Khalid is speaking out about his sexuality — even if it’s “not any of your business.”
The 26-year-old “Young Dumb & Broke” singer – who released his third studio album, “Sincere,” in August – took to social media to confirm he’s part of the LGBTQ+ community.
“🏳️🌈!!! there yall go. next topic please lol,” he posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday night.
He clarified the statement in ensuing posts, replying to a fan who wrote “Wait hope Mr Khalid isn’t GEHHH!” with: “I am! And that’s okay.”
Khalid followed this up by revealing he was outed “and the world still continues to turn. Let’s get this straight (lmao) I am not ashamed of my sexuality! In reality it ain’t nobodies business! But I am okay with me 🖤 love yall.”
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In response to a fan who suggested his sexuality was an open secret by saying “the closet was glass,” Khalid wrote: “I wasn’t hiding anything! It’s just not any of your business.” He also re-posted a fan who said his 2022 single “Satellite” is an “LGBTQ anthem,” and he wasn’t “hiding” his sexuality but “just didn’t need to TELL nobody.”
“Thank you!!!! I was never hiding,” he added.
USA TODAY has reached out to Khalid’s representative for comment.
Khalid’s comments follow a trend of celebrities feeling pressured to come out
The Georgia-born El Pasoan burst on to the scene as a high school senior with his self-released 2016 single, “Location.” In 2017, the track ended up on his debut album, “American Teen,” which boasts songwriting credits for Khalid on each track. That year, he racked up five Grammy nominations.
Though often classified as an R&B singer, his sound and collaborations blend genres as he’s worked with Justin Bieber, Marshmello, Ty Dolla $ign, Normani, Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas, Kane Brown and Ed Sheeran.
This was the first time Khalid explicitly spoke out about being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Other celebrities, including Shawn Mendes, Kit Connor of the Netflix rom-com series “Heartstopper” and Ariana Grande have alluded to similarly feeling pressured to come out, regardless of their sexuality.
“Celebrities and non-celebrities do not owe the public a confirmation or explanation about their sexual orientations, and disclosures should remain a matter of choice,” Melvin Williams, associate professor of communication and media studies at Pace University, previously told USA TODAY.
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Experts say people should never feel obligated to come out, especially when their safety is at risk. People also shouldn’t come out if they’re not ready. And “ideally, we are working to create a world without boxes or closets to ‘come out of’ because we would never be expected to be anything other than who we say we are,” Moe Ari Brown, a licensed marriage and family therapist, previously told USA TODAY.
“Until that shift happens, we must intentionally choose who we wish to invite into a celebration of our identities.”
If you or someone you know needs help or support, The Trevor Project’s trained crisis counselors are available 24/7 at 866-488-7386, via chat at thetrevorproject.org/get-help, or by texting 678-678.
Contributing: David Oliver
