Popular influencer Noah Beck is coming under fire on social media for allegedly queer-baiting his fans.
The 19-year-old TikTok star and content creator recently appeared on the digital cover of the latest issue of VMAN magazine wearing heels, fishnet stockings, and heavy black eyeliner.
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When Beck (who identifies as straight and has been romantically linked to fellow TikToker Dixie D'Amelio) shared the VMAN cover photo on his Instagram account last week, he captioned the pic "f**k you toxic masculinity" (though that caption has since been changed), and many people rightfully weren't okay with the implication that a conventionally-attractive, straight, cis man co-opting feminine visuals and aesthetics (that queer people get mocked and shamed for) could single-handedly take down toxic masculinity — and they were quick to call it out.
\u201cNot Noah Beck queerbaiting after literally being homophobic, the hypocrisyyy \ud83d\ude44\ud83d\ude10\u201d— \u2727swagc0re *:\u30fb\uff9f\u30fb\u00b0\u2606 (@\u2727swagc0re *:\u30fb\uff9f\u30fb\u00b0\u2606) 1615068642
\u201cIt\u2019s called queer baiting and y\u2019all falling for it...\u201d— Adryan Butera \u2601\ufe0f (@Adryan Butera \u2601\ufe0f) 1614854029
\u201cyall say "normalize" all the time when u mean accept\u201d— \ud83d\udc69\u200d\u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83e\udec3 (@\ud83d\udc69\u200d\u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83e\udec3) 1615017919
\u201clike u dont think so but the decision to capitalize on queer identities (always but especially without acknowledging it and without supporting/progressing acceptance) is passive queerphobia. sry\u201d— \ud83d\udc69\u200d\u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83e\udec3 (@\ud83d\udc69\u200d\u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83e\udec3) 1615017919
This isn't the first time he has come under fire, though.
In July 2020, Beck was first accused of queer-baiting after appearing in a video by YouTuber Bryce Hall alongside gay makeup artist James Charles. The headline of the video reads "Noah Beck Is Dating James Charles," with a thumbnail that showcases the two of them being very close, and fans immediately pointed out how they were literally using the possibility of a relationship between Beck and Charles for clicks.
Later that year in August of 2020, Beck was accused of being homophobic after liking social media posts that were disparaging the queer community.
None— Alice\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 (@Alice\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7) 1598782019
While some took issue with Beck's VMAN cover shoot, others were also there to defend him, arguing that what he's doing could actually be beneficial for the way masculinity is portrayed in media.
\u201cy\u2019all can\u2019t advocate for clothes and makeup not having a gender and also advocate against toxic masculinity and then get mad at noah beck for wearing heels and makeup and claim hes \u201cqueer baiting\u201d\u201d— angelina | blm | tpwk (@angelina | blm | tpwk) 1614831878
\u201cNoah beck gets hated on for queer baiting but Harry styles did the same thing and he gets commended for it ? #Doublestandards. Any of this mainstream publicity (clearly had positive intention) should be looked at as a step forward for the gender fluid community not reprimanded\u201d— nic \u2728 (@nic \u2728) 1615084515
\u201ci hate tik tok drama bc those ppl don't deserve their fame but that being said, people saying noah beck is queer baiting? he's literally helping the men can b feminine movement by showing lil tik tok boys n his republican demographic that things like that are okay.? what\u201d— biggest gleek (@biggest gleek) 1615147364
So what are your thoughts on Noah Beck's latest photoshoot? Sound off in the comments and on Twitter!
