How would you wish your friend on their birthday? A social media post with your buddy and a cheesy caption to let the world know of your undying, unwavering, for-life friendship. That’s enough to show your friendly affection.
But when Noah Beck did the same, the picture spoke a thousand different words. Some netizens were in awe of the bromance, while others felt the post borderline queerbaiting.
Is Noah Beck really queerbaiting, or was it just an innocent little caricature of their dynamics?
On July 15, 2023, Noah Beck uploaded pictures of him hugging and being close to Vinnie Hacker, wishing him on birthday.
Noah Beck and Vinnie Hacker Friendship Timeline
A prolonged lockdown + social media platforms = Entertainment for a bored generation.
The pandemic birthed a new breed of celebrities, the ones who can wow you within a few seconds. Vine, TikTok, and Instagram Reels catered to the shortening attention span and quick laughs. With the juxtaposition of the two factors, the floodgates of “anyone-can-be-famous” were opened.
Noah Beck is one such celebrity TikToker who started uploading short-form content in 2020. His lipsync videos, charming face, and beautiful smile captured the hearts of millions. Noah explains how his winter break in Arizona got him into TikTok, as his sister introduced him to the platform–
“She had, like, 8,000 followers, and I thought, ‘Wow, that’s a lot.'” “I was the annoying little brother who was like, ‘I bet you in two weeks I’ll have more followers than you.'”
And cut to the present, Mr. Beck boasts over 34 million TikTok followers, 9 million on Instagram, 1.5 million Youtube subscribers, and 1.1 million Twitter followers while rubbing shoulders with David Beckham, Mark Wahlberg, and Drake.
However, his popularity spiraled further when he announced his relationship with fellow TikToker Dixie D’Amelio in September 2020.
He also appeared in Dixie’s music video for “Be Happy,” where the two kissed. After months of a “social media healthy” relationship, the two called it quits in February 2022.
Vinnie Hacker started uploading lipsync and selfie videos on TikTok in 2019. He became popular among Gen Z with his good looks and skateboarder vibes. The TikToker entertains more than 15 million followers and is beloved for his fun-loving personality.
Noah Beck and Vinnie Hacker soon became friends owing to their similar vibes. And fans loved it when the two collaborated.
But as the history of the internet goes, there ought to beshipping if two handsome guys are involved.
Are Noah Beck and Vinnie Hacker Queerbaiting?
What Is Queerbaiting?
It is a marketing technique. The queer community is the most active legion in pop culture. If you want to be a pop culture icon, a nod from these folks would validate your popularity. Hence, more celebrities are creating content that appeals to gays and girls.
The bottom line is that a celebrity can remain relevant if they are under the gaydar. But queerbaiting doesn’t mean that the individual actually belongs to the LGBTQ+ community. They are just hinting that there may be a “possibility.”
Hence it is considered highly problematic because they are misguiding their fans and low-key taking advantage to get famous while fetishizing the community.
When Noah Beck uploaded the pics with Vinnie Hacker, netizens perceived the context as exhibiting a queer connotation just to get views and engagement.
For the counter-argument, it can also be construed as two bros displaying healthy relationships without the hyper-masculinity norms. They are just friends. And that is how they express it.
What is your take on the wish post? Do you think Noah Beck and Vinnie Hacker are queerbaiting? Let us know in the comments section below.
