Shawn Mendes has been fully briefed on the rumors he’s gay — everyone has. And he wishes they would stop.
But the train has left the station and only continues to gain momentum, with gay memes of the pop star being posted daily.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, the 20-year-old opens up about how the speculation has affected him.
“I’d like to say I don’t care about it, but that’s not true,” he said.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqBES5XHfg5/
“This massive, massive thing for the last five years about me being gay.
“In the back of my heart, I feel like I need to go be seen with someone – like a girl – in public, to prove to people that I’m not gay.
“Even though in my heart, I know that it’s not a bad thing. There’s still a piece of me that thinks that.
“And I hate that side of me.”
Mendes also admitted he felt “sick” after giving Taylor Swift permission to share a video of him having glittery eyeshadow applied:
https://twitter.com/taylornationSG/status/1025729356859994113
“I felt sick,” he said. “I was like, ’Fuck, why did I let her post that?’ I just fed the fire that I’m terrified of.”
He added that the constant questions are inappropriate and could be potentially dangerous if he really was closeted.
“I thought, ’You fucking guys are so lucky I’m not actually gay and terrified of coming out.’ That’s something that kills people,” he said. “That’s how sensitive it is. Do you like the songs? Do you like me? Who cares if I’m gay?”
Last year, Mendes’ Twitter account was hacked and a message was posted that read: “Guys, my sexuality shouldn’t be anyone’s business. Yes, I’m gay and I’m proud.”
In 2016, he also took to Snapchat to voice his frustration about the rumors:
Don't forget to share:
Donald Dork
Who cares?
Catholicslutbox
Apparently his manager does…and his iGen girl fan base.
GayMafiaKingpin
You did, apparently enough to at least navigate to this page.
startenout
We all should care. You want people to respect us? Respect. Them. There are straight guys out there. It’s real. LOL You’d be upset if there were national stories and harassment saying you’re straight. Why shouldn’t he be upset at people trying to define his sexuality WHATEVER it is. He says he’s straight; he’s straight.
jakejacob
Because he’s a closet queen. Just like Colton Haynes, his manager tried so hard to erase his real self. The only difference is Colton suffers from anxiety and could not cope up with the pressure and lies. Shawn on the other hand, is a pro in hiding in the closet. Like my life really. I hid it till I was 40.
bishonen91
its really disgusting how so many gay men are forcing him to “come out” just because they have fantasies about him. I don’t understand why gay men get so upset when people out them, but then try to force other men to come out as well. Its so backwards…
Nosso Crankee
Well said, bishonen91. Too many gay men think being gay gives them license to be inhumane cretins bereft of compassion in the way they treat other men – both straight and gay.
Ironically, the moment those self same queens are treated wirh ANYTHING but PC kid gloves they LUNGE into histrionics, shrilly squawking and mewling to the world at large that they are being “disrespected”… SMFH…
Greg
He said he’s not gay, so how can gay men force him to “come out”?
Gargramel
And why are you assuming it is gay men doing this? I have seen more posts and memes about it from gurls and “straight” men!!
TomG
People should NOT have to come out. You don’t see straight people coming out to parents, friends, and the public that they are heterosexual. Why do us gay people think we have to as well? It’s almost 2019 people shouldn’t be having to declare their orientation anymore.
Magiqua
TomG, of course straight people don’t have to come out, 90-95% of the world’s population are hetero, so unfortunately for us gay folks (especially those of us who don’t necessarily ‘read’ as obviously gay) the automatic assumption by society at large is that we are straight.
Coming out is simply something that gay people will always have to do, certainly to themselves and to their immediate family/friends. Obviously some gay people (like me) choose not to ‘come out’ to acquaintances and at work, but then I find that I am of course assumed to be straight, which is frustrating.
jjose712
Nobody is forcing him to do anything at all.
The guy has issues, he is an absorbed and insecure guy and i pity him.
I hope he is happy now that people think he is an homophobe i suppose that’s better than being perceived as gay.
Unfortunately for him his effeminacy will stay. Good luck trying to control your mannierisms
Darryl
While I’m sure many of those who are perpetuating this assumption about Shawn Mendes’ sexuality are gay (that’s just wishful thinking), but I doubt they are ALL gay. Therefore, I think it’s really disgusting how some people make the jump to assume that all those making such unfounded and speculative judgements are gay. And that includes you, jakejacob.
Time to leave this alone! Shawn says he is not gay, so Shawn Mendes IS NOT GAY! And anything different that those like the lonely and sick jakejacob have to say is uninformed, presumptive, and an outright lie.
Dwik27
Well, HE cares – and I don’t blame him. It’s not being homophobic to confirm that you are not gay. And it’s a reality that being gay places obstacles in your way that straight people don’t have so even the insinuation has effects. I’m gay, fully out and would not want it any other way. But why should a heterosexual have to travel a gay man’s road through life?
ElPillo
But “feeling sick” is a bit much… why no be like James Franco and not give a sh*t? At least he admits that to have these embarrassment feelings is bad
Chrisk
This is definitely a Millennials and whatever gen is under that thing. Now if we could just get them to care about politics as much as they do the celebs sex lives we could actually makes a difference.
Catholicslutbox
Gurl please.
It’s every generation, not just the “younger” ones.
Gen X and boomers cared more about Clinton’s sex life/scandal than they did about his politics.
Greg
I didn’t care about Clinton’s sex life. Nobody but the Republican’ts did.
crowebobby
In another five years, I won’t care. Right now I desperately want him to be gay just to accommodate my fantasies.
Mikestuff
It’s going to take you 5 years to care? 🙂 His career will be like Ryan Cabrera (can’t think of others now) and won’t take five years for us not to care about him. In face, I already don’t. And he seems like a nice young man.
Catholicslutbox
Because you’ll grown out of it or because anyone over 25 is b-ner killer? 😐
crowebobby
Over 25 is a boner killer . . . except in the case of Keanu Reeves . . . his shelf life lasted well into his 30’s. I’m waaaaay to old to appreciate Shawn’s music and I imagine most of you “experts” who are so sure he won’t last are too old to have a valid opinion.
Chrisk
Bobby you’ve been over the age of 25 for almost three generations now yet you’re still only attracted to those under 25. Getting older must really suck for you. :'(
Catholicslutbox
If that’s true, I doubt he can even get it up.
Good luck bro. You’re going to need it.
Hussain-TheCanadian
He’s too frikkin beautiful for his own good……….I have a feeling its the internet trolls who are harping on this rumour; much like the trolls on here, if they get a response from their target, they’ll just continue on trolling.
Tombear
So what?
JED08
Okay, Taylor Swift, someone that Shawn fake-dated, is gay, however she does not feel the need to address the rumors about her being gay every few months, and it certainly is not hurting her career. I think Shawn is gay and I don’t care. Saying you’re not gay does not convince people that you’re straight.
Magiqua
JED08, fair point about Taylor Swift not directly addressing/denying the rumors about her sexuality, but given the fact that she has had an endless stream of fakeass boyfriends and pretty much made her career about singing about her alleged relationships with boys, she pretty much is totally pretending to be straight and pulling the wool over her fans eyes. I personally think the only reason she has never addressed the rumors is because she’s afraid of opening that can of worms…
Wicked Dickie
He’s really scared to come out, isn’t he? Don’t self medicate with drugs and unsafe sex. He’s definitely a bottom. Not power bottom, but definitely bottom.
supernaut
I admit I’ve wanted him to come out as gay or bi. I don’t know why that is. Maybe to validate my fantasies, to have someone insanely talented in our ranks, the reasons are all selfish and stupid. Nothing against Adam Lambert or Troye Sivan, but their music is not really my cup of tea. Sam Smith and Years & Years are about the only young gay artists I can listen to.
Edwin Baca
Why is necessary for the community to have everyone say they are gay. Can’t we all just be sexual beings and love who we want too. #nomorelabels
Tony1129
Exactly, too many have too much time on their hands worrying about someone they don’t even know.
Donston
I’ve heard like a half of song from this dude and watched maybe a two minute interview of his. I don’t really know him. I’m not his audience. But I do believe the obsession with knowing every aspect of a celebrity’s life is ridiculous and trying to force someone to identify as something is getting even more ridiculous since we are further understanding and embracing the spectrum and that perhaps most people on it in some way or another and don’t fit perfectly and comfortably into everyone’s conventional idea of straight/gay/bi. Also, this type of stuff can have an unfortunate impact on someone so young and who is trying to gain self-comfort and feel confident in himself. That’s the case no matter the dimensions of his orientation.
Not everyone is a “sexual being” btw. And I’m all for the whole “no labels” thing. The issue is that “gay” seems to be the only label that people (particularly people in the entertainment industry) are aggressively trying to get rid of, are embarrassed about and are critical of. If you really want “no labels” then I’mma need the bi/fluid/queer/etc. hyping to shut it down as well. Furthermore, many of the same people who spout “love is love” and “no labels” would quickly lose interests in this dude if he was to come out as “gay” or even hint that he may be homo-leaning and if he did indulge an authentic relationship with a guy. His fan base is mostly teenage girls. And he’s dependent on his heartthrob status. Therefore, he has to maintain an image of being interested in girls and being romantically/sexually hetero-leaning at the very least. That is the problem with the entertainment industry. You also need to understand that many people across the spectrum (including straight girls) obsess over celebs lives and orientations. In fact, I’m pretty certain most of these memes don’t come from homosexual/homo-leaning/homo-romantic/gay dudes. They comes from teen girls.
Magiqua
As a gay woman myself, I absolutely see the need for labels, and despair at the gradual ‘watering down’ and murky uncertainty of generalised/made-up sexual identity labels that are becoming more and more prevalent with millennials.
For myself growing up as a young lesbian (and even now as a 31-year-old lesbian) I craved to find role models/characters/people who were like me, a woman solely attracted to other women. I felt so incredibly alone and frustrated by the fact that most of the ‘queer’ women I found were bisexual or sexually open to men. That wan’t me, and made me feel even more alone and different. I began to wonder if I was the only actual lesbian in existence.
The label ‘queer’ means nothing to me, as it could be describing a woman with 90% attraction to men and 10% attraction to women, a ‘pansexual’, a person attracted to men who feels that they are ‘genderqueer’, and even a gold star lesbian. I am a lesbian, and that label has been such a saving grace for me to figure out and let others know in no uncertain terms who I am.
‘American’ is a label, as is ‘blonde’, ‘autistic’, ‘blind’…. and ‘gay’. They are also statements of fact, and in my opinion removing labels will just lead to invisibility and a loss of gay and lesbian culture.
Donston
Donston
s Well, there are many gay and lesbian identifying men and women who are not absolutely 100% homosexual romantically, sexually and relationship wise and don’t live absolutely 100% homo lifestyles throughout their whole lives. Ultimately, I understand the power of identity, both the good and bad aspects of that power. I understand how it can help someone with pride, self-understanding, self-comfort and feeling as if they belong. But I also understand how identity is a matter of interpretation, how it can lead to self-consciousness, how it can cut you off from a decent percentage of people, how for some people it can lead to even more self-destructive instincts, how it can make someone obsessed with living up to or subverting the standards and stereotypes of that said identity, and how it can limit them (because fluidity does have some legitimacy). So, I also believe in individualism and knowing who are are and standing on your own feet beyond an identity and without having to depend on fitting into a particular demo. And if you do wish to avoid “labels” still keep it completely real with yourself about who you are and what you want.
Therefore, I am cool with the “no labels” movement. I would love to get to that place because I do feel most people don’t fit perfectly into any of these titles, and that would include “straight”. However, too much of the “no labels” movement seems driven by trying to eradicate the words “gay” and “lesbian” and seems too driven by gay shame. That’s the main thing that makes me uncomfortable with it. While people tend to forget that queer, fluid, pan, flexible, “open-minded”, etc. – these are all “labels” as well. At the very least perhaps we need to come to a common ground about what all these different identities mean labels mean and how some could use some updating. What we shouldn’t be doing is trying to push someone to come out or trying to force identities on individuals.
Magiqua
For me, the idea of there being no labels for sexual identity, in particular ‘gay’ and ‘lesbian’, is desperately sad and frankly scary- and it truly is something that I don’t believe anyone who is not 100% homosexual (romantically, sexually and emotionally) will ever be able to understand, judge or identify with.
I can understand how people whose attractions are more fluid/flexible would find it easier/better, but then I feel confused because often they are the very people who seem determined to label themselves as ‘gay’ simply because they vastly prefer the same sex. With the erasure of labels, how on earth will homosexual people be able to find each other in the murky sea of ‘label-less’ people, the majority of whom will be attracted to both genders in varying ratios? I have many straight friends, some bi and a couple of gay men… but there is a connection on another level with other lesbians and positively reinforcing and celebrating lesbian identity and culture together. As you said, the focus on re-branding sexual identities seems to be all about erasing the perceived existence of gay men, and even more so, lesbians. Frankly, it seems rooted in homophobia.
In my view, no matter how sexually/emotionally/romantically homo-leaning a man or a woman is, if they have in the past or currently experience the ability to feel sexual attraction to the opposite sex, they simply are not and never truly were ‘gay’ and ‘lesbian’ even if that is the label they choose to adopt. To suggest that a woman ‘turns lesbian’ or a man ‘was gay until…’ is an absolute misnomer and dangerously close to insinuating that sexuality can somehow be changed. Sexual orientation is primarily about sexual attraction, not emotional attraction/fulfilment. I certainly disagree with the blanket statement that I often hear about how ‘sexuality is fluid’. The fact is sexuality can be fluid for some people, but certainly not all.
Donston
I’ve said for years that the words “gay” and “lesbian” should be considered a separate entity from homosexual (or heterosexual, bisexual, pan-sexual, a-sexual for that matter). I know some people who consider themselves “bi” but they’re homosexual. Just as I know some people who consider themselves “gay” but they’re bisexual/pan-sexual or are even fairly hetero-leaning sexually. “Gay” was never designed to mean “100% homosexual”. In fact, it became popular because people wanted to separate themselves from “homosexual” and identify as something that was more about preference and fulfillment rather than something so technical and cold. But by the mid 90’s more people became obsessed with trying to scientifically prove the existence of homosexuality and started to view identity purely from a science and lifestyle standpoint. Furthermore, all these other identities started to gain momentum as well.
Ultimately, people are too complicated and there’s too many different types of people out here to be that concerned with what someone else calls themselves. And as someone who is not homosexual but gay identifying, there has been nothing “easy” about my life. Saying such a thing is rather condescending. Everybody is different and have different experiences and have different ways of seeing themselves. That’s just something you need to accept or risk being “left behind”. If you know who you are and are comfortable with yourself then you don’t need to be constantly dictating what others can call themselves. And if you’re looking for dates with women who are very specific to what you want then all you have to do is ask questions.
As far as the “dangerous” thing. Most reasonable people just don’t care. And the non reasonable people were never going to be won over anyways.
michaelmt1009
WHO CARES??? why are we so obsessed with celebrities sexual orientations.?
Catholicslutbox
No one, everyone.
Him being gay would ruin his career. The majority of his fan base consists of rabid teenage girls.
theowlmike
HI Shawn. I do hope all is well with you. As a gay man , I would like to think you are gay. But after all this is just a label that this society likes to use. Gay, heterosexual, bisexual, transgender, etc. just labels. We are all human and human beings are sexual beings.The important thing is we respect one another, enjoy each other and if we want to have sex with one another it has to be because we all have consentual sex. That our society seems to want to constrain, put rules and limits upon us especially sexually.
Shawn you are whom you are. It is no ones busy to have to know what your sexuality is. Be who you are. Take care.
Rene
As Oprah once said:
“If every gay on earth were sincere about their sexuality, it wouldn’t be an issue anymore. It would be more considered as “normal”/”regular”.” And I think she had a point.
The majority of men in the (recent) past we thought were gay, appeared to be such: Rock Hudson, George Michael, Ricky Martin. All because in the beginning commercial succes was more ‘important’ than showing their true colors.
Sad, but true.
Ofcourse everybody is entitled to come out or not.
But: Why dó hide???
Here in the Netherlands, socker is the most popular of sports. And 0% of our sockerplayers is gay.
Yeah, right……..
Elf92
Spill the tea. Which one of the many soccer players in the Netherlands is suspected of being gay? I’m asking for a friend. ?
Rene
@Elf92 Right at this moment there isn’t anyone under “suspicion”, but I meant in our whole Dutch sockerHISTORY 0% ever came out as gay. Statisticly impossible!
Couple of years ago there were rumours about Marc Overmars and Dutch singer Gordon; even went to court, to openly deny their “affaire”.
I don’t think it would have come this far, as a gay guy is rumoured to be straight! 🙂
nm4047
it keeps his name in the gossip pages, so the old adage, any publicity is good publicity should be applied.
joseph_buscarino
you really think as popular as he is, and how many albums hes sold, he really needs to keep his name in gossip pages?
bradleycomp
Why does he care what people think unless he is truly terrified of coming out
Sam6969
I think it is because he is a people-pleaser (he wants so bad to be loved) and he tends to lose himself (i.e. his identity) in what others reflect to him (…just to be loved). Being gay is not exactly the most consensual and love attracting condition in the world (much less than a straight heartthrob).
Furthermore, the part of him who knows who he is, does not want to be abused by others. He is sick to be others’ puppet.
You see the conflicts.
joseph_buscarino
Even some of his music seems like a cry for help, I feel bad for the kid. I get he is famous, and blah blah, but at the end of they day, it should be about the music and his art. He may very well be gay, but does it really matter? I mean its not like we have a shot at him either way lol. I think it is our duty to be supportive if he does come out, and if he doesn’t then let him be.
Sam6969
Unfortunately, Shawn, it is part of the business. You are lucky enough to live this extraordinary life, but there are drawbacks as well. You have a soft heart and I think you would be well advised to work on your dependency on people’s opinion with professionals, as people won’t change.
Godabed
People need to stop projecting on this basic straight boy, Let him go, my god!
nitejonboy
It prolly didn’t help when he let that ” Daddy ” sniff his armpits.
surreal33
This long list on stereotypical narratives that the gay community nurtures which is to our detriment.
The fact that gay men constantly entertain infantile gossip regarding personal life of “celebrities”.
This behavior feeds the narrative that gay men are weak, petty and easily dismissed.
Donston
The thing is from a social media perspective it’s often fangirls that push these narratives and memes and jokes and are obsessed with pushing identity and coming out, not “the gays”. This whole “gay men need to stop doing this”, “gay men need to stop doing that” stuff is often a projection and a way for people to justify their own shame, discomfort and/or internalized homophobia. When random C-list male celebrities who have no real interests in legit being with a dude come out as whatever it’s mostly to excite their social media female fan base than anything else. So, you need to stop pushing the narrative that this stuff is all on us.
ivanw222
Who is he?
DarkZephyr
He’s not especially butch, but that doesn’t mean he’s gay and it really shouldn’t matter.
jakejacob
You’re just blind or plain gullible. He’s gay AF.
o.codone
At first I wanted to say he is gay but he just doesn’t know it yet. Then I realized, he’s gay and he DOES know it AND he knows the ship is sinking. Something’s gonna break here.
phillycap
I’m not sure what the fuss is all about. Why not say if you think I’m gay, keep thinking it. If you think I’m straight, keep thinking it. I know who I am. And really boy or girl, the chances of me shagging you are virtually nil, so what does it matter anyway (the last bit courtesy of George Michael.)
jakejacob
He’s such a closet queen. Who is he fooling?
ShowMeGuy
Wait? He isn’t gay AND out? Shows what I know. I thought he was an *out, loud, and proud* homosexual.
Maybe his song/video where he gets beat to death in the parking garage by an invisible attacker isn’t about same-sex domestic violence…..after all.
crowebobby
Catholicslutbox: Google the meaning of “fantasies.” I can still get it up, though not as high or as hard as in the distant past, but getting it up is no longer what it’s about. If it was, I could move to Berlin and have as many gorgeous, straight, under-25 Gypsies a day as my Social Security checks could pay for. I had sex with every age and every type when “getting it up and getting off” was what it was about, but for pure “fantasy” I’ll take Shawn, Justin, and the 18-year-old Nick Jonas — before the fake muscles, thank you. And, yes, Chrisk, getting old does suck . . . for everyone, no matter how much smoke they blow up your ass or their own
Daggerman
…all people need to understand by now that if you act manly in (whatever your pursuits) it’s a good thing for you to lie and not loose your female-fan-base–OK in this respect but many guys are totally scrupulous in keeping their real sexuality under wraps. If blessed with masculine, and no effeminate camp behavior whatsoever you have a good chance of concealing your true activity…
Mpo2411
Wow, what a negative and judgemental community we’ve become. Apparently no one has anything nice to say about the kid unless he “admits” he’s gay? Um, what if he really isn’t? Like he claims? Why does he have to be hiding it or in denial? Why do people who’ve never met him look at a picture or video and decide with certainty that he’s “definitely a bottom”? I’m sure anyone who truly accepts their sexuality now remembers when it wasn’t so easy. When people calling you gay and queer was a source of stress. God’s, kids kill themselves over this all the time. Now imagine the ENTIRE WORLD is labeling you. Imagine that facing you every day, whether you are closeted and not ready to come out, or maybe even actually straight. Think about your career being affected by this arbitrary label being forced on you and say it wouldn’t make you sick. You all are a bunch of hypocrites. Try explaining your need for him to be gay, your anger when he says he’s not, your insistence that he’s living a lie. He doesn’t want to publicly identify as gay. He might really be straight whether you want him too not, whether you believe it or not, whether you think he’s a big old bottom boy or not. It’s his choice. It’s his life. It’s his sexuality. So unless he’s blowing you, if he says he’s straight, he’s straight until further notice and stop imposing your opinion on him.
We have a warped view of celebrity. We feel it is their duty to divulge every aspect of their lives, to be these iconic role models. It’s not their duty, it’s their personal choice. Stop taking the choice away.
Lastly, when you do call him gay, why do you do it with a negative connotation? Not one comment refers to him being gay as a positive thing, it’s all derogatory comments . No wonder he’d be reluctant to come out to a community that puts him down and condemns him as much as the straights would