I want to be a spokesperson. I want to be a figure in the gay community, who speaks for gay men. I sell records in countries where gay men get killed and that’s a big thing for me, because maybe one person in that country will pick up my album, realize it’s by a gay artist, and it might change their opinion…
I’m a gay man who came out when I was 10 years old, and there’s nothing in my life that I’m prouder of…. I didn’t want the album to appeal to just one community, I wanted it to appeal to all of them. I wanted anyone, gay or straight, to be able to relate to me singing about men, like I was able to relate to Stevie Wonder or John Legend singing about girls.”
— Singer Sam Smith, who in 2014 stated that he “wasn’t trying to be a spokesperson” for the gay community, has consciously revised his stance in a new interview with NME
Kristopher Saim-Gentry
Eh, no thank you.
Masc Pride
He’s fat, pale and homely: Application DENIED.
Baba Booey Fafa Fooey
I like him. Good for him. He’d be an excellent spokesperson for gay people.
Cam
@Masc Pride:
He’s gay and successful. A much better role model than somebody who seems embarassed to be gay.
Stefano Gant
Why not? He has a voice just like anyone else.
Daniel Bujes
No thanks. I can more intelligently speak for myself.
Chris-Tyler Young
Sam represents a very slim portion of the global gay community. He can’t be the spokesperson for the entire community because he hasn’t lived all of the varied realities of being gay in this world (ie – imprissoned or killed for being gay in some countries). He can most certainly be an advocate for the gay community, but he can’t be the spokesperson.
drivendervish
He already is a spokesperson but there will never be just one person allowed to advocate for the gay community as the title of the article suggests.
Manu Carreño
No thanks.
jheryn
@Masc Pride: Superficial and tasteless much?
Thank god you don’t speak for all of us. Some of us actually value success and intelligence over just being “hot.”
Matthew Farris
I can speak for myself, thanks.
Masc Pride
@Cam: You need someone to speak for you? How sad.
Milton Appleby
You don’t announce it. You do it.
Masc Pride
@jheryn: Oh, please spare me the PC speech. You know good and well if there was such a thing as an official spokesperson for the entire community, he’d have to look like Cheyenne Jackson.
Robothedestroyer
@masc pride: That comment leaves me almost speechless. He has talent, at the very least faigns intelegence, and most importantly has a box he can stand on to do that job. A job, mind you, which can be done with a paper bag on your head which makes every “point” you made completely void.
However, if you have any reason to reject him other than those very Trump-like (Trumpian…? Maybe make that a word? How about just calling it agood old fashioned ad hominem fallacy?) Comments, lets hear them.
jheryn
@Masc Pride: If he would “have” to be hot to represent the community then it isn’t a community that any self-respecting, thinking person should want to be a part of.
It isn’t being PC, it is NOT being a superficial stereotype.
Alex Goodman
we’re good, thanks
Tobi
@Masc Pride: “He’s fat, pale and homely…” The epitome of masculinity is a fat unwashed slob farting on the coach watching sport and swigging beer. I guess you’re perfect for the job then!
J.r. Graff
::eye roll:: The LAST thing we need is a twink for a spokesperson.
Pistolo
Well he is exceptionally talented, few people can extract all the sex from a Bond theme and leave it a sentimental husk of derivative crap. Honestly, I think he’s far too safe, traditional, and milquetoast- he’s like Elton John-lite. Yeah, they listen to Elton John all over the world too but, like Sam, he’s obsessed with universality to the extent where you can hardly tell from his music that he’s gay. And maybe in works in gaining acceptance…or maybe people just like you *in spite* of your being gay because there’s nothing thought-provoking about your material. Not to mention, he’s a complete and total puritan who covertly wags his finger at perceived promiscuity in his songs.
Absolutely ridiculous. Be a good, inoffensive “role model” all you like, Sam. But I cannot abide by that dreadful music.
Masc Pride
@jheryn: “If he would “have” to be hot to represent the community then it isn’t a community that any self-respecting, thinking person should want to be a part of.”
Agreed. But it is what it is. I’m really just the shot messenger here.
@Tobi: If that was the true epitome of masculinity, I highly doubt that like 90 percent of profiles on gay sites and apps would go out of their way to demand “MASC ONLY” (it’s always in caps too). lol
zooby
Give him credit where credit is due. He came out as soon as his first hit went mainstream. He didn’t wait until he was in his 40s and after they made all these money like other singers or entertainers (Ricky Martin, anyone?) to come out.
He wants to be a spokesperson for the community in the ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY, which is fine. There are not many actors or singers who came out early in their career like he did. Props to him.
Tom Gouzoules
Each of us is capable of speaking for ourselves….
William Howell
No.
lauraspencer
Please be quiet and sit down. It seems that every celebrity who comes out thrusts themselves onto the stage as our community’s spokesperson….Rosie O’Donnell, Clay Aiken, Lance Bass, Adam Lambert. No thank you. Many celebs might be talented in their specific fields of singing, acting, comedy or whatever. It doesn’t mean that they are qualified to speak on gay issues.
Juan Martinez
NO THANK YOU…
Ron Pope
Sam can be “A” spokesman. We need many!
William Noffsinger
Aren’t we all spokespersons?
Terry Lawson
Sam who”
Arcamenel
lol I don’t want white gays speaking for me AT ALL.
Atrius
Sorry. No one speaks for me.
Daniel Salmeron
I say go for it
QJ201
…in Britain
here we hold elections and don’t bow to royal decrees
So when is our spokegay election?
Chris Duncan
I thought he said he’d never do that?
Mark Pointon
I think I can safely say for the gay community – Nope.
Gerald Skinner
No offense to Sam but NPH would be a better spokesperson
Michael D Harris
D
Giancarlo85
@Masc Pride: Nobody cares what you say. And he changed his whole life and got into shape. Unlike you.
@Masc Pride: Your a fat beer belly slob who drinks beer and eats chicken wings while watching football on sunday. We get it.
Giancarlo85
Funny how our usual keyboard warrior always has something to say about those he doesn’t consider masculine. It’s funny those who claim they are masculine are the biggest queens, like our resident troll.
Johnny Cox
No
Tobi
@Masc Pride: Oh, I see, you’re buying the fashion industry’s current concept of visual masculinity, don’t you realise a real man isn’t that vain? It’s neurotic Queens who are obsessed with the “mirror, mirror… on the gym wall…”
Kristopher Saim-Gentry
Brian
Sam Smith should aspire to sing, not be a spokesman. It’s rather narcissistic of him to claim to be a spokesman. Nobody hired him for that role.
He will be more powerful as a symbol if he sticks to singing and seduces people that way.
Cam
@Masc Pride:
I said a Roll Model, not somebody to speak for me, and no, what is sad is being so self hating that you have to try to convince people that you’re “masculine”.
Now be careful where you put down your purse, you spilled your daiquiri.
Giancarlo85
@Brian: And nobody hired you either… and nobody wants you speak for the rest of us. You are one depraved misogynist and you have no say in what other thinks.
Akeem J
I don’t see him as being a good spokesperson for the community. Being gay isn’t enough. I’d rather see Frank Ocean do it than him. Hell, Frank has is a lot harder than Sam.
Akeem J
@Masc Pride: What does appearance have to do with leadership?
Masc Pride
@Tobi: First I was a fat slob on the couch, and now I’m a gym queen who can’t stop looking in the mirror; which is it? lol
@Cam: A giant Uncle Tom accusing someone else of being self-hating? Now that’s the thigh-slapper of the day! You always give me a good laugh, Cam. The article says SPOKESPERSON, but an adult man who still needs role models is just a pathetic as one that needs a spokesperson.
@Brian: Thank you. No one asked him to speak for all of us. He can’t even tackle his own OCD.
@Akeem J: You must be new to this community. Welcome!
Giancarlo85
@Masc Pride: I just figured you out. You are a slob who goes to the gym to hit on muscular guys… and runs the treadmill at low setting.
You are a spokesperson for stupid self hating closet queens who think they are so f-king masculine. Apparently not masculine enough to actually attract the MASC4MASC types.
Tobi
@Masc Pride: Hahaha, whichever it is, you’re definitely not a real man.
Lestar
Sam’s heart is in the right place, I don’t understand why people have to drag him across a gravel road when he is trying and wanting to be a visible figure when it comes to LGBT Rights….a lot of you are just bored like MascPride.. getting turned on by online arguing.
Masc Pride
@Tobi: I’ve been called worse by better. Keep trying.
Brian
@Giancarlo85: Your comments are inane as they are inaccurate. Let me repeat – I do not want Sam Smith to be the spokesperson for gay-identifying men. Nobody hired him for that role. If he wishes to be influential, do it with music. He has a gorgeous voice and can do it with sound, not sanctimony.
Giancarlo85
@Brian: Here we go with that gay identifying nonsense. First off, sexual orientation is not a choice. I didn’t choose to identify to be gay. I just am. You are not anybody important. In fact you are insignificant. Like it or not, Sam Smith will always have more of a voice than a self repressed homophobic misgynoist like you.
Captain Obvious
No.