Hayley Kiyoko Says She Was Overwhelmed With Support After Coming Out

Kiyoko has said that she felt like she should be doing more to support the LGBTQ community…
 
Hayley Kiyoko was inundated with support after she came out as a lesbian. During a panel at the Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter’s Pride Summit, the 28-year-old singer discussed the support she received at the beginning of her career and how putting a label on her sexuality has helped so many others who were struggling with their identity.
 
“I didn’t want a label at all, but once I released my music, there was this out pour of support for the fact that I did like girls,” Kiyoko shared. “I learned that by embracing my label as a lesbian, I was helping normalise that for so many other people.”
 
Known to fans as the lesbian Jesus, Hayley Kiyoko has been helping set a benchmark for queer representation in pop music since the 2015 release of her single and music video “Girls Like Girls.” The pop singer-songwriter has previously said that she came to identify as gay at age 6.
 
Kiyoko also admitted that sometimes, being an advocate for LGBTQ rights and equality can become too much.
 
“Sometimes you get overwhelmed: I’m not doing enough, I’m not saying enough. I just focus on keeping people alive. If you can inspire hope and give light when people are in that darkness, they will help you make this world a better place,” she added.