Liam Payne, the former member of boyband One Direction, tragically died on Oct. 16. The singer fell to his death in CasaSur Palermo Hotel located in Buenos Aires, according to The New York Times. There was also a 911 call made by the hotel manager minutes before he fell, mentioning possible alcohol and narcotics use.
His death was sudden, tragic and heartbreaking as he left behind friends and family, including a 7-year-old son, Bear Grey.
Before his death, he was viral.
Days before the tragedy, ex-fiancée Maya Henry issued him a cease and desist letter for repeatedly texting her and her mother without consent from different phone numbers.
In May, Henry released a book titled “Looking Forward,” detailing a traumatic abortion experience, which many assume to be about Payne. She had also taken to TikTok before his death to discuss toxic or borderline abusive details of her relationship with the singer.
The internet, save for a few, largely sided with her. That is, until his death.
When Payne died, the masses against him shifted. It feels like the world is holding its breath in a moment of silence for him, which is only fair. Liam Payne was a human being who touched the lives of millions through his work in One Direction and his solo career.
People should grieve. People should feel immense sadness over a figure so integral to their childhoods. Payne was only 31-years-old; it’s natural to feel shocked and upset when a young person dies. But many people are turning their heads towards Maya Henry and insinuating she is the reason for his passing.
Two things can be true at once. Friends, family and fans are allowed to grieve the death of Payne while also acknowledging that he has been accused of taking advantage of fans and dating female fans, like Henry, significantly younger than him.
I felt like I was having déjà vu on TikTok after his death. I have seen behavior like this before, not too long ago, with Drake Bell on “Quiet On Set.”
The groundbreaking TV show premiered last March and was met with shock around the world. The most climactic part of the show was when Drake Bell appeared on screen and discussed the sexual abuse that he faced from Brian Peck, who worked on the set of Nickelodeon.
In 2021, Bell pleaded guilty to sending inappropriate messages to a minor. This and his legal action against Peck are two separate, isolated events. However, public opinion that had targeted Bell for years suddenly shifted into shaping Bell’s accuser intoa liar.
To be clear, Bell said that he had engaged in inappropriate messages with someone he believed was “19 or 20-years-old.” He was acquitted of the accusation that he had a physical encounter with this girl.
This is not about what might or might not have occurred. This is about the public perceiving celebrities as either God or the devil, and playing judge, jury and executioner with their lives.
It feels like there’s no nuance to these complicated discussions. Both Payne and Bell have been accused of terrible actions, on different scales, and both have suffered tremendous losses. As hallmarks of our childhoods, we have a right to grieve for what they have gone through. Liam Payne was attending his former bandmate Niall Horan’s concert right before he died. Bell was undergoing tremendous amounts of abuse while filming “Drake and Josh,” which many grew up watching.
It’s terrible and unfair. Attacking women online who have spoken out against these two men is not fair either.
To feel the weight of Liam Payne’s death in full, we must take him off of the pedestal that the internet has placed him on and see him as he is. He’s a complicated man who was being accused of abusive and toxic behavior by someone who loved and trusted him, his ex-fiancée and former fan.
Take time to reflect. Take time to cry about his death. But do not blame women for speaking out against him. Remember that it is possible that two things can be true at once.
