IF YOU’RE A fan of Shawn Mendes, you’ll know that an inordinate amount of time has been devoted to the online discussion of his sexuality.

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Is he straight? Is he gay? Maybe he’s bi? Perhaps he’s pansexual? What did that voice intonation suggest? What did that gesture imply?

To a great many of us, the constant analysis seems absurd, but that doesn’t stop it happening, and the scrutiny that has surrounded 20-year-old’s Shawn’s sexuality since his rise to public prominence in 2013 has had a bigger impact on him than the press and public may have realised.

“I’d like to say I don’t care about it, but that’s not true,” he told Rolling Stone in an exceptionally candid interview.

In fact, the Canadian-native admitted that he has considered setting up photos of himself with a woman in order to quell the rumours that he’s gay.

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“In the back of my heart, I feel like I need to go be seen with someone — like a girl — in public, to prove to people that I’m not gay,” he told the publication.

Shawn is transparent while discussing the topic, and acknowledges that while he knows he shouldn’t be affected by the narrative, he is.

Even though in my heart I know that it’s not a bad thing. There’s still a piece of me that thinks that. And I hate that side of me.

Commenting on the online discourse which is dedicated to his sexuality, Shawn tells the publication that it can overwhelm him at times, and he empathises with anyone who is fearful of coming out.

I thought, ‘You f*cking guys are so lucky I’m not actually gay and terrified of coming out. That’s something that kills people. That’s how sensitive it is.”

“Do you like the songs? Do you like me? Who cares if I’m gay?” he added, by way of response to those insistent on analysing his every move.

Last year, the Stitches singer made a point of addressing the scrutiny by recording a Snapchat story in which he said:

First of all, I’m not gay. Second of all, it shouldn’t make a difference if I was or wasn’t.

While Shawn shouldn’t have to answer to anyone, he admits he feels compelled to, but ultimately accepts that anyone who puts greater precedence on his personal life over his performances may need to reevaluate their priorities.

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