In a recent interview with diverse To promote his new album on the occasion of Christmas Christmas bells are ringingClay Aiken unexpectedly raised the sexuality of singer Shawn Mendes. the American Idol The 45-year-old alum asked the interviewer: “By the way, did Shawn Mendes come out today?” Aiken pointed to an Instagram video of Mendes, which he said he had not watched in its entirety before rushing to his interview, though it is unclear which video he meant.
Aiken, who came out as gay in 2008, admitted, “I shouldn’t come out if he didn’t,” recognizing the importance of personal boundaries around sexuality. Mendes, 26, recently told fans during a concert in Colorado that he’s still “discovering” his sexuality, describing it as a “beautifully complex thing.” “The real truth about my life and my sexuality is that, man, I understand it as much as anyone,” explained the singer, who has publicly dated women, including Camila Cabello.
Reflecting on his own experience, Aiken noted that speculation about celebrities’ sexuality seems to have diminished since he came under media scrutiny in the early 2000s, saying, “I joke that after I came out publicly, it stopped being a story.” He noted that social acceptance has improved, in part due to the end of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” program in 2011, which allowed individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community to serve openly in the military.