Singer L Devine says parents feared she would ‘corrupt’ their daughters into becoming lesbians
L Devine described the “shame” she experienced around her sexuality as a teenager. (Instagram/ ldevinemusic)
Singer-songwriter L Devine has said that after coming out, parents feared she would “corrupt” their daughters into becoming lesbians.
The 23-year-old came out as a lesbian when she was 17, just two years before she released her debut single “School Girls”.
As Pride month begins, she told Metro’s Guilty Pleasures that even as a teen she experienced homophobia form adults.
Devine said her song “Daughter” is about “the homophobia I experienced in my first relationship”, and added: “There were a few instances with parents not wanting me around their daughters in fear that I would ‘corrupt them into being a lesbian’.
“When you’re 17, and fully grown adults – people you see as authoritative figures – are shaming you, it’s seriously damaging.
“At the time, I genuinely thought I had done something wrong.”
Now older, she said she is finally able to reflect on the “shame” she she suffered from when she was a student at Newcastle High School For Girls.
She continued: “As I get older, I realise how much shame I was carrying around my sexuality as a child/ teenager, and how that continues to affect me in my adult life, which I think a lot of queer people can relate to.”
Although she received no help from teachers when she was younger, she said “so much has changed” now.
Devine explained: “One of my favourite teachers at the school asked me to do a talk about sexuality and female empowerment.
“They’re doing so much for the LGBT+ community in the school now and that makes me really happy. If I can share my story and help others, then I feel like I tackled it eventually.”
Discussing her new song “Girls Like Sex”, she added: “I wanted to release it around Pride.
“I feel like queer icons and queer artists are always the ones who aren’t afraid to talk about taboo topics in a fun way.”
