Excellent article. I’m not a fan of K-pop, mostly because I’m not a fan of any pop music other than a few weird French singers most English speakers don’t even know exist. But that’s another story.

Ever since I was a teenager I’ve noticed a toxic trend in sneerily dismissing some music groups in starkly homophobic terms.

I see that happening with K Pop all the time, and it’s disturbing. Just like with Justin Bieber, whom I’m not defending either musically or personally. I don’t listen to his music, again based on my aforementioned weird French taste.

But I couldn’t help but notice over the years that when young men dismissed Bieber, homophobia often dripped from their voices, pretty obviously because they perceived him as effeminate.

Criticizing bands and singers sometimes feels like one of the last bastions of socially acceptable homophobia and misogyny.