Abbott Elementary star Tyler James Williams is responding to rumors that he is gay — and speaking out against speculating on someone’s sexuality.
Over the weekend, the actor took to Instagram Stories to confirm that, contrary to some speculation, he is “not gay.” Williams, 30, went on to explain why “overanalyzing” others and trying to guess their sexuality is a “very dangerous” practice, both because it limits how straight men such as himself behave, and leaves LGBTQ individuals or those questioning their sexuality feeling “less safe.”
“Usually I wouldn’t address stuff like this but I feel like it as a conversation is bigger than me,” Williams, who plays Gregory on the hit ABC sitcom, wrote. “I’m not gay; but I think the culture of trying to ‘find’ some kind of hidden trait or behavior that a closeted person ‘let slip’ is very dangerous.
“Overanalyzing someone’s behavior in an attempt to ‘catch’ them directly contributes to the anxiety a lot of queer and queer-questioning people feel when they fear living in their truth,” the former Everybody Hates Chris star continued. “It makes the most pedestrian of conversations and interactions in spaces feel less safe in our gay brothers and sister and those who may be questioning.
“It also reinforces an archetype many straight men have to live under that is often times unrealistic, less free and limits individual expression,” added Williams, who has become a red carpet favorite thanks to his willingness to stray from traditional menswear looks. “I’ve been very clear about the intentionality I try to put into using my platform to push back against those archetypes every chance that I get.”
The Golden Globe winner continued, “Being straight doesn’t look one way. Being gay doesn’t look one way. And what may seem like harmless fun and conversation may actually be sending a dangerous message to those struggling with real issues. I refuse to inadvertently contribute to that message.”
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Williams signed off by sharing a white heart emoji and wishing a “happy Pride to all of my queer and questioning brothers, sisters and individuals.”
He added, “I pray that you feel seen in ways that make you feel safe in the celebration that is this month. As an ally I continue to be committed to assisting in that where I can and helping to cultivate a future where we are all accepted and given permission to be ourselves.”
In an interview with GQ in March, Williams shared that he was single, and spoke about his struggle to date given his fame and the preconceived notions others might have around him. As a former child star who grew up on camera, Williams also shared how went to therapy to work on his sense of “hypervigilance.”
“I still get triggered by things that are part of everybody else’s childhood,” he told the magazine. “Every time someone comes up to me, regardless of what it is they recognize me for, what that says to me in the moment is that I’m seen. I have to be on, immediately, because someone’s watching. Hypervigilance was one of the things that we had to tackle, because I would be listening to everyone’s conversation in a room. I could hear my name being brought up from two, three tables down. I could see how many people clocked me when I walked in the door. And that’s not healthy.”
