Singer Sam Smith has spoken candidly about coming out as gay in an interview with Attitude Magazine. Smith was being interviewed by fellow British star Elton John who also opened up about his own experiences of coming out as gay many years ago.
Sam told John that he came out when he was just ten years old. ‘I’d just finished primary school, going into secondary school, and I came out to my best friend when I was nine or 10. I was very sure of, and in, myself.’
Sam admitted that he was very lucky to have parents that were so understanding and accepting of his sexuality. ‘When I told my mum she said she always knew, she said she knew when I was three, and my dad just asked if I was absolutely sure. And I was sure, even at that age, but they were incredibly supportive.’ However, he did admit that his dad was scared of him getting bullied because he had seen it happen to other people in the local area.
Smith said that while he doesn’t feel his experience was as bad as some other peoples, there were difficult moments which he now identifies as him being bullied. ‘I was lucky, I had a very good group of friends around me, but some of the other boys could be absolutely awful to me at times. It’s nothing that has scarred me, though.’
Elton admitted that growing up in the 50s he was never able to talk about his sexuality. ‘I didn’t have sex until I was 23. I grew up in the 50s, sex was never talked about. So, at the start I didn’t know anything about sex, which was awful.’
He went on to admit that once it was released he couldn’t hide his sexuality and it became like a missile in his life. ‘I embraced the gay culture, loved life very much, just loved it. And it hasn’t harmed me whatsoever, not personally or in my career.’