Bloc Party’s Kele on coming out to his parents
The singer of indie band Bloc Party, Kele Okereke, has spoken about how his religious parents coped with him coming out.
Okereke has rarely referred to his sexual orientation in interviews. He has said in the past he dislikes talking about race or sexuality because it does not relate to his music.
But speaking more candidly to Butt magazine, he revealed that his “super-Catholic” parents had struggled to accept his homosexuality.
He said: “My parents are super-Catholic and they come from a culture in Nigeria where there weren’t any visible gay people who were out and were happy.
“My parents are getting older and I didn’t like the idea that they could possibly die without knowing something that is a big part of my life. It’s not easy. But I know that they love me and I love them.”
He added: “This interview is actually an important step in my relationship with my parents. The reason I’m doing it is whenever I go out , I’m always stopped by young, gay kids who say it’s really refreshing and encouraging to see someone like me being out in a relatively mainstream band.
“If I’d have had someone saying it’s okay to be you when I was a teenager, I’d probably be a very different person. That is why I’m doing this now, after years of not doing it. It’s good to show that gays come in all shapes and sizes.”
