Little Mix fan praises Jade Thirlwall for helping him come out
Little Mix performed “Secret Love Song Pt II” under the rainbow flag (YouTube screenshot)
A young man came out on social media and praised Jade Thirwall from Little Mix for her support of the LGBT community.
Conan Smith, 22, decided to come out in a Facebook post on Saturday.
“I’m gay! This is not something I had to do but something I wanted to do,” Smith wrote on Facebook.
“The reason for me doing this status is because I finally feel that’s time that I no longer have to hide something that is such a huge part of my life,” he added.
https://twitter.com/ConanSmith96/status/1018597830766800899?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Smith later shared a screenshot of his initial Facebook post on Twitter.
“So last night I decided to finally come out as gay. It was honestly the scariest but most amazing thing ever,” he wrote. “The support has been incredible.”
Smith also added he had been inspired by Little Mix’s Jade, writing: “#JadeThirlwall from @LittleMix is a huge inspiration to me and I am so thankful for the platform she gives to the #LGBT community.”
Smith’s bravery was rewarded, because the Little Mix star caught a glimpse of his tweet and personally congratulated him.
Thirlwall responded in a tweet from the official Little Mix account: “You should be so, so proud of yourself. And I feel so humbled and honoured to have a played a part in your personal journey.”
You should be so, so proud of yourself. And I feel so humbled and honoured to have a played a part in your personal journey. Congratulations on this new chapter of your life, where you can be completely yourself with the love and support of those around you ♥️ jade x https://t.co/EexqF4mZlK
— Little Mix (@LittleMix) July 15, 2018
“Congratulations on this new chapter of your life, where you can be completely yourself with the love and support of those around you jade x”
Thirlwall’s retweet went viral, gathering over 1,600 retweets. Smith said her response was “the icing on the cake.”
Thirlwall has proved time and time again how invested she is in the LGBT+ community and how good of an ally she is.
In December, after throwing a drag-themed party for her 25th birthday, the singer revealed she had asked all her guests to donate to Stonewall UK and that she would be working hand-in-hand with the organisation in 2018.
Right before London Pride earlier in July, Thirlwall also shared an inspiring message on her Instagram page.
“As an ally, I promise to never stop supporting your rights, using my platform to raise awareness and challenge any form of homophobia/biphobia/transphobia,” she wrote.
“Also I’d like to thank Stonewall for welcoming me into their family and educating me on all things and teaching me what it takes to be a true ally.”
Little Mix is also very supportive of their LGBT+ fans. Their song “Secret Love Song” was dedicated to their queer fanbase, and their new music video for “Only You” features a lesbian romance between a shy teen and a mermaid.
