Rising sensation Kit Connor, well-known and beloved for his role in the Netflix series Heartstopper, offers advice on navigating the challenges of disclosing one’s identity.
Kit Connor is an inspiration to us all! As he skyrocketed to fame, he dealt with the constant gaze and judgment of millions. Last year, some harsh critics accused him of queerbaiting in his role as Nick Nelson. He was only 18 back then and hadn’t shared his own sexuality publicly. But the internet was demanding answers, highlighting the challenges of handling such public scrutiny.
“I’m bi,” Connor eventually posted online. “Congrats for forcing an 18-year-old to out himself. I think some of you missed the point of the show. Bye.” He then deleted that account.
Kit Connor Reflects on His Coming Out
Now, Connor is reclaiming his voice and speaking about his sexuality and coming out on his own terms. In an interview with Jonathan Anderson for Interview Magazine, He addressed both the circumstances and the emotions of being “pushed” out of the closet.
“I found it very disappointing, especially given my age – although I don’t think that it should be something that is speculated on at any age. I really wanted to have that boundary,” he said.
“What I learned from that experience is that there are certain things I want to keep private in my life. I’ve also learned that people are always going to have something to say.
“Even with me coming out, people will still have something to say –whether they believe me or not, whether they suddenly think, ‘Oh, now he can play straight roles?’ But whatever they say, they’re going to say something.”
A Year Wiser
Connor also offered advice to anyone who may be feeling the same pressure he did, and how he might handle it now.
“I’ve met certain people in the last year-abouts who are going through this kind of thing, where they’ve been in a show that’s blown up or something like that, and they’ve suddenly found themselves in this world where there are a lot of eyes on them. Who you are as a person is suddenly really important to people. There’s something really weird and just wrong about it. Human beings are only really designed to meet a certain amount of people in our lives—to be known by and know a certain amount of people—and the concept that suddenly we’re known by millions is really overwhelming.
“But the advice I would give is, again, what I’ve tried to teach myself over the last year—just that people will always talk. And it’s not necessary to fit into these boxes that people are going to try to fit you into. So I suppose I would tell anyone in a similar situation to just try to be who you are, and try to be aware of the fact that no matter who you are, someone’s going to be upset by it somehow.”
Feeling Empowered
While initially expressing he felt “forced” to come out, Connor later conveyed a shifted perspective in his conversation with British Vogue.
“I think ‘forced’ isn’t the right word I would use, but I would say that I would have preferred to do it another way,” he explained.
“I also don’t know if I would have ever done it. But at the end of the day, I don’t regret it. In many ways, it was really empowering.”
Read the full interview with Interview Magazine to learn what a typical day for Kit Connor looks like and who he has fallen in love with while on set.
Heartstopper season one and two are now streaming on Netflix.
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