Måneskin Addresses Queerbaiting Claims

Måneskin is opening up about how they’ve coped with backlash over their fluidity.

In light of their newly released album RUSH!, the band spoke to The Guardian about their rise to fame, how Italy embraced them as a group and breaking rock and roll’s stereotypical norms.

In some cases, band members Damiano David and Thomas Raggi (who are straight, while members Victoria De Angelis and Ethan Torchio are part of the LGBTQ+ community) have faced queerbaiting accusations over their use of makeup and choice of clothing.

“There are some cases where it happens, but sometimes [the accusations are] so extreme,” De Angelis told the outlet. “It’s stupid for queer people, who should fight these stereotypes, to label it as this and create more hate. The fact [that Raggi and David] are straight doesn’t mean they can’t wear makeup. Or heels.”

David, 24, added: “Everything me and Thomas do is always filtered by two people who are [queer]. Of course we don’t experience the same stuff, but we live every day very closely with people from the community.”

Similarly, the band faced backlash in their home country of Italy after winning Eurovision.

“We’ve always been very dividing,” said David. “There are a bunch of people that love us and are very proud of what we’re doing, and then there’s a whole other part made of conservatives and traditional rock’n’roll fans and fascists that hate us with everything they’ve got.”

“A lot of people are really proud,” De Angelis, 22, added. “But Italy is a very conservative country and they’re intimidated by the fact that someone can wear makeup or high heels or appear half-naked or not be straight. But f— them.”

During the band’s MTV Video Music Awards performance in August, De Angelis’ top fell off her shoulder and exposed her breast. However, MTV quickly censored the performance for viewers at home. The bassist spoke to this instance and called it a double standard.

“We’re too hot for US television,” said De Angelis. “It’s so stupid because they want to appear so open-minded and then they get scared about a pair of nipples. There is this difference between men’s and women’s bodies and how you’re perceived and sexualized all the time. Everyone has nipples.”

“It’s very clear the different standards people have because I was literally butt-naked,” David added.

The Grammy-nominated band’s third studio album RUSH! is out now.