Nick Jonas: Accusations of gay baiting are “quite sad”
The singer responds to accusations that he's deliberately baiting gay fans
“It’s not the majority, but a large handful have a negative opinion for whatever reason. I think it’s really quite sad.”
—Nick Jonas, in an interview with Out, who branded him a “gay icon,” responding to accusations that his courting of the LGBT community is little more than gay baiting.
Jonas has worked hard to appeal to gay fans, including making appearances in gay clubs to promote his music, but has come under fire for making ambiguous statements regarding his sexuality or experiences with men. He told Complex magazine earlier this year that he had “nothing to prove” and was “thankful to have as many close gay friends as I have.”
“I think he’s very humble and an amazing ally,” trans model and RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Carmen Carrera told Out. “We need more people like him in the music industry — someone who’s willing to come out and say that he supports the entire LGBT community and embraces fans from all walks of life.”
Jonas often points to characters he’s played, such as a closeted frat boy in Scream Queens or his character Nate on Kingdom, who is struggling with his sexuality, as proof of his support for the LGBT community.
“It’s been a great character to play,” Jonas said of Nate, “one that I try to be respectful of and take myself out of. He’s on his own path.”
He revealed that he spoke with friends who grew up in conservative families to research their experiences coming out, as Nate’s family has similarly conservative views. It helped give Jonas the ability to “kind of build the character with some elements of real life.”
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