By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Fletcher breaks silence on 'Boy' discourse—hasn't been 'changed by a man'
Fletcher
The singer's latest track sparked a debate among her fans about bisexuality and the optics of revealing a relationship with a man during Pride Month.
Sapphic singer Fletcher sent a shockwave through her fan base last week with the release of her new single, "Boy."
The song, from Fletcher's upcoming album, Would You Still Love Me If You Really Knew Me?, is about falling in love with a man and being afraid to tell her community and fans about it. The discourse started immediately.
While some fans were being biphobic, others pointed out that the timing of the song's release during the first week of Pride month felt like Fletcher was "coming out" and saying it's scary to let the world know that you, as a woman, are attracted to men.
Others felt that the song invited pity and sadness, rather than celebrating a new love in her life. Other fans who had felt seen and represented by Fletcher's career of songs about women felt like they were mourning the loss of a parasocial connection they had to the singer.
Now, Fletcher has responded to all the discourse.
In a new TikTok video, the singer addressed some of the things being said about her new song and new era.
Fletcher emphasized that sexuality and queerness are not a phase, her queerness is not a phase, and that she will always love women, "whether I am with a guy or a girl, or just a human being that I love." She further explained that the song was not released to "center a relationship around a man, it was to center the complexity of the queer experience, of my queer experience, and the nuance of it."
"I am fully aware that it is not brave, and it is not scary to share with the world at large about a straight-passing heteronormative relationship in this political climate, in this world that we are in right now…" Fletcher clarified. "What felt scary for me was sharing with my community and my world, where people have only experienced and known me a certain way. I felt really nervous that I would let people down, and that I would disappoint them, and that my queerness wouldn't be queer enough."
She also explained that archiving her Instagram is a normal thing for her to do when she starts a new era of music.
"I have not been changed by a man. I have not been healed by a man. I am not more evolved for being with a man. I just so happened to fall in love with one, and I wrote a song about it," she said.
Many commenters still feel that this is not enough.
"Nahhh cuz the way I deleted all her music immediately. Like men. Date men. Who cares. The timing and the merch is gross. Built a career on the backs of lesbians and bi women just to do this. Tragic," one fan wrote in a comment with over 2,000 likes.
"This made me feel 0% better," another wrote in a comment with over 3,000 likes. "Love a crisis PR response," said a third, in a comment with over 4,800 likes.
Fletcher made a second TikTok addressing her "Boy" merch, which she has now deleted.
In that TikTok, Fletcher said "I did not make this sh*t for heterosexual people." Instead, she says she was thinking of "trans guys and trans masc people and nonbinary people and gender nonconforming people, and girls who call their girlfriend 'boyfriend.'" She also pointed out that 100 percent of the proceeds from the sales of the merch go to Trans Lifeline.
On her website, it is unclear if proceeds go to Trans Lifeline just during June, or if that will continue after June 30.
Some fans didn't believe this reasoning.
"I call bullshit. The song has nothing to do with the trans community or nonbinary people. Show me one line of the lyrics. Just donate to trans lifeline and buy a better shirt. This was a publicity stunt," a listener wrote on Reddit.
"I wrote a song about being in a heteronormative relationship with a boy.' 'The corresponding merch is not for heterosexual people or that boy. It’s for trans people DUH.' Excuse me damn," commented another.
Mey Rude is a journalist and cultural critic who has been covering queer news for a decade. The transgender, Latina lesbian lives in Los Angeles with her fiancée.
Mey Rude is a journalist and cultural critic who has been covering queer news for a decade. The transgender, Latina lesbian lives in Los Angeles with her fiancée.
