Shawn Mendes wants you to know it isn’t just wrong for y’all to keep speculating his sexuality… it’s dangerous!
The In My Blood singer once again addressed the persistent chatter about his sexual preferences in an interview with The Guardian, where he admitted why he gets so angry when fans question what gender he’s into — and, more importantly, explained why they need to cut it out.
Related: Justin Bieber Teases Shawn For ‘Prince Of Pop’ Title
When the subject of the sexuality speculation came up, the 20-year-old admitted:
“For me it’s hurtful. I get mad when people assume things about me because I imagine the people who don’t have the support system I have and how that must affect them.”
Awww. Sounds like Shawn’s not concerned with what people think about him — but more with how damaging those discussions can be for people who are actually struggling with their sexuality. (Which, again, he is not one of.)
The pop-rocker continued:
“That was why I was so angry, and you can see I still get riled up. I don’t think people understand that when you come at me about something that’s stupid you hurt so many other people. They might not be speaking, but they’re listening.”
A fair point!
While Shawn may have nothing to hide in regards to his bedroom proclivities, plenty of people sadly still feel like they do. Even today, thousands of LGBT people are living in conditions where they don’t feel comfortable or safe to be who they are — and the public’s undying fascination with certain celebs’ sexual preferences certainly isn’t helping that.
If someone is deeply closeted, questioning their sexuality doesn’t make them more eager to step out and be who they are: in fact, it can drive them even further into a state of unhealthy denial.
So, yeah. Shawn’s on to something here.
His statements echo what he said in his Rolling Stone profile last year, in which he also argued that assumptions about his sexuality were hurtful to the LGBT community. He told the publication:
“I thought, ‘You f**king guys are so lucky I’m not actually gay and terrified of coming out,'” he explained. “That’s something that kills people. That’s how sensitive it is. You like the songs? Do you like me? Who cares if I’m gay?”
A lot of people, apparently. Shawn went on to admit that he felt like he need to “be seen with someone — like a girl — in public, to prove to people that [he’s] not gay.”
But “Possibly Gay Pop Star” isn’t the only label Mendes has grown tired of detaching himself from: he’s also over being called “The Nice Guy.” He explained to The Guardian:
“It sounds so stupid – to be a nice person is the best thing in the world – but, yeah, I’m 20 and I just want to have fun. What I don’t want to do is live the rest of my life thinking, ‘I wouldn’t do that because I’m known as Prince Charming.’ The second that someone corners you into a personality, you don’t want to be that person any more.”
Sure, speculating Shawn’s kindness may not have larger societal ramifications like the sexuality stuff… but that doesn’t mean he has to sit back and pretend like he enjoys it.
Moral of the story: do not put Shawn Mendes in any box!
[Image via Sakura/WENN]
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