Lauv comes out on TikTok (again) — here's how he identifies now
Coming out can be a lengthy process of self-discovery and exploration over time, something Lauv recently admitted to struggling with in a TikTok where he appeared to come out as gay.
The “I Like Me Better” singer has previously held back from fully labeling his sexuality, which he has discussed on social media a few times before now.
“i havent done much aside from kiss so tbh don’t wannna jump the gun but tbh i feel things,” he wrote on TikTok last summer, on a TikTok where he also noted he was “dating a girl” but “also a lil bit into men.”
He got a little more candid this week, taking to the platform to say outright, “I feel like I’m gay, okay?”
“I’ve said this so many times, and I’ve still not claimed to actually be because I have not had enough experience to say,” he continued.
Lauv then alluded to wanting to act more stereotypically gay but always feeling like he had to hold himself back.
“I would rather fucking let it all fly,” he admitted.
Anyone else ever think/feel this way?
Shortly before that, he posted another video diving deeper into the idea that it’s easy to feel trapped by the idea of who we’re supposed to be — or even who we think we’re allowed to be — rather than listening to the voice deep down “screaming to come out.”
It’s a familiar struggle for a lot of people, including fans in his comment section who encouraged him to just follow his heart and be honest with himself.
“You already said it,” wrote @emsomting. “The truth is in your words. Listen to yourself. It’s so beautiful to see.”
“One thing I’m working on in myself is giving myself permission to be who I want to be. I don’t need that from anyone except myself,” another viewer shared.
Gatekeeping within the LGBTQ+ community when it comes to identities can be a real issue, but at the end of the day, there’s no checklist anybody has to work through to prove whether they’re gay or bi or anything else.
Of course, it’s totally valid to want more life experience before slapping a label on yourself for your own self-understanding. But if heterosexuals are allowed to claim their identity long before ever dating someone of the opposite gender, it’s just as valid for anyone who feels like they’re gay to say that they’re gay — and to express themselves in whatever way feels authentic to them in the process.
