Shawn Mendes explains why it's 'hurtful' when fans speculate about his sexuality

[p0uritup]

https://instagram.com/p/CIypgSVDqgz
Shawn said on Dax Shepard‘s podcast about the rumors that he’s gay

Comments

[mangomuch]

I don't have an explanation for this, but I started watching his concert on Netflix and it's weirdly bad technically speaking. Like the sound's not right and the picture's grainy.

[sandstorm]

....He has....fans?

[umilicious]

This is how I feel about most of the younger celebrities... is this what it feels like to age out of pop culture’s core demographic? Am I just too old to keep up? I’m not even 40 yet... :(

[donaestrangera]

I said it in a comment above but people used to speculate that my ex-boyfriend, who was very kind, sensitive, and respectful towards women, was gay because he didn't conform to the stereotype of like, macho men. The more I think about it the more I realize it's fucked because we should be encouraging more straight men like him to be respectful of women, not calling them gay because they're respectful of women. My ex lives in my very homophobic home country so the rumors have done a lot to damage his life/his reputation too.

I also have another friend who was a closeted lesbian but hadn't realized it yet, and when everyone was whispering behind her back that she was a lesbian even before she was ready to admit to herself she was a lesbian it really really messed with her head. She didn't get to come out on her own terms.

I don't follow Shawn Mendes so I'm not sure of the context behind his remarks, but I have to agree, speculating on people's sexuality isn't good for anyone.

[cherhorowitz]

A similar thing happened to me with people assuming that I’m a lesbian and asking me about it. I’m bi and at the time I hadn’t accepted it yet and I was definitely not ready to come out.

[dior_chic]

Same here :( I remember people gossiping about ‘there’s a lesbian in this class’ and my in the closet ass panicking because my town was generally homophobic. Idk if it was about me honestly but I was sitting there in fear that day of possibly being outed

[senshicalico]

not to mention how dangerous it can be to just assume all gay men are "respectful" toward women. I've been publicly groped more than once by (now ex) friends who kept telling me it wasn't sexual because not only they were gay (men) but I was gay (woman) as well. Being misogynistic trash has nothing to do with being gay or straight and I wish more people would figure that out.

[mzgrottesca]

This whole thing reminds me of how kpop twitter has this weird culture of (mostly straight girls who write fanfic lol of course) fixating on kpop boy's sexualities, to the extent of trending hashtags about them being gay and trying to fill the searches with "/name/ gay

[petecarl]

yeah, there's a lot of fetishizing that goes on in kpop and other fandoms. people love to hide behind the "wokeness" of celebrating gay love when they're shipping two guys, when really it's just for their own amusement and conveniently lets them believe that no woman will ever get with him. so fetishizing and sexism.

yeah, i felt bad for that one guy. fandoms aren't as secret any more, and this stuff can really hurt them (in their careers and the personal lives). it doesn't feel like people are looking for representation but wanting to be in the know.

[mzgrottesca]

I've seen them argue that it's fine because "It won't hurt their career, look at Jokwon!" or "It won't hurt them, it's 2020!" and I'm like ??? there are literally only three out gay celebrities in Korea right now PERIOD. Three! Only one of whom is an idol (Holland), and has expressed pretty openly that being out/gay has hurt his career and cost him opportunities.

And even beyond the career aspect, even as a regular person... being outed is traumatic. It really, really is. The world is not a kind place for LGBT people, even in 2020. I'm happy for ppl who get to live inside such a bubble that they think homophobia expired.

[petecarl]

The world is not a kind place for LGBT people, even in 2020. I'm happy for ppl who get to live inside such a bubble that they think homophobia expired.Exactly! Even if fans are okay with it, and a lot of those fans who ship have been called out for being homophobic in their native languages or group chats, a lot of execs and people in the industry are homophobic or feel like it's more important to cater to homophobic fans and other industry people than be supportive. Plus there's the fact that a lot of these kids come from conservative families who might not accept them. And then you have to consider the army. Service their is mandatory for men. They do their two years and then for the ten years following that they have occasional trainings. The military is extremely homophobic and not serving can damage your career and standing with your peers. It's seen as what makes then a "real man" toxic as that is. A lot of jobs in Korea won't hire men who didn't serve. And fans recognize that this does harm, cause they're constantly pushing

[petecarl]

He's right.