Shawn Mendes opens up about how rumors about his sexuality affected him

[Ziggy 11,321]

2 hours ago, bionic said:

Look at Ryan Seacrest 

What did he do/say? Sorry I don’t typically keep up with the celeb gossip so this must have gone over my head (though I know people have said stuff about him for a while).

[Ziggy 11,321]

2 hours ago, Hyperballad said:

Don’t you love how the gays will complain about how "men don’t share their feelings or vulnerabilities, and they’re internalized homophobia keeps them from enjoying more feminine things"- yet, whenever a straight-identifying male actually DOES, he’s called a "closet homo" and "a hunty". 

1. Your username gives me life. A bjork stan. I live.

2. points were made.

[MJHolland 12,723]

Maybe if he stopped screaming from the rooftops "IM NOT GAY" these rumors and speculations would stop...

He just feeds into it at this point. He talks about this in like every interview this is nothing new. 

I've always been irritated by how much offense he takes at being called gay, and I'm not buying this new "well I'm angry for my closeted friends" defense. He literally said a year or two ago that he has nightmares about people thinking he's gay. I'm sick of hearing about this from this guy it screams insecurity. 

[MJHolland 12,723]

Oh lovely 

Half the people in here defending Shawn were the ones in the Sam Smith thread saying it's non-binary people's fault for making the "rules" too complicated 

[littlepotter 74,788]

4 hours ago, Eggs said:

The speculation about Shawn's sexuality is obviously deeply problematic and rooted in harmful stereotypes and assumptions.

But I always take issue when Shawn comes out to talk about how difficult the speculation has been for him. Maybe I'm unempathetic, but there are worse things in the world than people thinking you're gay. To be so upset about it that you change your behaviour, mannerisms etc. does suggest to me a degree of deep-rooted homophobia that I think it would benefit Shawn to acknowledge.

Don't we all have deep rooted homophobia, like we have deep rooted racism? If that is the culture we're brought up in, it's hsrd to unlearn it. So I can't blame him for that because we all more or less go through that at some point, and it sounds to me like he did acknowledge it in a way.

He does have very valid points that when we call him gay for displaying softness and emotion, we are reinforcing the stereotypes used against us, and promoting toxic masculinity. On the other hand, it's just so fun to call him a bottom. I don't know what to do.

[BlondeQueenOfGGD 25,454]

No matter how bad some of you want your gay fanfics to be real, he isn’t gay.

[stevana229 1,866]

I'm sorry but I really believe Shawn is gay. 

[TSUNAMI 20,863]

Support our allies! He's an ally, not a part of the group.

 

Aceept it, learn it, love it. 

[Togekiss 2,445]

Interesting that the first sport he thinks of is wrestling... 🤔

JK, in all seriousness that is such a thoughtful response and I respect him immensely for it.

He’s so right about the affect on actual gay people in the closet when others are constantly speculating about your sexuality. That hurt me so much growing up that I made a conscious decision when I changed schools in 10th grade to basically not talk to anyone or make friends.

To this day I refuse to use my “gaydar” when straight friends ask my opinion, because I remember how much that hurts.

Good on you SM

[BornAsUnic0rn 2,036]

4 hours ago, Autumn said:

i understand his pain and sympathise with him but i think it's disproportionately affecting him. all celebrities go through sexuality speculation, and many male celebrites are targeted with the same level of speculation (most notably people i find like tom holland and harry styles), but he's let it get to him in a way that i think is unhealthy.

he’s probably not the only male celebrity who feels this way.. but others go on a date craze and “man-up” instead of talking about it.

And what he’s saying also holds true to a lot of men.. their “softer side” is ridiculed, when they act “soft” and “feminine”!around men the rumors start, so they man up and that’s what’s creating this “toxic masculinity” thing. And in the end creates homophobia. Not because straight men fear gay men.. but because they fear being seen as one. 

So I think it’s actually brave for him to talk about this. Not leaning in to the rumors and capitalizing on them, not hiding from these rumors and “proving them wrong” by bunching up, but talking about the implications this has on someone internally.

[Economy 48,804]

5 hours ago, bionic said:

Yeah he acts like it’s the cruellest thing in the world to say and is a career ending rumor. I hate to be all “some people have real problems” but... Why does this rumor out of all of them affect him so much, one might Wonder (available to stream now)?

Hope he gets all the support he needs rich his mental health 

 

5 hours ago, Eggs said:

The speculation about Shawn's sexuality is obviously deeply problematic and rooted in harmful stereotypes and assumptions.

But I always take issue when Shawn comes out to talk about how difficult the speculation has been for him. Maybe I'm unempathetic, but there are worse things in the world than people thinking you're gay. To be so upset about it that you change your behaviour, mannerisms etc. does suggest to me a degree of deep-rooted homophobia that I think it would benefit Shawn to acknowledge.

I mean to be fair there's implications that come with this. It's not just a harmless "rumour". It puts into question his authenticity, it puts into question that he could be faking his relationship with Camila Cabelo as a closeted gay and doesn't really love her not to mention that he's fully aware some ppl might call him gay in a mocking bullying way even if he himself doesn't think there's anything wrong with it

 

I agree there's much worse things than being called gay but I do think nevertheless it goes a little deeper than u guys are giving him credit for

[Chlorine 47,976]

5 hours ago, Eggs said:

The speculation about Shawn's sexuality is obviously deeply problematic and rooted in harmful stereotypes and assumptions.

But I always take issue when Shawn comes out to talk about how difficult the speculation has been for him. Maybe I'm unempathetic, but there are worse things in the world than people thinking you're gay. To be so upset about it that you change your behaviour, mannerisms etc. does suggest to me a degree of deep-rooted homophobia that I think it would benefit Shawn to acknowledge.

Yeah this... I find it kind of odd tbh. If he's not gay why does he care?  

It does sound like it strikes a particular nerve with him and I do suspect he actually is gay (or at least not straight) by his reaction. 

[Runway 27,876]

He wrote every song about camila so he must be straight 

[Blastertoyo 22,728]

6 hours ago, 777777777777777777 said:

'I'm terrified to come out,'" the "Stitches" singer said.

Can’t wait for y’all to take this out of context

 

[Naak Le Vaar 1,222]

I feel like he overcompensates by showing off his heterosexuality with Camilla. I feel like they get paparazzi in front of them and then start kissing or holding hands or whatever as if to show he's straight. 

It reminds me of that Family Guy skit where Tom Cruise jumps on Oprah's couch and says "I'm in love with Katy Holmes I'm not gay!!".

No shade no shade just me saying weird things.