Hey, leave Shawn Mendes alone!

When you’re in the public eye, you have to live with the whole world pulling its mouth out at you. Shawn Mendes should be used to this. The musician had his international breakthrough at the age of 15.

But even celebrities are known for being human and vulnerable. Especially when some fans push the boundaries of good taste with some rumors.

Since the beginning of his career, Mendes has been accused of hiding his homosexuality. Since early 2023, these rumors have come to a head. The musician took a picture together with colleague Omar Apollo. Omar Apollo is also a singer and has always campaigned for LGBTQ+ rights.

Ever since the two were spotted together, videos of Shawn Mendes wearing “feminine” clothes or acting in a “feminine” way have been piling up on TikTok.

“When will he finally admit he’s gay?”

The comments look the same under almost all videos: “When will he finally admit he’s gay?” or “He really thinks we wouldn’t notice he’s gay.”

Mendes himself has spoken out about his sexuality in interviews several times and has repeatedly denied being gay. He also told People that he had been bothered by the rumors for a long time. He would have no problem saying he was gay if that was the case.

It’s frustrating to have to keep explaining yourself, says Mendes. He just grew up that way. He played wrestling and braided his hair with his sister on Christmas. For him there was no division into female and male.

“Woke” generation contradicts itself

The accusations mainly come from the Gen Z corner – that is, from a generation that mainly describes itself as “awake”. Urging Mendes to come out – if true – would not only be infringing, but also quite hypocritical.

And Shawn Mendes isn’t the only one who keeps being accused of homosexuality. Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson were rumored to have had a secret affair during their time on One Direction. The two have also repeatedly denied any relationship between them. Tomlinson has complained that rumors like this kept causing problems in his relationships. His girlfriends were showered with hatred.

So folks, please leave Shawn Mendes (and the others) alone – you wouldn’t want to keep explaining who you’re sleeping with either.