Ankush Bahuguna slams ‘insecure men’ after facing homophobic taunts on London streets

Indian content creator and beauty influencer Ankush Bahuguna has drawn widespread support online after posting a video in which he documented instances of harassment and homophobic remarks while walking on the streets of London.

Influencer Ankush Bahuguna calls out homophobia after London street harassment

The reel, titled “Homophobia on the streets of London”, showed Bahuguna walking through the city in a hot pink suit as several men shouted comments and hooted at him from the roadside. In the video, some individuals could be heard making remarks such as “welcome to the parade” while reacting to his appearance.

Bahuguna later shared the clip on Instagram with the caption, "What weak, insecure men sound like 🙃 (sic)." The video quickly gained traction online, prompting reactions from fellow influencers, actors and followers who condemned the behaviour and praised the creator for speaking openly about the experience.

As the footage progressed, Bahuguna reflected on his expectations of London as a socially progressive city and contrasted them with what he encountered on the streets.

In the reel, he said, “You think, ‘This is London, it would be more progressive, more open-minded, more modern,’ but clearly not. Every time I pass a group of guys, they make these comments. The girls are like, ‘Love your fit’ or ‘You look so good,’ so it’s clearly a men problem. Not just grown men, even little kids have walked past me and said absurd sh-t.”

The video resonated widely across social media, particularly among creators and public figures who expressed concern over the incident and discussed broader issues surrounding masculinity, gender expression and public harassment.

Celebrities react to the video

Influencer and actor Kusha Kapila wrote, "I am so sorry this happened to you, Ankush. Most men who feel the need to do this have probably never given themselves the freedom to wear beautiful clothes. Deep down, many of them wish they could feel as fabulous as you do, but their own rigid ideas of masculinity stop them from dressing, expressing, and living as freely. Baaki bathere Indians hain London mein. Tu awaaz laga bas. Aur phone neeche rakh please. Pata bhi nahi lagega kab koi chura ke le jaayega. There’s plenty of eve teasing in London too. The place really isn’t all that. Ab iss video ke baad toh aura hi crash ho gaya hai iss jagah ka (sic)."

Actor and presenter Shibani Akhtar commented, "I’m so sorry this happened to you 😢 sending love (sic)."

Content creator and actor Prajakta Koli wrote, "Yuck. You look so goooood but!😍 (sic)."

Actor Ahsaas Channa added, "I’m sorry 😢 (sic)."

Author and educator Seema Anand commented, "This is horrid. It’s the remnants of the Tony Robinson/Reform Party sickos parade from earlier (sic)."

Television actor Kavita Kaushik wrote, "They are Adam teasing you cos you looking hot as fuck❤️ (sic)."

Fans also come out in support of the influencer

The comments section of the post also saw an outpouring of support from followers, many of whom criticised rigid notions of masculinity and defended Bahuguna’s right to express himself freely through fashion.

One user wrote, "Imagine being so insecure in your own masculinity that you get triggered by a color. 💀 You look incredibly sharp and confident, Ankush. Color doesn't have a gender or a sexuality - it’s just fabric, a color and you’re rocking it. Keep doing you! You're an inspiration and motivation for many!!! 🙌🎉 (sic)."

Another commented, "Your uniqueness is not a weakness, it’s your strength. What you faced does not define your worth. You were looking so amazing, Just ignore all the bullshit!! Stay proud of yourself. Please Keep shining unapologetically! the world needs more people who are brave enough to live authentically like you. Keep moving forward with confidence because you are the bravest person I have ever seen. 🙌 (sic)."

A third user wrote, "They're jealous they wouldn't be able to carry an outfit so stunning half as well as you. Keep going diva (sic)."

Another fan added, "If it was a white guy wearing pink, they wouldn't have said anything, these men are just sick. You clearly carried the color so nicely (sic)."

Bahuguna, who has built a large following through beauty, grooming and lifestyle content that often challenges conventional ideas of masculinity, has previously spoken about online trolling and societal attitudes towards men experimenting with makeup and fashion.