As followers and critics argue over the propriety of a lap dance for Satan, a butt naked prison shower scene, or a cisgender man’s pregnancy photoshoot, they engage in highly public dialogues on the rights of queer sexual and gender expression. His pithy clap backs expose the structural cracks of the most commonly used homophobic arguments and pinpoint the heterosexist double standards by which he is judged. He releases widely acclaimed work and homophobes, resentful of his mass appeal, attack as if driven by primal urge rather than clear reason. His videos and live performances display unambiguously queer Black sexiness before mainstream audiences. His releases shatter sales and streaming records. Lil Nas X is a self-affirming Black gay millennial, a megastar still rising, and an impresario of social media.
