English With One Direction: Rainbow DIrection

Harry in Milan 2nd April 2018

Harry in Madrid 31st March 2018

Harry in Barcelona 30th March 2018

Harry in Sydney 26th November 2017

Harry Styles spoke about the same-sex marriage vote result in Australia as he performed in Sydney:

Niall Horan - QX interview 21st November

“I have lots of friends who are gay, and my cousin is gay. I think Pride is extremely important, and it’s unthinkable that everyone doesn’t have the same rights in 2017. It really shouldn’t be a matter of what sexuality people have.”

Harry in Stockholm 5th November 2017

Harry in Philadelphia 5th October 2017

Harry in Toronto 4th October 2017

Harry in Washington 1st October 2017

Harry in Boston 30th September

Harry at The Ryman Auditorium, Nashville 25th September

“Before we go on, I would like you to find someone in the crowd that you don’t know. Someone in the crowd that you don’t know. A person you don’t know. Are we paired up? I would like you to turn to the person you don’t know [to someone in the crowd - you came together, this was easy, if you want to ruin it for everyone - you are only ruining it for yourselves]. Has everyone got someone they don’t know? I would like you to turn to the person you don’t know and I would like you to embrace them. EMBRACE! EMBRACE!! The word is not used enough, the word embrace. EMBRACE. Speaking of embracing, I was told that this was removed, and I would like to put it back. EMBRACE!! You’ve been so wonderful to me, this is Sign of the Times.”

Harry's gig in Los Angeles 20th September 2017

Harry on tour in San Francisco 19th September 2017

Roling Stone: “During that same track (“Woman”), a fan threw a rainbow flag on stage, and in direct opposition to the song's heteronormative storyline, he subversively twirled around with it before attaching it to his microphone where it remained for the rest of the main set.”

International Day Against Homophobia 17th May

BBC One - The One Show 12th May 2017

Harry wearing a rainbow bomber during the rehearsal

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

"Grimmy plays this game in the mornings where he gets a listener on who can either pick a song Grimmy has chosen or go for a ‘celebrity gamble’ which means Grimmy will play a song chosen by a random celebrity. Today the listener gambled and the random celebrity was Harry who, of course, picked Bohemian Rhapsody." (tommosnips) 21st April 2017

Harry, when unexpectedly asked about Rainbow Bear:

THE RANGERS GAME IN NEW YORK 16th April 2017

Glenne, Jeff, Harry, Tommy

Rainbow Direction FAQ

What is ‘Rainbow Direction’?

Rainbow Direction is a project launched by takemehomefromnarnia for One Direction’s Where We Are & On The Road Again tours. The project aims to raise visibility and support for all LGBTQ+ fans. We want to build a safe, welcoming and supportive community for One Direction’s LGBTQ+ fans across the world.

The homophobia in the One Direction fandom often makes LGBTQ+ fans feel unwelcome and invisible in the world. Through project ‘Rainbow Direction’ we aim to change that. We want to speak out, stand up proudly and make ourselves known. We want to show who we are and just how many of us there are, all around the globe and by doing so educate those who might not know about the project.

What’s so important about “queer visibility”?

Queer visibility is important because it helps normalize LGTBQ+ identities and it shows other LGBTQ+ people that they are not alone. The feeling of not being alone is especially relevant and important to this project as the platform – the fandom – that we are reaching out to is often young people who may be questioning their orientation or identity or may be in an unsupportive environment.

The “closet” is built by heteronormativity in society. It is the place where all queers are locked up and made invisible. When there is little queer visibility the walls of the closet are thick and the process of breaking through them is going to be a big struggle - because the first visible queer person in a group of straight people is going to be a big shock. When there is lots of queer visibility, the closet becomes thinner. Queer visibility works to undo the systemic homophobia and heteronormativity - the injustice that is done to all of us from birth by assuming all people should be straight. Queer visibility makes that assumption impossible and THAT is how it undoes the closet – By making the closet walls thinner and thinner until they disappear.

I’m straight; can I still participate in Rainbow Direction?

Yes absolutely! ANYONE (and everyone!) who wants to build a safe, and visible community of support for LGBTQ+ fans is welcome to participate! In fact straight allies are super important for making a safe community for LGBTQ+ fans.

What is a straight ally and why are they important for this movement?

A straight ally is a heterosexual and/or cisgender person who supports equal civil rights, gender equality, LGBTQ+ social movements, and challenges homophobia and transphobia.

Straight allies - fans in our case - are important for us for different reasons.

1. They help lift the burden of fighting homophobia from LGBTQ+ people.

2. People with homophobic or heteronormative beliefs are more likely to listen to straight allies.

3. Straight allies provide an important example that LGBTQ+ rights are not just a “queer issue”, but also an issue of human rights that everyone should be fighting for.

4. Because they have the privilege to speak out for those queer people who are too scared or in unsafe situations and cannot speak out for themselves

5. To simply be more voices and more arms and hearts spreading a message of equality, love and acceptance.

Are we hurting the boys by bringing rainbow signs?

Rainbows are not harmful. They are a symbol for equality, diversity, and support. Plus they’re just plain pretty!

Even if the boys did not show appreciation for the rainbow signs we would still not be harming them.

NASA and "Drag Me Down"

Everybody can remember the rainbow mug that Harry was playing with in the music video for "Drag Me Down'.