DITED HIS SPEECH LARGELY TO MERCURY, SAYG, “WE MA A FILM ABOUT A GAY MAN, AN IMMIGRANT, WHO LIVED HIS LIFE JT UNAPOLOGETILLY HIMSELF.” THAT, APPARENTLY, WAS TOO MUCH FOR CHE CENSORS; THE MASSIVE MEDIA PLATFORM MANGO TV REPLACED “GAY MAN” WH “SPECIAL GROUP” SUBTL, THE TIM NOT.WHILE THE CENSORSHIP IS G TRATN AMONG CHE VIEWERS, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY WAS CRICIZED UPON S STATI RELEASE FOR FAILG TO RPECTFULLY EXPLORE AND CELEBRATE MERCURY’S SEXUALY. THE BPIC ALSO DRASTILLY MIMIZED THE SUPERSTAR SGER’S RELATNSHIP WH HUTTON, WHO WAS HIS PARTNER FOR SEVEN YEARS, UNTIL MERCURY’S ATH 1991.MORE GREAT STORI OM VANY FAIR—  “I WILL GET YOUR CHILD TO LLEGE.” INSI RICK SGER’S PCH TO L.A. PARENTS.— THE WAR THAT ULD TRANSFORM—OR TEAR APART—HOLLYWOOD— “I AM A FAT LADY, AND I SERVE RPECT”: LDY WT ON HULU’S SHRILL— WHY JORDAN PEELE MIGHT NOT WANT YOU TO TOTALLY UNRSTAND USLOOKG FOR MORE? SIGN UP FOR OUR DAILY HOLLYWOOD NEWSLETTER AND NEVER MISS A STORY.JAY-Z, TA KNOWL, ANGELA BASSETT AND MORE TOAST 20 YEARS OF DEFG THE SOUL OF BLACK ART1 / 19CHEVRONCHEVRONPHOTOGRAPH BY ROGER KISBY.TA KNOWL AND MARK BRADFORDMOST POPULARRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHBILL MAHER BEEFS WH “PREACHY, MAN-HATG” BARBIE MOVIEBY SAVANNAH WALSHJAMIE LEE CURTIS DIGS HERSELF OUT OF COMMENTS ABOUT SAG-AFTRA STRIKEBY EVE BATEYYOHANA DTA

* bohemian rhapsody gay *

This moment is one of several Bohemian Rhapsody that almost giv you a glimpse of the profound paradox of gay life before and durg the AIDS crisis, when queer culture, subversive and life-embracg, built self triumphantly at the edg of a society that refed to legimize queer inty even as gleefully exploed queer entertaers like Freddie Mercury. The rult is far more hurtful than your average unnscly homophobic film. Bohemian Rhapsody is a movie that nscly tri to posn a gay man at s center while strategilly disengagg wh the “gay” part as much as n, fltg briefly over his emotnal and sexual experienc and fixatg on his platonic relatnship wh an ex-girliend stead.

It tak a hell of a lot of work to make a queerphobic film about one of the greatt queer ins history, but even though Bohemian Rhapsody was sort-of directed by Bryan Sger, who himself is openly gay, the movie somehow retreads queerphobic stereotyp stead of givg a fascatg, plex look at a real gay man. It also builds a whole annoyg subplot around the “predatory gay villa” trope, which is a tired, obnox cliché that Bohemian Rhapsody is even more problematic than ual bee ’s ed to imply that Mercury, a real-life gay man, was somehow rpted to beg queer by an opportunistic mic dtry parase who don’t really re about Freddie at all. And then, a few scen later, he haltgly nfs to his wife that he might be bisexual; she is the one who has to rm him, rponse, that he is gay.

Bohemian Rhapsody also ref to pict gay men havg meangful and eply emotnal relatnships. And the pictn of AIDS as a punishment for gayns, which has found voice everythg om doomsday preachers to Stephen Kg novels, has historilly ntributed to the aths of lns by creatg a huge stigma around the disease, makg difficult for rearchers to ga public support the fight for the cure and g nsirable obstacl for many who are diagnosed to receive equable treatment.

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY: STORY OF A GAY MIC IN

After they break up — bee Mercury is gay — Mercury p for At. Bohemian Rhapsody has to al wh the very real aspects of Mercury’s life, but don’t know how to, bee that way li homosexualy. The effect of this is that the film strongly impli that Mercury chose to be gay, to surround himself wh other queer people, at the risk of losg his “te” iends, his “fay.

It perpetually relegat queer inty to the celluloid closet and then is baffled when queer people wd up intifyg wh horror film villas and wrg fanfictn that rests straight characters as gay. ” The film has been dogged by accatns of homophobia, and the film’s director, Bryan Sger, was acced of rape and sexual abe. But as a gay historian, I keep g back to somethg else – the tragic history that’s glargly absent om this movie.

Gay men, the thkg went, were gettg bee of “risky” behavrs like havg lots of partners. The medil profsn’s view of HIV was so lored by the ia that was trsilly gay that at first they named the vis “GRID, ” an acronym for “gay-related immunoficiency.

FREDDIE MERCURY 'ME OUT AS GAY LYRICS TO H QUEEN SONG BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY'

But there was nothg about gay sex particular that ed AIDS. Lots of straight people had multiple partners the 1970s and 1980s, but ially, by chance, some muni of gay men were h harr.

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY: THE TE STORY BEHD FREDDIE MERCURY’S RELATNSHIPSHERE’S HOW HE MET MARY AT, HIS FIRST FIANCéE, AND JIM HUTTON, HIS ROMANTIC PARTNER OF SEVEN YEARS.BY YOHANA DTANOVEMBER 1, 2018FREDDIE MERCURY BACKSTAGE WH BOYIEND JIM HUTTON; MERCURY LONDON WH FORMER PARTNER, MARY AT, BOTH 1985.PHOTOS BY DAVE HOGAN/GETTY IMAG.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEWHO WERE THE GREAT LOV OF FREDDIE MERCURY’S LIFE? PER THE QUEEN BPIC BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, DOWN TO TWO PEOPLE: MARY AT AND JIM HUTTON. HOWEVER, THE FILM LEAV OUT MANY TAILS ABOUT BOTH RELATNSHIPS, TWEAKG AND GLOSSG OVER PREC FACTS. HERE ARE THE TE STORI OF AT AND HUTTON, WHO ENTERED MERCURY’S LIFE AT CCIAL TIM AND REMAED CLOSE TO HIM UNTIL HIS ATH 1991.MARY AUSTININ 1969, AT WAS A 19-YEAR-OLD EMPLOYEE AT AN ENGLISH BOUTIQUE LLED BIBA WHEN SHE MET THE 24-YEAR-OLD MERCURY. AT THE TIME, HE WAS AN ASPIRG SGER, BUT HADN’T YET BEE ONE OF THE BIGGT ROCK STARS ON THE PLA. STILL, AT WAS TRIGUED BY THE “WILD-LOOKG ARTISTIC MICIAN.”“HE WAS LIKE NO ONE I HAD MET BEFORE,” SHE TOLD THE DAILY MAIL 2013. “HE WAS VERY NFINT—SOMETHG I HAVE NEVER BEEN. WE GREW TOGETHER.”THE PAIR QUICKLY BEGAN DATG. BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY STEERS CLOSE TO THIS ORIG STORY, WH LUCY BOYNTON PLAYG AT. IN 1973, MERCURY PROPOSED. “HE GAVE ME A BIG BOX ON CHRISTMAS DAY. INSI WAS ANOTHER BOX, THEN ANOTHER AND SO WENT ON. IT WAS LIKE ONE OF HIS PLAYFUL GAM,” SHE RELLED. “EVENTUALLY, I FOUND A LOVELY JA RG SI THE LAST SMALL BOX. . . . I WAS SHOCKED. IT JT SO WASN’T WHAT I WAS EXPECTG. I JT WHISPERED, ‘Y. I WILL.’”MERCURY ALSO CEMENTED HIS ADORATN FOR AT WH THE BALLAD “LOVE OF MY LIFE,” (WHICH GETS A FAIR B OF PLAY BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY). HE ALSO TOOK HER TO MEET HIS PARENTS. “SHE WAS LOVELY,” MERCURY’S MOTHER, JER BULSARA, SAID A 2012 TERVIEW.HOWEVER, THE WEDDG WAS LLED OFF AFTER MERCURY ME OUT TO AT AS BISEXUAL, SHE TOLD THE DAILY MAIL. THOUGH THEY END THEIR ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP, THEY REMAED CREDIBLY CLOSE, WH MERCURY BUYG HER A HOME AND ALWAYS SPEAKG FONDLY OF HER PUBLIC.“ALL MY LOVERS ASKED ME WHY THEY ULDN’T REPLACE MARY, BUT ’S SIMPLY IMPOSSIBLE,” MERCURY SAID A 1985 TERVIEW. “THE ONLY IEND I’VE GOT IS MARY, AND I DON’T WANT ANYBODY ELSE. TO ME, SHE WAS MY MON-LAW WIFE. TO ME, WAS A MARRIAGE. WE BELIEVE EACH OTHER, THAT’S ENOUGH FOR ME.”AT, WHO LATER MARRIED AND HAD TWO CHILDREN, TEND TO MERCURY AFTER HIS AIDS DIAGNOSIS. WHEN THE SGER DIED 1991, HE ENTSTED MUCH OF HIS TATE AND HIS LONDON MANSN, GARN LODGE, TO HER, WHICH SHE STILL MATAS. AT ALSO FULFILLED HIS WISH FOR HIS CREMATED REMAS TO BE STTERED AN UNDISCLOSED LOTN. “NOBODY WILL EVER KNOW WHERE HE IS BURIED BEE THAT WAS HIS WISH,” SHE ONCE SAID. “HE WANTED TO REMA A SECRET AND WILL REMA SO.”JIM HUTTONIN THE FILM, JIM HUTTON (PLAYED BY AARON MCCKER) IS PRENTED AS A MEMBER OF A CLEANUP CREW WHO HAS A TTY, BUT ULTIMATELY FLIRTAT TêTE-à-TêTE WH MERCURY AFTER ONE OF HIS R HOE PARTI. IN ACTUALY, THE IRISHMAN, BORN AND BROUGHT UP COUNTY CARLOW, WAS A HAIRDRSER WHO MET THE QUEEN ONTMAN AT A GAY BAR THE 1980S, ACRDG TO AN TERVIEW HUTTON DID WH THE THE TIM OF LONDON 2006. THOUGH THEY WOULD EVENTUALLY SETTLE TO A SEVEN-YEAR RELATNSHIP, ENDG WH MERCURY’S ATH 1991, WAS FAR OM LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.PER THAT TERVIEW, HUTTON SAID HE FIRST MET MERCURY AT HEAVEN, A GAY NIGHTCLUB LONDON. THE SGER, WHO WAS THREE YEARS OLR, OFFERED TO BUY HIM A DRK. HUTTON, WHO DIDN’T REGNIZE THE SUPERSTAR, REJECTED THE OFFER. THEY DIDN’T NNECT UNTIL A YEAR AND A HALF LATER, HUTTON SAID A 1994 TERVIEW, WHEN THEY SAW EACH OTHER, ONCE AGA, AT A NIGHTCLUB AND MERCURY OFFERED TO BUY HIM A DRK AGA. THIS TIME, HUTTON ACCEPTED. THEY BEGAN DATG AND, LS THAN A YEAR LATER, HUTTON MOVED TO GARN LODGE. HE KEPT HIS JOB AS A HAIRDRSER.THEY STAYED TOGETHER, THOUGH MERCURY NEVER PUBLICLY ME OUT, WHICH DIDN’T MATTER MUCH TO HUTTON. HOWEVER, THE UPLE DID FACE UPS AND DOWNS. “I SAW HIM WH ANOTHER GUY HEAVEN AND WE HAD A HUGE ROW. HE TOLD ME HE DID TO MAKE ME JEALO,” HUTTON RELLED TO THE TIM. “THEN ONE DAY I SAW HIM LEAVG HIS KENSGTON FLAT WH ANOTHER GUY AND WE HAD AN ARGUMENT. I TOLD HIM HE HAD TO MAKE HIS MD UP.”MOST POPULARINSI ALL OF US STRANGERS, ANDREW STT AND PL ML’S METAPHYSIL LOVE STORYBY DAVID CANFIELDOUR FLAG MEANS DEATH SEASON 2: EXCLIVE FIRST LOOKBY SARAH CATHERALLWH MATRO, LEONARD BERNSTE’S LEGACY AND LOV FALLY H THE BIG SCREENBY REBEC FORDOVER THE URSE OF THEIR RELATNSHIP, HUTTON WNSED HISTORIC MOMENTS, LIKE QUEEN’S SOARG LIVE AID PERFORMANCE 1985. “I WAS GOBSMACKED. YOU ULD FEEL THE EFFECT HIS STAGE PRENCE HAD ON THE CROWD,” HE SAID OF THE SHOW, WHICH HE WATCHED BACKSTAGE. “AFTERWARDS ELTON [JOHN] ME AND SAID, ‘BASTARD, YOU’VE STOLEN .’”IN THEIR DOWNTIME, HUTTON SAID THE QUEEN STAR WAS QUIET AND RERVED, A WORLD AWAY OM HIS SHOWMAN PERSONA. “HE LOVED HIS TS. I’D GET OM WORK. WE’D LIE TOGETHER ON THE SOFA. HE WOULD MASSAGE MY FEET AND ASK ABOUT MY DAY,” HUTTON SAID. THE PAIR KEPT ON FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS, UNTIL MERCURY’S DIAGNOSIS WH AIDS 1987. IT WAS AN EXCCIATG TIME, WH IENDS LIKE JOE FANELLI, MERCURY’S OK, AND PETER FRETONE, HIS ASSISTANT, TAKG TURNS NURSG THE AILG SGER.THE UPLE’S LAST NVERSATN, HUTTON SAYS, TOOK PLACE A FEW DAYS BEFORE MERCURY DIED. “IT WAS 6 A.M. HE WANTED TO LOOK AT HIS PATGS. ‘HOW AM I GOG TO GET DOWNSTAIRS?’ HE ASKED. ‘I’LL RRY YOU,’ I SAID. BUT HE MA HIS OWN WAY, HOLDG ON TO THE BANISTER. I KEPT ONT TO MAKE SURE HE DIDN’T FALL. I BROUGHT A CHAIR TO THE DOOR, SAT HIM , AND FLICKED ON THE SPOTLIGHTS, WHICH L EACH PICTURE. HE SAID, ‘OH THEY’RE WONRFUL’.”AFTER THE SGER’S ATH, AT TOOK OVER GARN LODGE, REPORTEDLY KICKG HUTTON OUT, SPE HUTTON’S CLAIM THAT MERCURY WANTED HIM TO STAY THERE. HE WAS VASTATED BY HER CISN, HE SAID. HOWEVER, MERCURY DID LEAVE HIM WH £500,000 (NEARLY $1 LN, PER THE 1991 NVERSN RATE), WHICH HE ED TO MOVE BACK TO IRELAND. HE ALSO WROTE A BOOK ABOUT THEIR RELATNSHIP, SIMPLY TLED MERCURY AND ME.HUTTON DIED ON JANUARY 1, 2010, AFTER A LONG BATTLE WH NCER. HE WAS 60 YEARS OLD.20 DEFG NATALIE PORTMAN ROL1 / 20CHEVRONCHEVRONFROM ©COLUMBIA PICTUR/PHOTOFT.LéON: THE PROFSNALTHE 1994 H-MAN DRAMA TAPULTED 13-YEAR-OLD PORTMAN TO STARDOM AFTER SHE PLAYED MATHILDA, A WORLD-WEARY PRE-TEEN WH AN LIBLE BOB CUT AND EVER-PRENT CHOKER.YOHANA DTA

Glossg over the era’s homophobia. Two years before he was diagnosed, a Los Angel Tim poll found that a majory of Amerins wanted to quarante HIV-posive people; 42 percent wanted to close gay bars. Anti-gay protters heckle marchers durg the 1990 Gay Pri Para along Fifth Avenue New York.

No one “Bohemian Rhapsody” is overtly homophobic; when homophobia appears at all, ’s subtler forms. In real life, Mercury faced rampant homophobia – he never really me out publicly, and ’s easy to see why. Passed a notor anti-gay law that clared, officially, that homosexualy shouldn’t be promoted and that same-sex upl had “pretend” fai, not real fai.

When Freddie Mercury changed his look to mimic a style popular among gay men, not all of his fans were on board. Ask yourself: When you danced to “YMCA” at your high school talent show, did you know was about gay culture?

CHA CENSORED THE GAY SCEN FROM BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

In the 1980s, Mercury dched his glam rock look and cut his hair a style popular gay subculture, donng a black leather jacket and sportg an enviable, geo mtache.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY GAY

Is 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' the Biggt Gay Film History, Actually Gay? .

TOP