Lil Nas X shares true feelings on his sexuality: ‘It really bothered me’
Lil Nas X. (Getty/Emma McIntyre)
Lil Nas X. (Image: Getty/Emma McIntyre)
Lil Nas X has spoken candidly about how he labels his sexuality on TS Madison’s Outlaws podcast, saying he’s gay but “99%” attracted to men, while acknowledging occasional feelings for women.
During the interview, which was filmed in February 2025, before he was arrested in August that year, he discussed his attractions and the possibility of it changing. The rapper said: “I’m gay, but if something happens, I’m not going to stop myself,” before adding: “But mostly I 99% lean towards men.”
He also clarified he’s “never had sex with a girl”, but has had “feelings” for women which were mostly emotional and “not sexual”.
Lil Nas X reflected on the reaction he faced after coming out, saying it initially hit him harder than he expected. “At first it really bothered me,” he said, adding that he was surprised by how much people cared about his sexuality.
He went on to describe the impact of intense scrutiny, saying it made him feel “paranoid” and “afraid to move too much or be seen too much”. He added: “I felt like the entire world was against me.”
Support for Lil Nas X
During the conversation, TS Madison asked Lil Nas X about the support he had around him, including whether he had LGBTQ+ people in his life he could lean on.
He replied: “If I’m being like super honest, like for like the past seven, eight, nine, I don’t know how many long months, I kind of got away from everybody.” He added: “Even like my team and everything, I kind of got rid of everybody. And I’m just now bringing people like back on board.”
Self-love and scrutiny
Lil Nas X said rebuilding his confidence required renewed inner work. “I had to really go on a self-love journey again, and more than ever this time, and really accept every single part of me, whether I perceive it as good or bad, and stop trying to force change in myself all the time,” he said.
He broke through globally with ‘Old Town Road’ (2019) and came out as gay during Pride Month that year. He is known for high-concept visuals, including the Montero (Call Me By Your Name) era, and has repeatedly addressed homophobia and the pressures of visibility.
He was arrested in Los Angeles in August 2025 and charged with four felonies. Earlier this month, a California judge ruled the arrest was “aberrant from his normal conduct” and linked it to a bipolar diagnosis, with charges set to be dismissed if he follows a treatment plan and avoids breaking the law for two years.
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