Shawn Mendes Says Rumors About His Sexuality Are ‘Hurtful’

Shawn Mendes has addressed the rumors surrounding his sexuality yet again. 

In a new interview with The Guardian published on Sunday, the 20-year-old singer opened up about rumors regarding his sexuality and said that it’s “hurtful” when people question his sexuality, also adding that the rumors can also hurt his LGBTQ fans. 

“For me it’s hurtful,” he told The Guardian. “I get mad when people assume things about me because I imagine the people who don’t have the support system I have and how that must affect them.”

“That was why I was so angry, and you can see I still get riled up because I don’t think people understand that when you come at me about something that’s stupid you hurt so many other people,” he continued. “They might not be speaking, but they’re listening.”

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The subject came up as Mendes was discussing his 2018 Rolling Stone cover story where he addressed the rumors at the time, saying, “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.” 

“I thought, ‘you f—ing guys are so lucky I’m not actually gay and terrified of coming out.’ That’s something that kills people. That’s how sensitive it is. Do you like the songs? Do you like me? Who cares if I’m gay?” he explained. Mendes later took to Twitter to criticize the story because he felt they didn’t paint a fuller picture of who he is. 

Mendes also revealed that he criticized the Rolling Stone story because of “a small detail in which he mentioned Dua Lipa and her boyfriend, and how amazing it looked to be in love.”

“It made me seem so creepy,” he told The Guardian. “If anything, the article made me realize your career isn’t over if people think you’re not perfect.”