Sam Smith's new music video is stirring the pot for its NSFW content -- but it's also sparking debate on an interesting question ... is sexuality just a straight person's game???
The nonbinary singer dropped the visual treatment for their latest single "I'm Not Here To Make Friends," which is featured on their recently-released album, "Gloria." Safe to say, 'INHTMF' is in your face when it comes to showing off skin and sexually suggestive scenes.
Sam is depicted in several eye-popping outfits, including one where their chest is on display with nipple pasties in place. There are also moments where SS is being sprayed in the face with water ... which kinda looks like something typically left behind closed doors.
Of course, the backup dancers and extras are flaunting their stuff in scantily-clad getups all throughout ... so, objectively, it checks the box for a traditionally provocative project.
YouTube does not have any age restrictions on Sam Smiths degrading sexualised new music video.
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) January 28, 2023
5 year olds can search this up and watch it with no content restrictions!
Sam Smith, this is not art. This is not trendy. This is not empowering. This is monstrous! #SamSmith pic.twitter.com/NoDec6rtEE
Now, the controversy ... Sam has been trending all weekend over this video, mostly invoking outrage from people on the right -- who feel like it's wildly inappropriate ... especially as it pertains to age restrictions and kids who might stumble across it on YouTube.
The argument from that end is that 'I'm Not Here' is just a hyper-sexualized demonstration of perversion for the hell of it, masked as body positivity and LGBTQ+ empowerment.
Sam Smith is a perfect example of what degenerate Hollywood culture does to people.
— Dominique Samuels (@Dominiquetaegon) January 28, 2023
It makes celebrities vulgar, hyper-sexualised and obsessed with wearing their sexuality like a costume and shoving it in everyone’s face.
And to make matters worse, kids look up to this man! pic.twitter.com/0xpUryCl3a
Of course, not everyone sees it that way. In fact, the rebuttal coming from the other side is ... where's all the outrage when we see cisgender heterosexual men and women doing the same thing (if not worse) in music videos of the past??? It's a fair question to pose.
One individual broke down this apparent double standard quite well on TikTok -- influencer, Max Hovey came to Sam's defense and said the backlash is misguided and misplaced.
#SamSmith is paving the way for body positive baby queers. Leave them the fuck alone. pic.twitter.com/QAcdzhbUUT
— Max Hovey (@HoveyMax) January 30, 2023
Basically, the idea that someone who doesn't fit society's conventional beauty standards can't openly express their sexuality on camera without flack -- while others can get away with it unscathed -- is screwed up ... according to Max and others who agree with him.
FWIW, Sam doesn't seem too bothered by all the discourse -- they're continuing to promote the hell out of this thing and posting clips and stills from the video without reservation.
Fascinating convo, and far from over ... or so we imagine.