No, Zayn Malik didn’t just come out as gay – none of One Direction are
No, Zayn Malik has not come out as gay (Getty Images)
Former One Direction member Zayn Malik is the latest famous face to come out as gay, if you believe social media.
X, formerly Twitter, is ablaze with people questioning the singer’s sexuality after he posed for a photo with podcast host Zach Sang, who is gay. The photo was posted by Sang on Instagram from an Amazon Music event.
He captioned the post: “Broooooklyn… comment if you were at the listening hang today!” Among those commenting was Malik, who wrote: “I was there.”
The black and white photo made it to X, with one post claiming: “Zayn and Zach Sang announcing that they are together via IG.” The post has been viewed more than 8.6million times and countless people in the replies have been asking if it’s true.
Which, no, of course it isn’t.
One Direction gay rumours
Former X Factor group One Direction have been surrounded by rumours that the members are gay or in secret relationships with each other since the start of their careers.
So-called fan “ships” still now in 2026 have some 1D fans completely convinced that Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles are in a relationship, with the fictional couple known as “Larry Stylinson”.
Tomlinson, who is dating former Love Island star Zara McDermott, has repeatedly tried to shut down the claims, telling one fan on social media: “Larry is the biggest load of b******* I’ve ever heard. I’m happy why can’t you accept that?”
Despite this, the rumours continue. And Tomlinson is tired of trying to stop them.
He told G1 in 2024: “There is nothing I can do to stop those who believe in this conspiracy. They are so connected to what they believe that they will not see the truth for what it really is.”
What has Zayn said?
Even earlier, in 2015 after going solo, Zayn Malik, who shares daughter Khai with his ex Gigi Hadid, firmly shut down any sort of gay rumours about him and his former bandmates.
He told Fader: “There’s no secret relationships going on with any of the band members.
“It’s not funny, and it still continues to be quite hard for them. They won’t naturally go put their arm around each other because they’re conscious of this thing that’s going on, which is not even true. They won’t do that natural behaviour.
“But it’s just the way fans are. They’re so passionate, and once they get their head around an idea, that’s the way it is regardless of anything.”
However he added: “If it wasn’t for that passionate, like, almost obsession, then we wouldn’t have the success that we had.”
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