George Shelley: Union J singer and I'm a Celebrity finalist addresses his sexuality publicly for the first time
Union J singer said he is responding to reports labelling him gay, straight and bi
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Your support makes all the difference.George Shelley has addressed his sexuality publicly for the first time in a video message to his fans.
The Union J singer, 22, shared a video about his “personal journey” on YouTube on Wednesday morning with after reports questioning his sexuality.
In it, Shelley confirmed he has been in relationships with both men and women but said he would not be labelling himself as gay, straight or bisexual.
“I’ve been reading a lot of speculation online as to whether I’m straight, or gay, or bi, and all these labels are a little bit old-fashioned, which is why I’m not going to label it myself,” he said. "This is why I'm not going to label it myself.
“I’ve had girlfriends that I’ve loved, and they’ve been amazing periods of my life, but I’ve also had boyfriends, and I just want you to know that whether I decide to be with a girl next, or be with a guy next, that it’s because I love them.
“So yeah, there it is. I’ve not changed, I’m still me, I’m still the same person I’ve always been, I’m just becoming a little bit less scared of being myself, and that makes me quite happy.”
The LGBT charity Stonewall supported Shelley’s decision not to label himself after a number of outlets reported he had come out as bisexual.
A spokesperson told The Independent: “Coming out can be a daunting experience for many, and so to choose to do so in front of the public and invite them to share this is incredibly brave. It’s important we acknowledge that not all people come out as lesbian, gay, bi or trans. Some choose other labels while others reject all and any labels entirely.
“Seeing an increasing number of celebrities do this is great as it means that more young people feel more comfortable in being themselves. Seeing media outlets mislabel or presume labels of someone, however, does nothing to help this, and can be incredibly damaging.”
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