On Wednesday, Queer Eye stars Antoni Porowski and Jonathan Van Nesa took to social media to reveal to their followers a photo of them holding hands
In one, Van Ness wrote: “We’re finally together. Details tomorrow, but know that we’re very happy and feeling supported by the people around us.”
Porowski added in another: “Some personal news. After years of joking about it, we’re finally together. Here’s to giving things a shot. More tomorrow.”
This led many to believe that the two co-stars were going to give it a go at a romantic relationship, but I thought to myself, 'if they were hunching in real life, why would you need to tease your coupling on social media? I immediately knew it was a business endeavor they were collaborating on.
Well now that the cat's out of the bag, people are accusing the two of queerbaiting. The term queerbaiting refers to the practice of implying non-heterosexual relationships or attraction (in a TV show, for example) to engage or attract an LGBTQ audience or otherwise generate interest without ever actually depicting such relationships or sexual interactions.
Jonathan took tonTwitter to reveal that they were in fact joining forces in business.
While the marketing stunt was cute or whatever, it sparked a debate on whether or not their little stunt was an act of queerbaiting, with someone on Twitter saying that Porowski and Van Ness were “literally queerbaiting to sell s**t to your largely cis straight audience that you cater to”, and a Slate article described the joke as “shameless, manipulative, and deeply moronic.”
There were some people on Twitter who came to their defense, saying that people who are members of the LGBTMNOP community can't queerbait.
Van Ness tweeted that we have bigger fish to fry than being upset over a pet food stunt.
“Don’t say trans bills, the overturning of Dobbs, the threat to marriage equality… but yes be mad about pet food.”
“Some v angry folx saying I don’t do anything for our community etc,” he added.
“I literally advocate queer issues look at the body of my work and you would see the work I do day in and day out.
I personally don't think what they did was queerbaiting because they're both queer. If this were two straight guys puling this stunt, which we have seen countless times from certain actors, singers, and gay for pay Onlyfans models that some of you self- hating homos have no problem giving your money to, then the queerbaiting moniker would apply here.
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