We Can't Stop Wonrg if Sufjan Stevens Sgs About God or Beg Gay

sufjan stevens gay

There is a specific queer lonels the mic of Sufjan Stevens that has ma him a central cultural figure to a generatn of queer people—cis gay men, pecially—wh an affy for melancholy. Though his songs of regret, tortured silenc, and lov lost to time and circumstance are universal their…

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DID SUFJAN STEVENS JT COME OUT?THE "ILLOIS" SGER HAS RELEASED A NEW EP AND T-SHIRT FOR PRI.BY CHRISTOPHER RUDOLPHMAY 29, 2019/10:30 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:2205PX;WIDTH:3308PX;}KEV WTER/GETTY IMAGHOLLYWOOD, CA - MARCH 04: MICIAN SUFJAN STEVENS PERFORMS ONSTAGE DURG THE 90TH ANNUAL AMY AWARDS AT THE DOLBY THEATRE AT HOLLYWOOD & HIGHLAND CENTER ON MARCH 4, 2018 HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA. (PHOTO BY KEV WTER/GETTY IMAG)BY CHRISTOPHER RUDOLPHMAY 29, 2019 / 10:30 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"DID SUFJAN STEVENS JT COME OUT?","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2019-05-29T14:30:29.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2019-05-29T14:30:29.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"CHRISTOPHER RUDOLPH","KEYWORDS":"PRI"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SUFJAN STEVENS' MIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN NSIRED PART OF THE QUEER MIC NON—BUT WHAT ABOUT THE ARTIST HIMSELF?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LISTENERS HAVE WONRED FOR YEARS IF STEVENS WAS SGG ABOUT GOD OR BEG GAY, AND WHILE THE ILLOIS SGER HAS NEVER FORMALLY E OUT, HE DID JT RELEASE A NEW EP FOR PRI MONTH, ALONG WH A PRI SHIRT HE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"IN CELEBRATN OF PRI MONTH, SUFJAN STEVENS IS RELEASG TWO NEW SONGS ON THE TOPIC OF LOVE: 'LOVE YOURSELF' AND 'WH MY WHOLE HEART,' AVAILABLE ON LIMED-EDN 7” VYL LATE JUNE AND ON ALL DIGAL PLATFORMS MAY 29, 2019," READS STEVENS' NEW"LOVE YOURSELF" {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"'LOVE YOURSELF' IS BASED ON A SKETCH SUFJAN WROTE 20 YEARS AGO. THE ORIGAL 4-TRACK MO HE RERD 1996 IS CLUD AS WELL AS A SHORT STMENTAL REPRISE. 'WH MY WHOLE HEART' IS A PLETELY NEW SONG THAT SUFJAN WROTE AS A PERSONAL CHALLENGE TO 'WRE AN UPBEAT AND SCERE LOVE SONG WHOUT NFLICT, ANXIETY, OR SELF-PRETN.'"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}STEVENS ALSO SIGNED A SUPER CUTE NEW PRI T-SHIRT THAT SAYS HIS NAME DIFFERENT RABOW LORS—BUT ACT QUICKLY BEE ONLY 800 SHIRTS ARE AVAILABLE, AND THEY WON'T SHIP UNTIL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}*ADDS TO RT*{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}A PORTN OF THE PROCEEDS OM THE EP AND T-SHIRT WILL SUPPORT TWO ANIZATNS THAT HELP HOMELS QUEER YOUTH: THE ALI FORNEY CENTER NEW YORK AND THE RUTH ELLIS CENTER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}STEVENS ALSO NTRIBUTED SONGS TO THE SOUNDTRACK FOR CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, WHICH GARNERED HIM AN OSR NOMATN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;PADDG-BOTTOM:56.49999999999999%;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:100% !IMPORTANT;WIDTH:100% !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CONTRIBUTG MIC TO THE CALL ME BY YOUR NAME SOUNDTRACK AND DROPPG A NEW PRI EP? IS EVINCE POTG TOWARD STEVENS G OUT?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHATEVER THE SE, WE'RE STILL BUYG THAT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

A year later on the Illois song The Predatory Wasp of the Palisas is Out to Get Us!, his narrator sang of a swim a lake wh a male iend, endg a gay 45, Stevens has cled ever to discs his romantic life publicly, nor this theme his work, and is possible the referenc are non-tobgraphil. Regardls, he has amassed a large LGBTQ+ fanbase who celebrated that EP as his most pronounced acknowledgement of gay rights yet, at a time when those rights have been brought dangeroly unr is this troubled state of the world – upled wh a sense of “havg exorcised all my personal grief” on Carrie and Lowell – that has given Stevens this new outlook. Listeners have wonred for years if Stevens was sgg about God or beg gay, and while the Illois sger has never formally e out, he did jt release a new EP for Pri month, along wh a Pri shirt he signed.

There is a specific queer lonels the mic of Sufjan Stevens that has ma him a central cultural figure to a generatn of queer people—cis gay men, pecially—wh an affy for melancholy. Though his songs of regret, tortured silenc, and lov lost to time and circumstance are universal their exploratns of sadns, somethg about his vague, almost nervo referenc to men he’s loved and unnsummated near-flgs make his mic pecially evotive to gay men.

There are songs that n be terpreted as laments over unrequed gay love (“All of Me Wants All of You”), self-loathg (“Dumb I Sound”), and stggl wh one’s sexualy (“Futile Devic”).

WE CAN'T STOP WONRG IF SUFJAN STEVENS SGS ABOUT GOD OR BEG GAY

Though I unrstand the impulse to separate mic om mician and let a listener’s terpretatn tmp an artist’s tent (all that matters, I’m often told, is that I thk ’s sad gay mic), I also unrstand why someone would listen to a song by Sufjan Stevens and speculate about his sexualy, particularly if they’re yearng—perhaps sperately—to see somethg of themselv wh of the few knowable thgs about Stevens, as both a person and artist, is his fah. ” But the nversatn ends there, creatg the sort of ambiguy that leads to qutns like “Is this Sufjan Stevens song gay or jt about God, ” which happens to be the name of a popular Facebook group created to explore the terwoven them of romantic and spirual love found his more equently examed songs like “To Be Alone Wh You” and “John My Beloved” nta both vague pronoun age and explic referenc to J Christ and other biblil figur, few are as timate as “The Predatory Wasp of the Palisas Is Out to Get Us! ” is as close to explicly gay as Stevens has ever gotten, but (there’s always a but) exists si a ncept album about a state which he never lived, and is named after a state park where he never swam.

Even on his sadst album, 2015's geo and lite Carrie & Lowell, the subjects of sexualy and relign dance arm arm, renrg impossible to tell which is takg the unlike the tratg vaguens found openly gay pop star Sam Smh’s lyrics—whose lack of genr-specific pronouns often read as bs cisns—Stevens’s lyrics are far too earnt and wrenchg to feel like a dodge.

Though might trate gay dienc who have a hard time not projectg our own liv onto the mic of their favore artists, more fivg listeners uld terpret Stevens’s lyrics as thoughtful, progrsive mentary on the fluidy of sire.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* SUFJAN STEVENS GAY

We Can't Stop Wonrg if Sufjan Stevens Sgs About God or Beg Gay.

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