Singer-songwriter Billie Eilish recently opened up about her sexuality, stating that the personal revelation about her identity was not meant to be a public declaration or a grand gesture. She answered a reporter’s question at a Variety’s Hitmakers event regarding her Power of Women feature, where she said she was physically attracted to women.
When asked whether she intended to ‘come out’ as part of the article, she answered, “No, I didn’t.” Eilish furthered her statement and expressed her surprise, “But I thought, ‘Wasn’t it obvious?’ I didn’t realize people didn’t know… I don’t really believe in it.”
While slightly apprehensive, she remained positive: “But I saw the article, and I was like, ‘Oh, I guess I came out today.’ Okay, cool. It’s exciting because I guess people didn’t know, but it’s cool that they know.” She clarified once again, “I am for the girls.”
‘Queerbaiting’ allegations
Previously, the artist faced accusations of ‘queerbaiting,’ a term for a marketing tactic used by celebrities who hint at LGBTQ+ representation to attract queer audiences. Eilish defended herself by stating, “Why can’t we just exist? I’ve been doing this for a long time and I just didn’t talk about it. Whoops.”
These claims were leveraged in 2021, after she teased her ‘Lost Cause’ music video on Instagram, sharing behind-the-scenes photos of her partying with her female background dancers and declaring her love for ‘girls,’ an act that has since sparked debates about the authenticity of her LGBTQ+ imagery and ambiguous statements about her sexuality.
During the aforementioned Power of Women interview with Variety’s Katcy Stephan for a November profile, Eilish openly discussed her attraction towards women, simultaneously combating the ‘queerbaiting’ allegations and revealing her sentiments on the matter.
Complex Feelings
The singer-songwriter mentioned that when it came to her female peers, “I never really felt like I could relate to girls very well.” Although, she added, “I love them so much. I love them as people. I’m attracted to them as people. I’m attracted to them for real.” At the same time, however, Eilish states, “I’m also so intimidated by them and their beauty and presence.”
At the Hitmakers event held on Saturday, Billie Eilish was honored with the Film Song of the Year award for her popular track ‘What Was I Made For’ from the hit Barbie movie. The song is especially fitting for a significant scene in the film where Margot Robbie’s character undergoes a transformative journey into womanhood, mirroring Eilish’s own path of self-discovery.
At the event, when Eilish was asked by Variety’s Tiana DeNicola for her feelings on women now, the artist joked, “I’m still scared of them, but I think they’re pretty.”
