Is it a typo, a spelling shortcut, or a public revelation about his sexual orientation?
This is the modern dilemma around choosing how to respond to a line from a poem just released by Jason Mraz.
In the poem, written for Billboard’s Pride series, the musician writes:
“We still have a long way to go. / But know I am bi your side.”
Many fans feel there’s no ambiguity about Mraz’s intentions (and we’re inclined to agree):
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.
JASON MRAZ IS BI, Y'ALL https://t.co/vOkLSsWwya
— HAPPY PRIDE MONTH (@ctownchick1) June 16, 2018
every jason mraz song officially a bi anthem now. https://t.co/eHbOHpRLGf
— NEYMAR carolina (@preserum) June 15, 2018
JASON MRAZ IS BISEXUAL I LOVE 20GAYTEEN
— grace ? (@sureasthesea) June 15, 2018
It’s not the first time folks have speculated about Mraz’s sexuality. In a 2005 interview with Genre, the “You and I Both” singer said he is “bisexually open-minded.”
Then in a 2010 chat with Pride Source, he made a wink-wink comment that experimenting with his sexuality made him realize he’s “not really into facial hair.”
Here’s the full poem, via Billboard:
Love Poem to the LGBTQ Community
Dear You,
Thank you.
You have inspired me.
Re-wired me.
You showed me what strength is.
You demonstrated courage over and over again.
You risked so much for love.
You never compromised your expression
Even when
Your rights and freedoms were being compromised.
You stood up for me.
You stood up for the world.
And now the world is better because of you.
We still have a long way to go
But know
I am bi your side.
All ways.Jason Mraz
Cory
in a couple months he will be full blown gay…..i remember when i use to tell ppl im BI.
Donston
There are more queer men who are homo-leaning rather than ones who are completely inherently homo. They often have a difficult time just saying they’re mostly into their same sex. But close to 50/50 romantically and sexually bi men do exist. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if Jason’s not really all that into guys.
Tête Carrée
There’s a difference between bi and coward.
Donston
Yeah, it’s a lil annoying that so many dudes only want to legit come out after they’ve been irrelevant for some time. But it still takes some bravery I suppose.
I’m not getting the trend coming out through poems and essays. It just seems a bit melodramatic to me. Just tell people who you’re into romantically and sexually and keep it pushing. But I guess this is how “artists” express themselves and also a more efficient way to get people interested in your work again.
Fcardoza
Just because an artist doesn’t have a top ten song or movie or whatever doesn’t make them irrelevant.
oaksong
Maybe, probably? The poem is as direct as the color purple. All we’re really curious about is “who”?
ignacioj
I like that fact that he’s maybe come out. I think it’s great, and coincides with the season. Having said that, I started reading the comments here and found them very catty and negative. These overly negative comments are probably made by the same people who are against bullying. Squeeze an orange, and you get orange juice, so what is at the core of a negative person? It saddens me.
Kangol
Well, he’s received 11 comments so far, while a prior post about true superstars Beyoncé, a veritable gay icon, and Jay-Z, have received…one. So clearly, whoever he is, he’s doing something right. Or at least something to spark Queerty commenters’ interest, even if many have no idea about who the hell he is.
Donston
Oh, come on. I’m black and I still remember “The Remedy” and “I’m Yours” despite the former coming out when I was pretty young. They were semi big for a first few months after they were released. I even listened to one of his full albums some years ago. He’s very much a John Mayer clone with less arrogance, but I did think he was kinda cute and thought a couple of his dtties were catchy if nothing special. All of his music is decidely female obsessed and hetero-romantic. So, I still doubt he’s that much into dudes. But whatevs.
Loki
“All of his music is decidedly female-obsessed and hetero-romantic.”
Well, the lead singer of Passion Pit, Michael Angelakos, came out as gay* and half his songs were about his wife… *shrug*
*He has since walked that back a bit (just did a quick google of him to see what he’s been up to). He’s bipolar and often suicidal so… who knows. Like a lot of these guys, how he “identifies” seems to depend very much on who he’s talking to. (He came out on Bret Easton Ellis’ podcast IIRC.)
Donston
You’re right in that a lot of gay/homo-leaning men can easily write songs about women. Hell, can develop real feelings for women (I know I did). But when it comes to people with serious mental health issues it can be hard to pinpoint what they have real romantic and sexual passion for and what gives them pleasure and long-term fulfillment, because all of those things can be fleeting towards everybody. And that’s the case of plenty of gay-identifying people.
I’m all about people being straight-forward about the aspects of themselves. But honestly, if you don’t have unabashed passion and romantic interests beyond the opposite cis gender I tend to quickly lose interests in your “queerness”.
Jeepo1
he has been a long time strong LGBTQ supporter and has put his money (and time) where his mouth is supporting a number of lgbtq charities and such. i doubt he is bi or gay and was using those words in support of the community. i have been a longtime fan of his due to his commitment to the environment and to humanity.
Loki
Uh, Queerty… Amandla Stenburg just came out… for the second time. Are we not covering that? Is it because it doesn’t fit your narrative? Or is it because she isn’t a “seemingly-str8” white male?
Donston
It seems like Amandla sees “gay” as an acknowledgement of general queerness and also an acknowledgment of where the majority of her instincts, passions, romantic feelings and general fulfillment lie, which is pretty much how I eventually started seeing “gay”. I also appreciate her openness about dealing with internalized homophobia and obsession with heteronormalcy. She’s still pretty young and has a long journey ahead, but she does come off fairly wise, honest, down to Earth and unpretentious in the couple interviews of hers I’ve read. Very un-actor like.
Loki
“Yep, I’m gay, not bi or pan…”
I’m not seeing the “general queerness” there…
Loki
I’m seeing a number of articles out there that are attributing things to her that I’m not certain she’d agree with… that she’s “fluid” or that “gay” is now an “umbrella term” that encompasses “bi”…
Donston
For a lot of people “queer” simply means non-binary and/or not hetero-leaning. So, that would include gay people.
Gay can also be an “umbrella” term that doesn’t equate to inherent homosexual. I am inherently pan and am unabashed about that. However, I “identify” as gay because the majority of my passions, instincts and romantic fullfillment are with my same gender. People are starting to hop on that bandwagon. Though I don’t know how she’s interpreting things.
Loki
I think I’ve said this before, but individuals don’t get to decide the meanings of words. If everyone has their own definition of what the word GAY means then IT WILL CEASE TO MEAN ANYTHING. Organic definition change (or indeed, the invention of entirely new words) doesn’t happen spontaneously or because a small segment of the population wills it… it happens out of necessity (that’s the primary reason “cis-gender” will never gain traction with the wider public; there are already words for adult human beings who are not “trans-gender” – man and woman). Similarly, it is necessity that has driven you to “identify” as gay (or “gay-leaning” as you put it) – it avoids long, drawn-out discussions of your sexual history and informs strangers where your primary interests lie.
Donston
So, you’re arguing that people can’t have their own versions of things then you kinda argue that people can have their own versions of things if it works alongside your idea of things? If we’re going based on the classic definition of “bi” then at least 60% of the population should be obliged to be bi identifying, because most people are not completely, thoroughly, inherently conventionally hetero or homo. And yeah, certain sections of groups and friends have different meaning for everything. So, most of these terms have already lost a lot of their concrete meaning. That’s why I don’t place a ton of importance on identity. So much of it is driven by sociology and/or ego. Just tell me where your romantic and sexual instincts and fulfillments lie and live your life without fear or manipulation.
I don’t identify as gay because of necessity but rather because I’m married to a man, because I know what completes me and satisfies me (and it’s not a female), because I often don’t relate to the “bi movement” and because I wish to show no gay shame.
Loki
I’m not arguing. I am stating that there is already a widely-accepted definition of the word gay among people, both gay and straight, and that definition doesn’t extend to include “bi” or “pan” identifications; those are their own separate thing.
Donston
But haven’t you tried to argue that if you want to be with someone of your gender and that’s where your passions and fullfillments lie then you should identify as gay? Well, that’s not the classic definition of gay or bi. And honestly, nothing is “widely” accepted nowadays. All you need is the comment sections of this site or even Twitter to see how much division there is. Everyone on the internet and off seems to have their own definitions of things, their own suspisions and assumptions, their own motivations and their own particular variations of meanings, including seemingly Amandla.
Loki
As a gender-skeptic and mostly dispassionate Stoic, I don’t think I’ve ever made reference to anyone’s “passions” and “fulfillments” with regards to any “gender.” Your “choice” to identify as gay strikes me as a practical one, but if you were to identify some other way, I wouldn’t have too much to say. Nico Tortorella’s wife(?) calling herself a lesbian, OTOH, will elicit some side-eye…
Donston
I must have confused you with another poster. Still, you’re trying to highlight Amandla when she said she “identifies” as gay because she only has romantic love for women, she only wants to truly be with a female and she wishes to let go of any sense of heteronormalcy. That doesn’t equate to not having any type of attractions beyond women nor does it equate to never having any affections towards someone beyond a woman nor does it equate to never getting some kind of enjoyment from sexual experiences beyond women. So, I don’t understand why you decided to point her out.
When I chose to identify as “gay” it wasn’t practicality. It was about fully embracing the majority of myself, my passions, my comfort and getting rid of any sense of heteronormalcy. It wasn’t because of sociological reasons. It was internal reasons. But yes, almost half of gay-identifying people are not completely, totally conventionally inherently homo. These “labels” have always been altered and toyed with depending on the times and depending on the person and their sense of self and how they wish to be perceived, and that’s unlikely to change, especially nowadays. This is why it’s important not to be obsessed with them.
Donston
Also, you’re trying to argue there’s gay, bi and straight only and everyone should stick to the classic definitions of those things no matter their lifestyle or where they fit on the spectrum. Yet, you’re hating on Jason for apparently, possibly coming out as bi because you suspect he’s likely “mostly straight”? And a romantically and sexually homo-leaning man who’s married to a man should still say he’s bi, but a (possibly) romantically and sexually hetero-leaning guy who’s with a female shouldn’t bother coming out at all? Your arguments just seem to have a lot of contradictions and hypocrisies.
Loki
I highlighted Amandla because she had a more full-throated coming out moment just recently compared to this wishy-washy “nothingburger” from Mraz.
I’m kind of a, uh… cold person. So, I don’t go in for knowing everyone’s innermost desires and passions or whether they got a tingly feeling in their nethers that one time. Who you form LTR’s with? That’s useful to know.
Donston
Well, the majority of her coming out was focused on feelings and stuff. Basic attraction or arousal is not the sole thing that drives most people. Hell, that doesn’t even equate to sexual enjoyment. Particularly as you get older preferences and practicality and where your general fullfillments, passions and contentment lie become of utmost importance. That is, unless you’re driven by ego, fear, religion, paraphilias, etc. or you deal with an extreme amount of “fluidity”, contradictions and/or dissatisfaction. But yes, I liked that she avoided silly things like poems, indirect essays or dropping lines in a couple random songs, and she didn’t answer questions in pretentious, vague or self-hating ways.
Curtispsf
I think it’s time for Donston and Loki to just get a room.
asby
10 years ago this would be major news
Stilinski26
Next that singer from Imagine Dragons needs to come out!
fredo777
“You stood up for me”.
That is telling, also.
P.S. What is the point of the b!tchy comments about his relevance, when he is (at the very least) an ally? The misdirected viciousness I see from this community is really astounding sometimes.
Donston
A lot of the comments are needlessly bitchy and dismissive and would be so even if he were still relevant on the scene. However, a lot of people are getting tired of individuals legitimately “coming out” only when it’s absolutely most convenient for them or when they’ve fallen completely off of the scene or as a way to hop on the scene. Also, a lot of gay/homo-leaning/trans-leaning/fo’ real queer people are tired of the hetero worship, tired of the gay shame and tired of cis hetero-leaning people trying to dominate the “queer scene” and place themselves at the forefront of lgbtq. So, I get where some of the resentment and dismissiveness is coming from.
Curtispsf
What is it with Queerty’s “celebrity watch” thing about who is gay, who is not, etc. I happen to like Jason Mraz for his gentleness and commitment to the environment. Plus, I have seen him in concert in San Francisco and he was AMAZING. He was also hitting on women at the concert, which is fine. However, I could care less about whether he’s bi or heteronormative. His music and his kindness are all that matter to me. And btw, I WAS snacking on some cannabis blueberries when I saw his show, so maybe that factored into what I thought about his performance. Nah. He was great. Beautiful voice. /|\
Donston
He was the one who published the poem. He clearly wanted some attention for it and knew it would cause some “coming out” type of speculation. So, you can’t put it all on Queerty and other publications. I agree that obsessing over what celeb is what doesn’t serve a ton of purpose. Of course, curiosity is human nature, but some obsess over it. I honestly don’t care all that much unless the individual clearly wants people to care and take notice and are straightforward or they actually start to unabashedly and legitimately date the non opposite cis gender. I’m pretty indifferent to who someone might mess around with sometimes or have some slight attraction towards.
LilMesican
Wait, we didn’t know already? I figured a while ago that he was at least fluid.
nitejonboy
10 bucks says he’s a bottom.
batesmotel
I’ve known Jason since 2006. He’s always been vocally supportive in-person with all gays. He also has a long time girlfriend.
Curtispsf
That was my experience with Jason as well> I attended one of his concerts where he unapologetically hit on women. Why can’t we be satisfied with just having allies and stop this incessant ridiculous game of who is gay, who is bi. Let it go Queerty.
MrazLover
I know I won’t end the speculation or the cattiness, but I am going to try to give a unique voice to this that will hopefully help frame this for some of you who are on the fence and put some of you in your place.
I have deeply loved Jason’s music/talent for half my life. He was incredible when he was in his mid-20s and should have been famous long before he had that massive hit single. He’s even better now at 41. He has brought so much beauty to this world and delighted audiences everywhere he plays. People still scramble to see him live. Women still hyperventilate. And if you dare to call him irrelevant, check this week’s issue of Billboard and see where he is on the Adult Top 40. He’s doing damn well. That’s the kind of format/audience where Jason has a home. He has never made a serious bid to corner the teenybopper market. He has always been popular with the coffeehouse and college crowds, making music for adults. He fits in with Dave Matthews and Guster – only he can outsing all of them.
I truly believe Jason is bi and probably leans more toward men. I’ve always had strong feelings for Jason and because of that
have always dismissed any idea that he could be LGBT because I thought it was too good to be true or that I was just biased, because of course as a gay man I love the idea of it.
Moms know. Bless my mom. She told she thought Jason was probably gay years ago. I dismissed it.
But it’s true, he did make sort of a pass at me, years ago, when I was still really young and hadn’t had the insight to realize I was gay and come out myself. And just recently I took gay friends of mine to see him perform and they both vehemently insisted that he’s gay after the performance.
Now, we have this poem. Suddenly I feel like a teenager again. I’m remembering how acutely I related to and was bewitched by his jaw-dropping talent. I wonder if the repressed part of me was relating to the repressed part of him.
I think the way he talks about his wife in interviews says a lot. I’m sure he loves her very, very much. A lot of gay men have loved women. (I’m not convinced he’s gay; he’s probably bi.)
My mother said it best…for someone with a persona of joie de vivre, peace and openness, there is something off about his aura, because it doesn’t jive completely with the persona/the music he writes. There is a longing, a pathos, a darkness, a lack of carefreeness.
I’ve only met Jason a few times. I have finally looked past the het checklist he checkmarks – plaid shirts, butch hats, all that junk – and thought about the body language, the aura I felt as he walked toward me. It hews more closely to that of other gay men I know. Or at least gay men who thought I was cute and were noticing me.
Remember that he first emerged on the scene in a big way in 2003. If women knew he was gay would they have come to the concerts and bought the records?
I almost don’t want Jason to be gay or bi because then he could end up with a man who would almost certainly not be me, but of course that’s selfish. I just want the man to be happy. Don’t we all deserve that? He has indeed put his money where his mouth is and done a lot for our community. It’s catty and nasty, some of the things I’ve seen written here. Totally uncalled for.
I remember when I saw several years ago that he came out as a straight advocate and wincing. I thought to myself “well, I hope he’s straight, because if he isn’t, he will eat these words.” I felt a deep twinge of pain, probably because on the most fundamental level I did not bi that was he straight anymore.
See what I did there?
No matter what happens – because at the end of the day, all we have is speculation here – I just hope he finds the happiness he richly deserves or keeps it if he’s already found it. After all the joy he’s given legions of people he certainly has it coming.
As to the John Mayer comparisons – John is more of a guitarist than Jason, but Jason is a vocal virtuouso. Mayer dips more toward Americana and blues whereas Jason leans more toward coffeehouse, folk and reggae influences. Comparisons of them are generally pretty lazy.