We seem to be more accepting of some baddies than others. And with hindsight’s perfect vision, it’s clear that plenty of characters in TV and film were not the “ actual villain” either. Meanwhile, famous young women such as Britney Spears, who were once demonised, are now being reappraised as victims. Social media is pretty much a conveyor belt of villainy, too, with different echo chambers picking their own adversaries. “Well, if that makes me a villain,” proclaimed an unrepentant Cassie Howard, “then so fucking be it.” This much-memed line encapsulates popular culture’s preoccupation with baddies, from Netflix’s endless scammer series to Disney’s villain origin stories. N February, season two of HBO’s teen drama Euphoria reached a climax.
From Alexander the Great to Ronnie Kray, the hosts of the Bad Gays podcast reveal the most villainous LGBTQ+ figures ever – and explain why it’s important to discuss the problematic alongside the good.
