• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer
  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!
  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

Beth Ditto, Escaped Bible Belt, ‘got to make music… being openly queer, being fat and being femme,’ Felt Duty To Help Teens Come Out

Towleroad June 2, 2021 Leave a Comment

 
Published by
BANG Showbiz
 
beth ditto

Beth Ditto felt as though she had “a duty to show other queer kids from small towns” that they could be out and proud once she found fame with her band Gossip.

The ‘Standing in the Way of Control' singer grew up in a Southern Baptist area of Arkansas, which makes up part of what is known as the ‘Bible Belt', a region of the Southern United States in which socially conservative Christianity plays a strong role in society and politics.

Beth – who moved out of her family home, which she shared with her mother and six siblings, to live with her aunt when she was just 13 – struggled to come out as a lesbian due to her Christian upbringing and she felt it was her responsibility to help other LGBTQ teenagers who might be experiencing the same discrimination she faced.

Writing in an article for TheGuardian.com, she said: “From a young age I wanted to do something that involved helping others, but I just didn't know what it would be. Once I left Arkansas, I saw things more clearly. I saw that coming from a place in the Bible belt, below the Mason-Dixon line – a place where you're being constantly reminded that God is watching and judging you – I had a duty to show other queer kids from small towns that it is possible to get the f*** out of there. When we started Gossip, this was the message I wanted to put out – that it's easier than you think to escape situations that make you feel wrong or ugly or gross, or like you're going to hell, that the world is bigger than you think, that you can be queer and be yourself and be happy.”

Beth, 40, has never fully comfortable being a “role model” to the LGBTQ community but she us happy to accept that title.

The musician is also pleased that there are now so many more openly gay, trans and non-binary stars than when she was growing up because it is so important that they are visible.

She said: “I'd say ‘role model' was never a comfortable term for me, because I haven't always said stuff in the right way, especially as I don't come from an academic background. I've also changed my mind over the years; we're only human and movements evolve and we keep learning. (Besides, who wants to be quoted when they're turning 40 about something they said when they were 21?) But I'm very lucky I got to make music for a living, and I got to do it being openly queer, being fat and being femme.

“In the 2000s, there weren't so many queer role models as there are today. We've especially opened up in terms of gender – the number of people who publicly identify as trans and non-binary is growing and that's got to expand the way we think about gender in the most amazing way. But I think we still need more. We're still not done. We need more trans men to be visible. More trans women of colour. More trans men of colour.”

Beth Ditto previously on Towleroad

Ditto's biggest hit: ‘Standing in the Way of Control' with her band Gossip. Then a cover of George Michael's ‘Careless Whisper' that will make you realize you never focuses on how sad the song is and a deep cut to Ditto covering ‘Vogue' to piss off the Russians in a Moscow club. Always

video
play-rounded-fill
Link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybZzx4xs4JU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2x696X7nHjI

Topics: Entertainment, Living | Loving, Music, Society, towleroad More Posts About: Beth Ditto, coming out

Related Posts
  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer
  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out
  • Wayne Brady: Coming out as pansexual has changed my life
  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Mel B will “always be open” when it comes to her sexuality. The Spice Girls singer, 48, who reunited with her bandmates including the group's ex-singer Victoria Beckham for the fashion …Read More »
  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Megan Thee Stallion is being sued for allegedly creating a hostile work environment and forcing her cameraman to watch her having lesbian sex. The 29-year-old ‘Savage' rapper faces the salacious claims …Read More »
  • Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Jonathan Bennett's life was “changed forever” by his role in ‘Mean Girls'. The 42-year-old actor starred as heartthrob Aaron Samuels in the 2004 cult classic – which followed Lindsay Lohan, Rachel …Read More »
  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass a gift basket after he came out as gay. The 44-year-old NSYNC star revealed the legendary singer showed his support when Lance decided to reveal …Read More »
Previous Post: « What’s Your Pleasure? Art Circuit? LatinX Foodie? Hot Pride Dance Dad? Pick 2 of 15 Hot Events In Miami Open This Year… to Start
Next Post: Vogueing Protesters Use Harlem Ball Moves in Bogota, Make NYTimes. Can ‘Drag Race’ Train Special Forces To Fight Global Fascism? »

Primary Sidebar

Most Recent

  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer

    Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer

  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

  • Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

  • Relationship status influences heterosexual women’s sexual prejudice towards lesbians

    Relationship status influences heterosexual women’s sexual prejudice towards lesbians

  • JoJo Siwa had a challenge transitioning to new grown-up image

    JoJo Siwa had a challenge transitioning to new grown-up image

  • Liz Hurley defends lesbian sex scene in new movie that was directed by her son

    Liz Hurley defends lesbian sex scene in new movie that was directed by her son

Partner Links

  • OMG, WATCH: Google’s Veo 3 turns the “Distracted Boyfriend” meme to life in new AI video
    Google‘s Veo 3 has summoned the fires of Hell, wasted oceans-full […]
  • Two-time Tony winner Donna Murphy publicly support LuPone-bashed Audra McDonald and Kecia Lewis
    I’m a tremendous Patti LuPone fan as readers of this blog […]
  • On the Rag, Vol. 859
     This week's rag 'n' mag roundup features Vlad Parker, Ashley Parker, David […]
  • OMG, WATCH: Charli xcx wants a Final Destination series with ‘It Girls’
    @charlixcx just a thought.. ♬ original sound – Charli XCX Charli […]
  • OMG, new music: Lorde releases video for ‘Man Of The Year’
    The second single from the forthcoming album is “an offering from […]

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy
[towleroadmr] [towleroadtn]

Footer

Ptown Hacks 2018

Read

  • Travel
  • Film
  • Law – LGBT Rights
  • Columns
  • Specials

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 · Log in

×
×