Everything Shawn Mendes Has Said About His Sexuality
Shawn Mendes spoke candidly about his sexuality during his concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater on October 28, 2024. Taking a pause between songs, Mendes shared that he is still exploring his identity and that societal pressures have made it feel scary. Mendes also revealed that people have been questioning his sexuality since the start of his career at age 15, and he's not a fan of it.
"The real truth about my life and my sexuality is that, man, I'm just figuring it out like everyone. I don't really know sometimes, and I know other times. And it feels really scary because we live in a society that has a lot to say about that," said the pop star in a moment captured on TikTok. "I'm trying to be really brave and just allow myself to be a human and feel things. And that's all I really want to say about that for now."
Mendes shared the comments before performing "The Mountain," a personal song that reflects the pressures he has faced while being scrutinized by the public. The lyrics say, "You can say I'm too young, you can say I'm too old, you can say I like girls or boys, whatever fits your mold." While Mendes has been reluctant to discuss his sexuality, the 2024 concert wasn't his first remarks on the matter.
Shawn Mendes says speculation about his sexuality felt like an intrusion
The public has speculated on Shawn Mendes' sexuality since he first made it big. In 2016, Mendes responded to YouTube comments that said he gives off a "gay vibe" by posting on Snapchat (via Yahoo!) that, "First of all, I'm not gay. Second of all, it shouldn't make a difference if I was or if I wasn't." This is the first time Mendes publicly addressed any rumors about this topic.
Mendes spoke about the gossip again in 2018 in an interview with Rolling Stone. "In the back of my heart, I feel like I need to go be seen with someone — like a girl — in public to prove to people that I'm not gay," he said. In the years since, Mendes has dated several women, including Camila Cabello followed by a brief romance with Sabrina Carpenter.
According to People, he also discussed the speculation on Dax Shepard's podcast, "Armchair Expert," in 2020. Mendes explained his frustration over the years of rumors, because there were people in his personal life that were "gay and in the closet." He said that he felt anger on their behalf, but he struggled with responding to the assumptions.