Olly Alexander has some coming out advice for young fans
Years & Years singer Olly Alexander has shared some coming out advice with fans for National Coming Out Day.
The singer, whose band scored a number one album earlier this year with Communion, marked this weekend’s National Coming Out Day by sharing a message with fans.
Wearing a basketball t-shirt, he wrote on his Instagram: “In honour of National Coming Out Day I’ve come out inspired by Michael Jordan from one of my fav movies Space Jam.
“Coming out is a very personal thing, so you do it your way, whatever way that is, in your own time.
Just remember it’s good to talk… talk to your friends, talk to your parents, talk to your busted up 90s Space Jam VHS.
“Most importantly never ever be ashamed of who you are, because who you are is f**king awesome, don’t let anybody make you think differently.”
The singer, who has been open about his sexuality throughout his rise to success, last month opened up about the pressures of his relationship with Clean Bandit violinist Neil Amin-Smith.
He said: “I found someone that I love and that’s a new thing and that has its own world. And then it exists in this world where we’re both conscious about being open about it.
“The response has been incredibly touching and heartwarming and overwhelming, but I feel like if you invest too much of yourself in the construction of yourself as a gay couple in the media you end up f***ing up the real thing, so I try not to think too much about it.”
Of being a ‘role model’ to younger gay fans, he added: “When I meet gay kids and they know who we are, I remember that’s amazing because literally every gay person in every gay story I knew growing up was doomed to die.
“There weren’t any positive gay stories and it’s incredible that has changed.”
The singer recently backed a campaign to stamp out homophobic bullying in schools.
He has hit out in the past at gay singers who sing about gender-neutral “lovers” in songs, saying: “It is kind of sad to me that we don’t have gay popstars singing about men using a male pronoun, but that could change hopefully.”
