Singer The Weeknd has copped criticism for including homophobic lyrics in his new track.
The singer recently released Lost in the Fire, a collaboration with French producer Gesaffelstein, but the content of one of the track’s verses didn’t sit well with fans and followers on social media.
In the song’s sexually explicit second verse, The Weeknd sings about dating a girl who said she “might be into girls” and could be “going through a phase”.
He then tells her she should “bring a friend” for a threesome, and that he’ll “fuck (her) straight”.
“Well, baby, you can bring a friend / She can ride on top your face / While I fuck you straight,” he sings.
Them writer Jill Gutowitz first pointed out the lyrics on Twitter, writing, “In 2019, we’re still doing ‘fuck you straight’ and calling female queerness a ‘phase’?”
“In 2019 we are not sacrificing female queerness for toxic masculinity.”
As her tweets gained traction on Twitter, Gutowitz clarified she was simply trying to start a conversation about the harmful effect of the lyrics.
“These are the kinds of lyrics that fucked me up when I was younger and subconsciously kept me in the closet,” she wrote.
“So it’s important to talk about and say ‘This isn’t ok’.”
The Weeknd hasn’t responded to the criticism.
i used to joke that listening to The Weeknd was homophobic but the lyrics from his new song “lost in the fire” are actually fucking vile. in 2019 we’re still doing “fuck you straight” and calling female queerness a “phase?” pic.twitter.com/xDH3fnNrZv
— Jill Gutowitz (@jillboard) January 11, 2019
i don’t like cancel culture & i’m not saying “cancel the weeknd,” but these are the kinds of lyrics that fucked me up when i was younger & subconsciously kept me in the closet. so it’s important to talk about and say “this is isn’t ok”
— Jill Gutowitz (@jillboard) January 11, 2019
in 2019 we are not sacrificing female queerness for toxic masculinity
— Jill Gutowitz (@jillboard) January 11, 2019
Well done to @theweeknd for managing to deride, fetishise and dismiss lesbianism all in one verse. pic.twitter.com/iefdhs8ACw
— Marika Hackman (@MarikaHackman) January 11, 2019
