The Internet is Sharply Divided Over a Thirsty Pic of Gavin Casalegno

If you haven’t been watching the Prime show “The Summer I Turned Pretty”…first of all, what are you doing? It’s gay and great. It’s got passionate glances, secret crushes, and a killer soundtrack. And some extremely fine people are returning to the drama this season, including “The Vampire Diaries” actor Gavin Casalegno.

The Dallas-born actor and model plays Jeremiah, one of Isabel “Belly” Conklin’s summer crushes, and honestly, we can fully understand the crushworthiness.

When Twitter user @newdiaryentry posted a pic of the actor chilling topless by the sea, no one expected it would stir up any controversy. Casalegno is just another extraordinarily hot guy, right? Apparently…wrong. People were miffed, and not just because they’re team Conrad.

Related:

How “The Summer I Turned Pretty” Captures Queer Intimacy

This show has BGE: Big Gay Energy.

No sooner was the photo posted than people started freaking out, calling the actor ugly, terrifying-looking, and worst of all…totally average.

People are reading something sinister about these images, and maybe they can see something we can’t…

Then again…something sinister might, in fact, be afoot. As one user mentioned, Casalegno is a Christian who belongs to the Christian Ministry Young Life, which, while not as out-and-out creepy as Hillsong or Churchome, does have a pretty problematic history. For one thing, leaders of the ministry have been accused in recent years of covering up the sexual abuse of young members, which is pretty awful.

But has Casalegno gone all the way over to the dark side a la Joshua Bennett? We don’t know.

One thing, however, is clear: actors are not their characters, and even if you’re team Conrad, that’s no reason to sh*t on those of us who are team Jeremiah.

Go forth and lust responsibly, friends.