Billie Eilish‘s recent interview with Variety continues to get people talking and for the worst reasons. The singer talked about big topics like the impact the pandemic had on her music and her youth.
Billie talked about mental health, Kurt Cobain, and how overwhelming fame can be for new artists like Olivia Rodrigo. And yet, it was unfortunate that all of Billie’s depth was diluted in a statement regarding her sexual orientation.
The “Bad Guy” performer said she is queer, and stated she’s attracted to women, especially after ending her relationship with Jesse Rutherford, one of Hollywood’s most high-profile grooming cases.
“I’ve never felt I could relate very well to women. I like them a lot. I love them as people. I’m attracted to them. I’m really attracted to them physically. But I’m also intimidated by their beauty and their presence”.
Billie Eilish Never Came Out
This weekend, during Variety’s Hitmakers Brunch red carpet, Billie was questioned about her statements and decision to “come out.” The truth is, you can’t come out if you’ve never been there. The singer was surprised by the reaction from fans and network users, and said, “No, I didn’t (come out). I thought, ‘Wasn’t it obvious? I didn’t realize that people didn’t know.”
Billie Elish also said something key about it: “Why can’t we just exist (…) I saw the article and I thought, ‘Oh, I guess I came out’. That’s okay. It’s exciting for me because I guess people didn’t know, but it’s great that they do.”
The Problem of Being Outed
Billie Eilish has taken an increasingly common stance among the younger generation. There should be no closet to come out of. The idea of “coming out” presupposes a heterosexual norm and suggests that non-conformity to this norm requires an explanation or announcement.
The concept of “coming out” reinforces the idea that heterosexuality is the norm and any other sexual orientation is the exception. Some feel that the notion of coming out implies that sexual orientation is an essential part of identity that must be shared with others. Some argue that sexual orientation is a private part of a person’s life and that whether or not to disclose it should be a personal choice.
Variety certainly outed Billie Eilish without her agreeing and put her in a situation she didn’t necessarily sign for as she expressed earlier today: “Thanks Variety for my award and also outing me on a red carpet at 11 am instead of talking to me about anything else that matters.”
Did Someone Say ‘Queerphobia’?
By now, the singer is not only openly queer but also openly impatient with people’s stupidity. In a recent post on her social media, she showed the moment she fled an interview and asked to be left alone on the issue:
“I like boys and girls leave me alone about it please literally, who cares,” she posted. Apparently, it matters to a few thousand people, and for the worst reasons. According to a Daily Mail report, Billie Eilish lost almost 10,000 followers on Instagram the day the interview was posted, and then another 75,000 the next day, and almost 50,000 more on Monday.
We Have a Case of Queerphobia
Queerphobia is a term used to describe aversion, discrimination, or prejudice towards people who do not adhere to traditional norms of gender and sexual orientation. The term encompasses a wide range of identities that do not conform to the traditional binary categories of male and female, as well as sexual orientations outside of heterosexuality.
This story was written in Spanish by Cora Bravo in Cultura Colectiva
