Harry Styles often shows his support for the LGBT community by picking up rainbow flags and proudly waving them in the air during One Direction concerts. However, another member of the boy band doesn’t seem to think that it’s a good idea to acknowledge the gay pride flags that some fans love to wave.
In the October, 2015, print edition of Attitude magazine, Liam Payne explained why he’s not a fan of the rainbow flags. They started popping up at concerts shortly after gay marriage was legalized in America, and Liam speculated that the fans who waved them were mostly “Larry shippers.” These are fans who mistakenly believe that Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson are involved in a secret gay relationship, and they came up with the portmanteau “Larry Stylinson” to describe this make-believe romance.
“When the [gay marriage] law changed in the U.S. there were loads of rainbow flags flying at our shows,” Payne said, according to TV Guid e. “But I think that was mainly because people think of the Louis and Harry thing, which is absolutely nuts and drives me insane.”
Liam went on to say that he thinks some Larry Stylinson shippers are a little too obsessed with their creation, and he pointed out that they go to great lengths to “prove” that Larry is real.
“It becomes like a conspiracy or like a cult, the people who watch them and think that every move they make is a gesture toward them being together, and I know it’s just not true and it makes me mad.”
As the Inquisitr previously reported, one fan recently became every Larry shipper’s hero by tricking Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson into holding hands during a meet and greet. Fans were very surprised that Louis played along with the fan’s clever trick — he has made it very clear that he’s not a fan of the “Larries,” and he’s even attacked them on Twitter.
However, Harry Styles is more chill about the Larry situation. He never complains about Larry shippers, and he didn’t let Liam Payne’s complaints about the rainbow flag stop him from picking one up at One Direction’s first concert after Liam’s controversial interview. According to Yahoo! Celebrity UK , some LGBT 1D fans revealed that they felt “unloved and hugely unsupported” after Liam made his comments, and his words will likely make many Directioners feel uncomfortable about showing their gay pride during One Direction concerts.
Perhaps these disappointed fans will feel a bit better knowing that Harry Styles continued his five concert-strong tradition of celebrating One Direction’s LGBT fans by turning a rainbow flag into a superhero cape during the band’s Boston performance on Saturday night. The concert was the last U.S. leg of One Direction’s “On The Road Again” tour.
#Gif | Harry with the rainbow flag last night! (9.12.15) pic.twitter.com/LfQ9JyCQud
— H&L Updates. (@HLupdates) September 13, 2015
Relieved One Directioners took to Twitter to let Harry Styles know just how much they appreciated the singer’s gesture, and most of them didn’t mention Larry at all.
ok but last night harry got a rainbow flag and ran with it even after liam said that questionable stuff about rainbows @ concerts i love him
— kale // im dead (@sorryheartmgc) September 13, 2015
After all the drama I honestly was in boubt that Harry might not run with a rainbow flag again in stage anymore but he did and I’m so happy
— N. (@Hazzathough) September 13, 2015
Harry’s got SO much love he always spreads it around by blowing huge kisses, waving rainbow flags & talking about equality I love him somuch
— tummy (@teenytinyharry) September 13, 2015
harry has waved a rainbow flag around onstage several times in a row he makes people more comfortable w themselves in each country he visits
— happy birthday niall (@styIesnights) September 13, 2015
@Harry_Styles Thank you for making lgbt+ fans (myself included) feel loved, safe and happy. — sandra (@heartndarrows) September 13, 2015
Harry holding rainbow flags and talking about ‘love is love’ after Liam’s interview is a blessing pic.twitter.com/EHO5oEj2ml
— ? Ni(all.) ? (@_hisdeepblueyes) September 13, 2015
Do you think all of this drama surrounding the rainbow flag will cause a rift between Harry Styles and Liam Payne?
[Image credit: Jason Merritt / Getty Images]