Troye Sivan might be one of the queerest of the queer pop stars making music today, but the 22-year-old singer says he isn’t interested in being labelled a “gay icon” just yet.
In a new interview with Wonderland magazine, Troye says there are limitations when it comes to representing the LGBTQ community.
Related: Troye Sivan’s new music vid features back-alley cruising, adult stars, and sleazy shenanigans
For instance, he explains, “I will never understand the struggles of a trans woman of color growing up. That’s why I politely reject the term ‘gay icon’. I would never want to put that on myself.”
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Not just that, but an “icon” really needs to have a few hit albums, a few hit singles, a few hit music videos, and at least one talked about performance at a major Awards ceremony. All of which Troye is on his way to achieving, but he’s not there yet. (Give the kid a break! He’s only 22!)
Related: Troye Sivan recalls his most awkward Grindr experience: I was like, ‘OK, I think I’m gonna go home.’
“Cher, Madonna, Miley, Robyn. Lady Gaga,” Troye continues. “Those are my gay icons. I would have loved to have had more queer music growing up.”
We have no doubt the “My My My” singer can rise to the level of Cher, Madonna, and Gaga. His second studio album, the follow-up to 2015’s critically-acclaimed Blue Neighbourhood, is one of this summer’s most hotly anticipated releases.
Not just that, but he has a supporting role in the upcoming gay conversion therapy drama Boy, Erased alongside Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe, which hits theaters in September.
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Nowuvedoneit
So his gay icons are cis white women. So enlightened he is.
barkomatic
What trans people would currently be considered “gay icons”? I’m sure in the future there will be but there aren’t any that I can think of that have risen to that level right now.
Cylest Brooks
Laverne Cox? (Oh, nm I see you are asking about singers specifically. My bad.)
barkomatic
Also, I’m specifically referring to singers.
mujerado
@Nowuvedoneit, Your attack is cheap and wrong. It’s precisely because he knows he isn’t “enlightened” that he declines to be a gay icon. What’s wrong with you?
Bryguyf69
barkomatic,
It depends on how narrowly you define “trans.” An obvious answer is RuPaul, who started his career as a drag singer, upon moving to New York. In fact, his initial claim to national fame was the song and video, “Supermodel (You Better Work),” which he performed in drag. He also did a remake of the gay classic, “It’s Raining Men,” in drag with one of the original Weathergirls, Martha Wash. Both videos are linked below. And there are other music videos as well.
https://youtu.be/Vw9LOrHU8JI
https://youtu.be/zcjNuAsMT-E
Bryguyf69
barmomatic,
For Europeans, 2014 Eurovision winner, Conchita Wurst, should qualify as a trans singer gay icon.
https://youtu.be/_lylxvaQ8mw
Brian
RuPaul should be a gay icon for many reasons. His musical output is not one of them.
Polaro
Yeah, because there are so many trans gay icon singers – not. Get a life. This cis white bashing will end badly for the bashers.
ChrisK
Umm..what pathetic dipshit is calling this twink a gay icon?
tham
That’s a little harsh don’t you think?
To 14 year olds, he’s a gay icon.
Not sure why you have such “strong” feelings…unless it’s some troll thing to make people mad…which seems more likely than not.
Vince
@tham. To 14 yo’s kermit the frog is a gay icon.
rozz01
ChrisK…you always make me sad
ChrisK
@rozz01. What a Drama Queen.
Cylest Brooks
Hey ChrisK. Please take a moment to review our updated comments policy. This comment isn’t a violation, but it’s walking pretty close to the line so I wanted to give you a heads up. You can review the new policy here: https://www.queerty.com/queertys-comment-policy
Bryguyf69
ChrisK (I mistakenly previously posted this reply outside of this thread),
I do quite a bit of counseling with gay teens and tweens, and his name has come up several times as an idol, crush or icon. And none of the names that you might include — Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, Cher, Madonna, Elton John, etc — have ever been mentioned. Indeed, most had no idea who Garland or Minnelli was/is. It’s all about social media among millennials and younger, especially teens and tweens. And that is where Sivan made his fame. Other icons for this group include Tyler Oakley and airhead, Joey Graceffa.
Tête Carrée
@ChrisK
Geez Chrissy, has it been a month already since you attacked that guy who said he used gay dating apps as dating apps rather than hookup apps? Try these natural remedies for PMS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=24&v=TUCMbE7i76A
ChrisK
@Cylest Brooks. Then don’t respond to me saying I make them always sad. Easy peasy. Lol
ChrisK
@Bryguyf69. Judy Garland? Say what? Ok maybe Cher. Lol
At any rate, you’re right. I admit. I have no clue what the tweens and queens are all excited about these days and i’m sure it was directed at them.
Polaro
ChrisK ‘s point is that there is no way Troye should be considered an icon…he’s not got the track record to back that up, yet. And his comment was not directed at anyone in particular, so it was not a violation of the terms.
jkb
Not to nitpick, but since it’s Queerty y’all are used to posters nitpicking, he states his ignorance of what a trans person experiences as reason not to consider him a gay icon. Do the people he lists have this knowledge? I wish him continued success as he does seem to have a good head on his shoulders.
MonkeyMan
I’m not sure he’s articulating it very well but he is very, very right: The media can’t label Troye as a “gay icon” if the likes of Freddy Mercury, Elton John, George Michael, Cher are also considered to be gay icons. He’s a singer, and gay, and he’s pretty well-known around the World, but not an icon.
Troye has barely had any major hits or really done anything to put a new spin to the “gay recording artist” thing, except that he’s probably one of the youngest gay singers to ever make it and be recognized globally.
Gay icons all have global smash hits and controversial personal lives and are public about their pro-LBGT political views. Troye can probably only check off the last of those three.
Bryguyf69
I do quite a bit of counseling with gay teens and tweens, and his name has come up several times as an idol, crush or icon. And none of the names that you might include — Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, Cher, Madonna, Elton John, etc — have ever been mentioned. Indeed, most had no idea who Garland or Minnelli was/is. It’s all about social media among millennials and younger, especially teens and tweens. And that is where Sivan made his fame. Other icons for this group include Tyler Oakley and airhead, Joey Graceffa.
Polaro
Don’t mistake today’s flavor of the month for a star; especially when they are very apparently talent-less (Oakley and Graceffa).
Iowa Rex
To paraphrase Andy Warhol, “In the future everyone will be a gay icon for fifteen minutes.”
JohnnyCockets
Who?
ShowMeGuy
People really need to read the article before they run their stinking fingers all over their keyboard.
Kevan1
No problem, do not even know who he is.