Troye Sivan sends message of hope to queer kids amid sludge of anti-LGBTQ+ bills: ‘You can feel safe’
Troye Sivan wants LGBTQ+ youth to know that they will be seen and supported. (Getty/Jacopo Raule)
Australian pop king Troye Sivan has a message for queer youth who might be feeling powerless in the wake of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation flooding the US and the world.
The “Bloom” singer, 27, wants his queer fans to find solace in the power of representation, as the LGBTQ+ community grapples with politicians desperately attempting to erase its rights.
In the US, Tennessee recently became the first US state to outlaw public drag performances, while states including Texas, Florida and Kentucky are moving fast to ban gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth.
In the UK, anti-trans rhetoric is rife in parliament and on the streets, while Sivan’s home Australia has recently dealt with neo-Nazis threatening trans people.
While Sivan acknowledges that things might seem difficult for LGBTQ+ people right now, particularly for those without a chosen family, he believes things will change for the better.
Speaking to Elle magazine, Troye Sivan, who came out as gay in 2013, revealed that he only found solace in his queer identity after seeing Lady Gaga perform at a Pride event.
“I didn’t know any queer people in real life, and just seeing that crowd, I was like, ‘OK, so it is out there somewhere, I just have to go find it,’ he explained, emphasising how important it is to see LGBTQ+ representation increasing.
“[Representation] shows you that your immediate circumstances are not going to be your circumstances for ever, that there are people out there who are going to love you and support you, and places where you can feel safe.”
Reflecting on the current climate of increased hostility against the LGBTQ+ community, Sivan said it was a helpful that young queer people are at least able to see themselves on-screen.
“It’s a big relief to know that while all of this really messed-up stuff is happening, people really attempting to send us backwards, that young people can go on TikTok or turn on the Grammys or watch music videos on YouTube and see themselves,” he said.
“I think it’s a lot less suffocating than it used to be, because having access to the representation, it shows you that the world is a big place. Those people who are trying to send us backwards? They’re not everyone.”
While it’s been a long time since Sivan’s most recent album – Bloom was released in 2018 – his impact on LGBTQ+ music fans is ever-present.
He’ll also be influencing LGBTQ+ TV fans in the very near future, as he has a starring role in HBO’s super queer, albeit controversial, new series The Idol.
Airing in June, The Idol stars Lily-Rose Depp as “truly-f**king-nasty pop girl” Jocelyn, and The Weeknd, aka singer Abel Tesfaye, as modern-day sex cult leader Tedros. Troye Sivan plays Caleb in a supporting role, and fans have already had a glimpse of him in character in the series’ most recent trailer.
Speaking about his time filming the show, Sivan said: “It was the first time in my life when I really felt like an actor… I’ve got my day job of being a musician, then when something exciting comes along that I’m interested in or that I feel challenged by, which is pretty much every acting thing ever, I’m so excited to throw my hat in the ring and see what happens without this stress and pressure.”
Troye Sivan will be joined by other queer stars on The Idol, with Schitt’s Creek star Dan Levy, the late Anne Heche, and trans Barbie star Harri Nef also appearing in the drama series.
The Idol airs on HBO and will be available to stream on Max on Sunday, 4 June.
