T.J. Osborne Talks Brothers Osborne, Comg Out, and 'Younger Me'</tle><meta name="tle" ntent="T.J. Osborne Talks Brothers Osborne, Comg Out, and 'Younger Me'" /><meta name="scriptn" ntent="In the months sce g out, the Brothers Osborne star is rvg out a trail for gay men a way the genre hasn’t seen before." /><meta name="keywords" ntent /><meta property="og:type" ntent="webse" /><meta name="theme-lor" ntent="#000000" /><lk href="/_assets/sign-tokens/quire/static/imag/" rel="in" /><meta property="og:se_name" ntent="Esquire" /><meta name="fb:app_id" ntent="171874009543995" property="fb:app_id" /><meta name="article:publisher" ntent=" property="article:publisher" /><meta name="fb:pag" ntent="84169421673" property="fb:pag" /><meta name="twter:se" ntent="@Esquire" /><meta name="google-se-verifitn" ntent="1vf5i9wM7chlCFc_0XI_e-oCfDf4sEvp32sTGKokQ" /><meta property="og:tle" ntent="T.J. Osborne is Country. And He's Queer. Deal Wh It." /><meta property="og:scriptn" ntent="In the months sce g out, the untry star is rvg out a trail for gay men a way the genre hasn’t seen before." /><meta name="robots" ntent="max-image-preview:large,max-snippet:-1,max-vio-preview:30" /><lk rel="apple-touch-in" href="/_assets/sign-tokens/quire/static/imag/" /><meta property="og:image" ntent="" /><meta property="og:image:width" ntent="1200" /><meta property="og:image:height" ntent="600" /><meta name="thumbnail" ntent="" /><meta name="" ntent="" /><meta name="" ntent=" /><meta name="twter:image" ntent="" /><meta ntent=" property="og:url" /><meta name="to-publish" ntent="timely" /><meta property="og:type" ntent="article" /><meta name="twter:rd" ntent="summary_large_image" /><meta name="article:opn" property="article:opn" /><meta ntent="Mic" property="article:sectn" /><meta ntent="2021-11-01T23:56:18Z" property="article:modified_time" /><meta ntent="2021-06-25T11:00:00Z" property="article:published_time" /><meta name="sailth.excerpt" ntent="T.J. Osborne had a slight revelatn while speakg to Time Magaze this past Febary. “I told [wrer Sam Lansky], ‘Beg gay is a very small part of who I am. There are a lot of other thgs that I thk intify me.” A lot of say that when we’re" /><meta name="" ntent="entertament,Entertament,mic,Mic" /><meta name="" ntent="2021-06-25 11:00:00" /><meta name="sailth.socialtle" ntent="T.J. Osborne is Country. And He's Queer. Deal Wh It." /><meta name="ntenttype" ntent="standard-article" /><meta id="m1" name="m1" emProp="cssSelector " ntent=".ntent-hed" /><meta id="m2" name="m2" emProp="cssSelector" ntent=".ntent-k p" /><lk href="/" emSpe emType=" emRef="m1 m2" /><lk rel="preload" as="image" image-src-set=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" image-siz="100vw" /><lk rel="prefetch" href="" as="image" /><lk rel="prefetch" href="" as="image" /><lk rel="prefetch" href="" as="image" /><lk rel="preload" as="image" image-src-set=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" image-siz="100vw" /><meta name="next-head-unt" ntent="50" /><meta name="next-font-prennect" /><script id="vice-tect" data-nscript="beforeInteractive">(()=>{nst o="ontouchstart" wdow||!!navigator.maxTouchPots||("__touch"),t=wdow.matchMedia("only screen and (max-width: 767px)").match,n=o&&t,i=o&&!t,e=[n?"mobile":"no-mobile",i?"tablet":"no-tablet",o?"touch":"no-touch"];,,,sktop=!(n||i),(...e)})();</script><script id="settgs" data-nscript="beforeInteractive">wdow.__FRE={env:"productn",ver:"0.7.349",cdn:te},wdow.__SITE={brand:"quire",doma:",dk:"aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZXNxdWlyZS5jb::20=",lole:"en-",lole_path:"",trailg_slash:te},feProperti(wdow,{SELF_HOSTED_ADS:{value:te,wrable:!1},ADSFREE:{value:false,wrable:!1},GDPR:{value:false,wrable:!1}});</script><lk rel="preload" href="/_assets/e/_next/static/css/" as="style" /><lk rel="stylheet" href="/_assets/e/_next/static/css/" /><noscript data-n-css></noscript><script fer noModule src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script id="moapt-data-bundle" src="/_assets/moapt/2.107.0/" async fetchprry="high" data-nscript="beforeInteractive"></script><script id="moapt-bundle" src="/_assets/moapt/2.107.0/" async fetchprry="high" data-nscript="beforeInteractive"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script fer src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/"></script><script src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/" fer></script><script src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/" fer></script><script src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/" fer></script><script src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/pag/" fer></script><script src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/" fer></script><script src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/" fer></script><script src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/" fer></script><script src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/" fer></script><script src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/" fer></script><script src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/" fer></script><script src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/" fer></script><script src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/" fer></script><script src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/" fer></script><script src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/" fer></script><script src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/" fer></script><script src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/" fer></script><script src="/_assets/e/_next/static/chunks/pag/_templat/" fer></script><script src="/_assets/e/_next/static/445d248690/" fer></script><script src="/_assets/e/_next/static/445d248690/" fer></script><lk rel="preload" href="/_assets/sign-tokens/quire/static/fonts/Lsanne-550.e9ff2bf.woff2" as="font" type="font/woff2" crossOrig="anonymo" /><script id="lux">LUX=(functn(){nst a=(typeof(LUX)!=="unfed"&&typeof(LUX.gaMarks)!=="unfed"?LUX.gaMarks:[]);nst d=(typeof(LUX)!=="unfed"&&typeof(LUX.gaMeasur)!=="unfed"?LUX.gaMeasur:[]);nst j="LUX_start";nst k=wdow.performance;let l=(typeof(LUX)!=="unfed"&&(():+(new Date())));if(k&&){}functn f(){if(k&&){return ()}nst ():+(new Date());return o-l}functn b(n){if(k){if(){return (n)}if(k.webkMark){return k.webkMark(n)}}({name:n,entryType:"mark",startTime:f(),duratn:0});}functn m(p,t,n){if(typeof(t)==="unfed"&&h(j)){t=j}if(k){if(k.measure){if(t){if(n){return k.measure(p,t,n)}return k.measure(p,t)}return k.measure(p)}if(k.webkMeasure){return k.webkMeasure(p,t,n)}}let r=0; let o=f();if(t){nst s=h(t);if(s){r=s.startTime}else if(k&&[t]){[t]}else{return}}if(n){nst q=h(n);if(q){o=q.startTime}else if(k&&[n]){[n]}else{return}}({name:p,entryType:"measure",startTime:r,duratn:(o-r)});}functn h(n){return c(n,g())}functn c(p,o){for(;i>=0;i--){nst n=o[i];if(){return n}}return unfed}functn g(){if(k){if(k.getEntriByType){return k.getEntriByType("mark")}if(k.webkGetEntriByType){return k.webkGetEntriByType("mark")}}return a}return{mark:b,measure:m,gaMarks:a,gaMeasur:d}})();(():+(new Date()));[];(a){(a)};(){([""])};(){(["send"])};LUX.addData=functn(a,b){(["addData",a,b])};LUX_ae=[];wdow.addEventListener("error",functn(a){(a)});LUX_al=[];if(typeof(PerformanceObserver)==="functn"&&typeof(PerformanceLongTaskTimg)==="functn"){nst LongTaskObserver=new PerformanceObserver(functn(c){nst b=c.getEntri();for(let a=0;a<;a++){nst d=b[a];(d)}});try{LongTaskObserver.observe({type:["longtask"]})}tch(e){}}; = "StandardArticle";</script><style type="text/css" id="ferred-fonts" media="none">@font-face {font-fay: 'Inter'; src: url('/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/fonts/ter-v3-lat-regular.c8ad008.woff2') format('woff2'); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-display: swap;} @font-face {font-fay: 'Glanz'; src: url('/_assets/sign-tokens/quire/static/fonts/Glanz-Medium.ae4cfa9.woff2') format('woff2'); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-display: swap;} @font-face {font-fay: 'Charter'; src: url('/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/fonts/e4fc2e26-0ce1-4e6c-bb35-330c133f041c.c08ce2c.woff2') format('woff2'); font-weight: 400; font-style: alic; font-display: swap;} @font-face {font-fay: 'Charter'; src: url('/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/fonts/74c2aebb-af4a-4c7d-a7f5-2db2c73334eb.c4fa4.woff2') format('woff2'); font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-display: swap;} @font-face {font-fay: 'Charter'; src: url('/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/fonts/e38fddd1-89a4-4995-9f7f-3c701b2e62f1.dd7387f.woff2') format('woff2'); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-display: swap;} @font-face {font-fay: 'Lsanne'; src: url('/_assets/sign-tokens/quire/static/fonts/Lsanne-550-Italic.026a034.woff2') format('woff2'); font-weight: 400; font-style: alic; font-display: swap;} </style><script type="text/javascript" id="font-loar">(()=>{nst{search:o}=wdow.lotn;if(clus("disableFonts"))return;nst e=clus("bugFonts")?()=>({}),n=document,t=[],s=o=>("> FONT FAILED TO LOAD:",o),d=o=>o,{fontsLoad:a}=ssnStorage;if(!("fonts" n)||a){nst o=n.getElementById("ferred-fonts");return o&&("all"),void(a&&(e("> LOADING FONTS FROM CACHE"),((o=>{(()(d)(s))})),(t)((()=>{e("> FONTS LOADED FROM CACHE"),("fonts-load")}))))}wdow.addEventListener("DOMContentLoad",(()=>{[{"fay":"Inter","src":"/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/fonts/ter-v3-lat-regular.c8ad008.woff2","format":"woff2","scriptors":{"weight":400,"display":"swap","style":"normal"}},{"fay":"Glanz","src":"/_assets/sign-tokens/quire/static/fonts/Glanz-Medium.ae4cfa9.woff2","format":"woff2","scriptors":{"weight":400,"display":"swap","style":"normal"}},{"fay":"Charter","src":"/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/fonts/e4fc2e26-0ce1-4e6c-bb35-330c133f041c.c08ce2c.woff2","format":"woff2","scriptors":{"weight":400,"display":"swap","style":"alic"}},{"fay":"Charter","src":"/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/fonts/74c2aebb-af4a-4c7d-a7f5-2db2c73334eb.c4fa4.woff2","format":"woff2","scriptors":{"weight":"bold","display":"swap","style":"normal"}},{"fay":"Charter","src":"/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/fonts/e38fddd1-89a4-4995-9f7f-3c701b2e62f1.dd7387f.woff2","format":"woff2","scriptors":{"weight":400,"display":"swap","style":"normal"}},{"fay":"Lsanne","src":"/_assets/sign-tokens/quire/static/fonts/Lsanne-550-Italic.026a034.woff2","format":"woff2","scriptors":{"weight":400,"display":"swap","style":"alic"}}].forEach((({fay:o,src:e,format:n="woff",scriptors:a={}})=>{(new FontFace(o,`url('${e}') format('${n}')`,a)()(d)(s))})),(t)((o=>{e("> FONTS LOADED"),o.forEach((o=>o&&(o))),("fonts-load"),ssnStorage.fontsLoad=!0}))}))})();</script></head><body><style data-emotn="css-global 1km10">html{le-height:1.15;-webk-text-size-adjt:100%;}body{marg:0;}ma{display:block;}h1{font-size:2em;marg:0.67em 0;}hr{box-sizg:ntent-box;height:0;overflow:visible;}pre{font-fay:monospace,monospace;font-size:1em;}a{background-lor:transparent;}abbr[tle]{borr-bottom:none;-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;-webk-text-ratn:unrle dotted;text-ratn:unrle dotted;}b,strong{font-weight:bolr;},kbd,samp{font-fay:monospace,monospace;font-size:1em;}small{font-size:80%;}sub,sup{font-size:75%;le-height:0;posn:relative;vertil-align:basele;}sub{bottom:-0.25em;}sup{top:-0.5em;}img{borr-style:none;}button,put,optgroup,select,textarea{font-fay:her;font-size:100%;le-height:1.15;marg:0;}button,put{overflow:visible;}button,select{text-transform:none;}button,[type='button'],[type='ret'],[type='subm']{-webk-appearance:button;}button::-moz-foc-ner,[type='button']::-moz-foc-ner,[type='ret']::-moz-foc-ner,[type='subm']::-moz-foc-ner{borr-style:none;paddg:0;}button:-moz-focrg,[type='button']:-moz-focrg,[type='ret']:-moz-focrg,[type='subm']:-moz-focrg{outle:1px dotted ButtonText;}fieldset{paddg:0.35em 0.75em 0.625em;}legend{box-sizg:borr-box;lor:her;display:table;max-width:100%;paddg:0;whe-space:normal;}progrs{vertil-align:basele;}textarea{overflow:to;}[type='checkbox'],[type='rad']{box-sizg:borr-box;paddg:0;}[type='number']::-webk-ner-sp-button,[type='number']::-webk-outer-sp-button{height:to;}[type='search']{-webk-appearance:textfield;outle-offset:-2px;}[type='search']::-webk-search-ratn{-webk-appearance:none;}::-webk-file-upload-button{-webk-appearance:button;font:her;}tails{display:block;}summary{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-list-em;display:-ms-list-embox;display:list-em;}template{display:none;}[hidn]{display:none;}*{box-sizg:borr-box;}html{font-fay:sans-serif;-ms-text-size-adjt:100%;-webk-font-smoothg:antialiased;-webk-text-size-adjt:100%;scroll-behavr:smooth;overflow-x:hidn;overflow-y:to;}@media (prefers-rced-motn: rce){*{-webk-animatn-duratn:0.01ms!important;animatn-duratn:0.01ms!important;-webk-animatn-eratn-unt:1!important;animatn-eratn-unt:1!important;transn-duratn:0.01ms!important;scroll-behavr:to!important;}},{overflow:hidn;} #__next, #__next{overflow:hidn;}body{m-height:100vh;m-height:-webk-fill-available;}a{lor:her;}a:foc-visible{outle:0.125rem dotted;outle-offset:0.313rem;}button{lor:her;}img:-moz-loadg{lor:transparent;}.__rp-ntaer{posn:relative;-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;}.__rp-ntaer:before{ntent:'""';lor:transparent;display:block;width:100%;height:0;paddg-bottom:var(--aspect-rat, 100%);}.__rp-ntaer img:not( img):not(.filmstrip-image-wrapper img):not([data-dynamic-svg]),.__rp-ntaer vio{posn:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;m-width:100%;height:var(--height, to);max-height:100%;object-f:var(--object-f, ver);}.__rp-ntaer vio{object-f:nta;}.__rp-ntaer {posn:absolute;top:0;}. img[importance=to]{-webk-transn:opacy 0.3s lear;transn:opacy 0.3s lear;opacy:0;}. img[importance=to].lazyload{opacy:1;}{posn:absolute;left:-10000px,width:1px;height:1px;paddg:0;marg:-1px;overflow:hidn;clip:rect(0, 0, 0, 0);whe-space:nowrap;borr-width:0;}{-webk-background-size:ver;background-size:ver;-webk-background-posn:center;background-posn:center;}@media prt{{display:none!important;}}@font-face{font-fay:'Lsanne';src:url('/_assets/sign-tokens/quire/static/fonts/Lsanne-550.e9ff2bf.woff2') format('woff2');font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-display:swap;}[data-embed]:not(:fed){display:none;}[data-embed]:fed{display:-webk-var(--data-embed-display, block);display:var(--data-embed-display, block);}@font-face{font-fay:"Glanz-fallback";size-adjt:97.9;src:lol('Roboto');}@font-face{font-fay:"Lsanne-fallback";size-adjt:103.49999999999997;src:lol('Roboto');}</style><div id="__next"><style data-emotn="css-global ploijv">{clear:both;}@media (m-width: 90rem){():not([data-embed]="body-image"){clear:none;}}</style><sectn data-teractive="SiPanel-1" class="css-0 e7czha50"><style data-emotn="css 72meel">{visibily:hidn;ntent-visibily:hidn;background-lor:#F5F6F8;lor:#000;width:20rem;max-width:20rem;height:100%;overflow-x:hidn;overflow-y:scroll;posn:fixed;top:0rem;z-x:5999998;-webk-transn:-webk-transform 0.2s lear;transn:transform 0.2s lear;-webk-transform:translateX(-20rem);-moz-transform:translateX(-20rem);-ms-transform:translateX(-20rem);transform:translateX(-20rem);} >div{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;m-height:100%;-webk-flex-directn:lumn;-ms-flex-directn:lumn;flex-directn:lumn;} ~.sipanelToggleable{-webk-transform:ial;-moz-transform:ial;-ms-transform:ial;transform:ial;-webk-transn:-webk-transform 0.2s lear;transn:transform 0.2s lear;}{-webk-transform:translateX(0);-moz-transform:translateX(0);-ms-transform:translateX(0);transform:translateX(0);visibily:visible;ntent-visibily:to;} ~.sipanelToggleable{-webk-transform:translateX(20rem);-moz-transform:translateX(20rem);-ms-transform:translateX(20rem);transform:translateX(20rem);}@media(m-width: 90rem){ ~.sipanelToggleable{-webk-transform:translateX(7rem);-moz-transform:translateX(7rem);-ms-transform:translateX(7rem);transform:translateX(7rem);}}</style><nav id="sipanel" aria-hidn="te" class="new-sipanel-menu hidn css-72meel eqt11jm15"><div data-foc-lock-disabled="disabled" data-foc-lock="ma"><style data-emotn="css 3uwsu9">{marg:1rem 1rem 0 1rem;paddg:0 0.6rem;width:-webk-m-ntent;width:-moz-m-ntent;width:m-ntent;height:2.1875rem;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;} svg{fill:#000000;}</style><a href="/search/" class="css-3uwsu9 e1c1bym14"><style data-emotn="css fpbvzc">{height:1rem;width:1rem;}</style><svg alt="Search" tle="Search" data-dynamic-svg class="css-fpbvzc eqt11jm0"><e data-href="/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/ins/"></e></svg><style data-emotn="css 10myxgw">{paddg:1rem;lor:#000000;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.9375rem;le-height:1.9;}</style><span class="css-10myxgw eqt11jm14">Search</span></a><style data-emotn="css 19toa0d">{paddg:0.6rem;right:1.0625rem;top:1rem;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;posn:absolute;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;}</style><a href="#" aria-label="Close Sipanel" class="css-19toa0d e1c1bym14"><style data-emotn="css 1lgifh3">{width:1rem;height:1rem;fill:#000000;}</style><svg alt="Close" role="img" tle="Close" data-dynamic-svg class="css-1lgifh3 eqt11jm13"><e data-href="/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/ins/"></e></svg></a><style data-emotn="css xwjhf9">{marg:0.5rem 1rem 0.125rem;paddg:0rem;opacy:35%;height:0.0625rem;borr:0;width:to;background-lor:#000000;lor:#fff;}</style><hr class="css-xwjhf9 eqt11jm12" /><style data-emotn="css 1rf2j2e">{posn:relative;list-style:none;marg:0rem;paddg:0.6rem;-webk-flex:1 0 to;-ms-flex:1 0 to;flex:1 0 to;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.9375rem;le-height:1.9;} a{-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;}</style><ul class="css-1rf2j2e eqt11jm11"><style data-emotn="css 1fqyieb">{-webk-transn:background-lor 0.2s lear;transn:background-lor 0.2s lear;paddg:0 1rem;}{posn:relative;paddg:0.5rem 1rem;lor:#000000;-webk-transn:paddg 0.3s lear,background-lor 0.2s lear;transn:paddg 0.3s lear,background-lor 0.2s lear;}{paddg:0.5rem 1rem 0;background-lor:#ffffff;lor:#000;}{outle:0.0625rem solid black;}@media (any-hover: hover){{background-lor:#ffffff;lor:#000;}}</style><li class="nav-em css-1fqyieb eqt11jm9"><style data-emotn="css 75z2gz">{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;posn:relative;width:100%;height:2.875rem;lor:#000000;-webk-transn:lor 0.2s lear;transn:lor 0.2s lear;} {height:unset;display:le;-webk-align-ems:unset;-webk-box-align:unset;-ms-flex-align:unset;align-ems:unset;paddg:0.5rem 0;}@media (any-hover: hover){{lor:si-panel-menu-lk;}}</style><a href=" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Subscribe</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1fqyieb eqt11jm9"><a href=" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">My Bookmarks</a></li><li data-id="3" class="nav-em has-children has-submenu submenu-closed css-1fqyieb eqt11jm9"><a href="/entertament/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Entertament</a><style data-emotn="css pjjyzu">{posn:absolute;right:1.4rem;top:1.2rem;borr-lor:#000000;borr-style:solid;borr-width:0 0.0625rem 0.0625rem 0;paddg:0.2rem;-webk-transn:-webk-transform 0.25s ease--out;transn:transform 0.25s ease--out;cursor:poter;background-lor:transparent;lor:#fff;}.submenu-open {-webk-transform:rotate(45g);-moz-transform:rotate(45g);-ms-transform:rotate(45g);transform:rotate(45g);}.submenu-closed {-webk-transform:rotate(-45g);-moz-transform:rotate(-45g);-ms-transform:rotate(-45g);transform:rotate(-45g);}</style><button role="button" tabInx="0" aria-expand="false" class="css-pjjyzu eqt11jm7"></button><style data-emotn="css 1t2le0x animatn-1dfsy">{posn:relative;list-style:none;marg:0rem;paddg:0rem;max-height:0rem;-webk-transn:max-height 0.3s cubic-bezier(0, 1, 0, 1),opacy 0.2s lear 0.15s,marg 0.3s lear;transn:max-height 0.3s cubic-bezier(0, 1, 0, 1),opacy 0.2s lear 0.15s,marg 0.3s lear;height:unset;overflow:hidn;opacy:0;visibily:hidn;-webk-animatn:1s animatn-1dfsy;animatn:1s animatn-1dfsy;-webk-animatn-fill-mo:forwards;animatn-fill-mo:forwards;width:lc(100% + 2rem);marg-left:-1rem;background-lor:#F5F5F5;lor:#000;}.submenu-open {max-height:27rem;overflow-y:scroll;height:to;opacy:1;visibily:visible;marg-top:0.75rem;}.submenu-closed {max-height:0rem;}@-webk-keyam animatn-1dfsy{99%{visibily:hidn;display:none;}100%{visibily:visible;display:block;}}@keyam animatn-1dfsy{99%{visibily:hidn;display:none;}100%{visibily:visible;display:block;}}</style><ul class="css-1t2le0x eqt11jm10"><style data-emotn="css 1e5v4ze">{-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;cursor:poter;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:2.5rem;paddg:0 1rem;} {-webk-transn:background-lor 0.2s lear;transn:background-lor 0.2s lear;} {background-lor:#969696;lor:#000;} a{opacy:0.8;}{background-lor:#ffffff;lor:#000000;}</style><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href="/entertament/tv/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">TV</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href="/entertament/movi/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Movi</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href="/entertament/books/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Books</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href="/entertament/mic/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Mic</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="/bt-of-2020/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Bt of 2020</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="/bt-of-2021/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Bt of 2021</a></li></ul></li><li data-id="4" class="nav-em has-children has-submenu submenu-closed css-1fqyieb eqt11jm9"><a href="/style/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Style</a><button role="button" tabInx="0" aria-expand="false" class="css-pjjyzu eqt11jm7"></button><ul class="css-1t2le0x eqt11jm10"><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href="/style/mens-fashn/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Fashn</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href="/style/groomg/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Groomg</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href="/style/mens-accsori/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Accsori</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href="/style/big-black-book/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Big Black Book</a></li></ul></li><li data-id="5" class="nav-em has-children has-submenu submenu-closed css-1fqyieb eqt11jm9"><a href="/food-drk/food/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Food</a><button role="button" tabInx="0" aria-expand="false" class="css-pjjyzu eqt11jm7"></button><ul class="css-1t2le0x eqt11jm10"><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href="/food-drk/rtrants/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Rtrants</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href="/ntenttype/recip/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Recip</a></li></ul></li><li data-id="6" class="nav-em has-children has-submenu submenu-closed css-1fqyieb eqt11jm9"><a href="/food-drk/drks/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Drks</a><button role="button" tabInx="0" aria-expand="false" class="css-pjjyzu eqt11jm7"></button><ul class="css-1t2le0x eqt11jm10"><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href="/food-drk/bars/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Bars</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href="/cktail-recip/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Cocktail Recip</a></li></ul></li><li class="nav-em css-1fqyieb eqt11jm9"><a href="/sports/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Sports</a></li><li data-id="8" class="nav-em has-children has-submenu submenu-closed css-1fqyieb eqt11jm9"><a href="/liftyle/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Liftyle</a><button role="button" tabInx="0" aria-expand="false" class="css-pjjyzu eqt11jm7"></button><ul class="css-1t2le0x eqt11jm10"><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href="/liftyle/rs/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Cars & Tech</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href="/liftyle/health/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Fns & Health</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href="/liftyle/money/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Money & Career</a></li></ul></li><li data-id="9" class="nav-em has-children has-submenu submenu-closed css-1fqyieb eqt11jm9"><a href="/news-polics/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">News & Polics</a><button role="button" tabInx="0" aria-expand="false" class="css-pjjyzu eqt11jm7"></button><ul class="css-1t2le0x eqt11jm10"><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href="/news-polics/polics/" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Charl P. Pierce</a></li></ul></li><li class="nav-em css-1fqyieb eqt11jm9"><a href=" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Archive</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1fqyieb eqt11jm9"><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" href=" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Newsletter</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1fqyieb eqt11jm9"><a href=" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">About Us</a></li><li data-id="13" class="nav-em has-children has-submenu submenu-closed css-1fqyieb eqt11jm9"><a href="#" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">Follow</a><button role="button" tabInx="0" aria-expand="false" class="css-pjjyzu eqt11jm7"></button><ul class="css-1t2le0x eqt11jm10"><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href=" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">facebook</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href=" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">twter</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href=" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">google+</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href=" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">ptert</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href=" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">tumblr</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href=" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">stagram</a></li><li class="nav-em css-1e5v4ze eqt11jm8"><a href=" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">youtube</a></li></ul></li><li class="nav-em css-1fqyieb eqt11jm9"><a href=" class="css-75z2gz e1c1bym14">W</a></li></ul><style data-emotn="css nu5j">{posn:relative;list-style:none;marg:1.5625rem 0 0.5rem 1rem;paddg:0rem;max-width:50%;} a{-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;}{ntent:"";posn:absolute;top:0.5rem;width:1rem;height:1rem;background-lor:#000000;lor:#fff;}.visible {-webk-mask:url(/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/ins/);mask:url(/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/ins/);}</style><ul class="css-nu5j eqt11jm6"><style data-emotn="css 1vjstyg">{paddg-left:1.1875rem;posn:relative;}{cursor:poter;posn:relative;}>button{top:0.8rem;right:0rem;}</style><li data-id="1" class="nav-em has-children has-submenu submenu-closed css-1vjstyg eqt11jm5"><style data-emotn="css 1y68h0e">{posn:relative;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;width:-webk-max-ntent;width:-moz-max-ntent;width:max-ntent;poter-events:none;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.9375rem;le-height:1.9;}</style><a href="/" class="css-1y68h0e e1c1bym14">Other Edns</a><button role="button" tabInx="0" aria-expand="false" class="css-pjjyzu eqt11jm7"></button><style data-emotn="css 1nord4m animatn-1dfsy">{posn:relative;list-style:none;marg:0rem;paddg:0rem;max-height:0rem;-webk-transn:max-height 0.3s cubic-bezier(0, 1, 0, 1),opacy 0.2s lear 0.15s,marg 0.3s lear;transn:max-height 0.3s cubic-bezier(0, 1, 0, 1),opacy 0.2s lear 0.15s,marg 0.3s lear;height:unset;overflow:hidn;-webk-animatn:1s animatn-1dfsy;animatn:1s animatn-1dfsy;-webk-animatn-fill-mo:forwards;animatn-fill-mo:forwards;} a{-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;}.submenu-open {max-height:27rem;overflow-y:scroll;height:to;marg-top:0.625rem;}.submenu-closed {max-height:0rem;}@-webk-keyam animatn-1dfsy{99%{visibily:hidn;display:none;}100%{visibily:visible;display:block;}}@keyam animatn-1dfsy{99%{visibily:hidn;display:none;}100%{visibily:visible;display:block;}}</style><ul class="css-1nord4m eqt11jm4"><li dataid="1" sx="[object Object]" class="nav-em"><style data-emotn="css gyakip">{height:1.5625rem;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.9375rem;le-height:1.9;}@media (any-hover: hover){{-webk-transn:opacy 0.2s lear;transn:opacy 0.2s lear;}{opacy:0.8;-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;}}</style><a href="/" class="css-gyakip e1c1bym14">US</a></li><li dataid="2" sx="[object Object]" class="nav-em"><a href="//" class="css-gyakip e1c1bym14">UK</a></li><li dataid="3" sx="[object Object]" class="nav-em"><a href="//" class="css-gyakip e1c1bym14">España</a></li><li dataid="4" sx="[object Object]" class="nav-em"><a href="//" class="css-gyakip e1c1bym14">Italia</a></li><li dataid="5" sx="[object Object]" class="nav-em"><a href="//" class="css-gyakip e1c1bym14">Japan</a></li></ul></li><li hidn></li></ul><style data-emotn="css 5a7ket">{marg:0 to;} .ei3fq280{borr:0.0625rem solid black;}</style><div class="css-5a7ket eqt11jm3"></div><style data-emotn="css sfww4i">{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;width:100%;height:3.125rem;-webk-flex-shrk:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrk:0;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;paddg-left:1rem;}</style><footer class="sipanel-footer-ntaer css-sfww4i eqt11jm2"><style data-emotn="css 1042zvj">{font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:2rem;marg-right:1rem;-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;text-transform:upperse;} {-webk-transn:opacy 0.2 lear;transn:opacy 0.2 lear;} {lor:activsi-panel-sub-menu-hover;}{marg-right:0rem;}</style><a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href=" class="css-1042zvj e1c1bym14">Privacy Notice</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href=" class="css-1042zvj e1c1bym14">Terms Of Use</a></footer></div></nav></sectn><div data-foc-lock-disabled="disabled" data-foc-lock="ma" class="sipanelToggleable"><span tabInx="0"></span><style data-emotn="css 1ec7baw">{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;-webk-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webk-jtify-ntent:center;jtify-ntent:center;posn:absolute;left:1rem;top:1rem;z-x:9999999;text-align:center;opacy:0;-webk-transform:translateY(lc(-100% - 2.5rem));-moz-transform:translateY(lc(-100% - 2.5rem));-ms-transform:translateY(lc(-100% - 2.5rem));transform:translateY(lc(-100% - 2.5rem));-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;borr:medium solid whe;box-shadow:0 0 0 3px #55adff;background-lor:#000000;lor:#fff;borr-radi:1.875rem;font-fay:Inter,Helveti,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:0.8928rem;le-height:1;font-weight:bold;paddg:0.625rem 1.25rem;width:to;}{opacy:1;-webk-transform:translateY(0%);-moz-transform:translateY(0%);-ms-transform:translateY(0%);transform:translateY(0%);}{outle:none;}</style><style data-emotn="css 9l6ije">{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;-webk-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webk-jtify-ntent:center;jtify-ntent:center;posn:absolute;left:1rem;top:1rem;z-x:9999999;text-align:center;opacy:0;-webk-transform:translateY(lc(-100% - 2.5rem));-moz-transform:translateY(lc(-100% - 2.5rem));-ms-transform:translateY(lc(-100% - 2.5rem));transform:translateY(lc(-100% - 2.5rem));-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;borr:medium solid whe;box-shadow:0 0 0 3px #55adff;background-lor:#000000;lor:#fff;borr-radi:1.875rem;font-fay:Inter,Helveti,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:0.8928rem;le-height:1;font-weight:bold;paddg:0.625rem 1.25rem;width:to;}{opacy:1;-webk-transform:translateY(0%);-moz-transform:translateY(0%);-ms-transform:translateY(0%);transform:translateY(0%);}{outle:none;}</style><a href="#ma-ntent" class="e1i650950 css-9l6ije e1c1bym14">Skip to Content</a><style data-emotn="css pcs5nj">{background-lor:#F5F6F8;borr-bottom:0.125rem solid #FF3A30;lor:#000;height:100%;posn:relative;z-x:999;}@media prt{{display:none;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{posn:-webk-sticky;posn:sticky;top:var(--nav-offset, 0);}}</style><nav data-trackg-id="topNav" class="css-pcs5nj efnztv77"><style data-emotn="css 1pqs8">{-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webk-box-flex-wrap:wrap;-webk-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;height:100%;marg:0 to;max-width:75rem;paddg-left:0;paddg-right:0;width:100%;z-x:1;}@media(m-width: 64rem){{-webk-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webk-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;}}</style><div class="nav-bar-ntaer css-1pqs8 efnztv76"><style data-emotn="css 1s1p3wv">{le-height:0.7;marg-left:0.9375rem;-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;}@media(max-width: 64rem){{paddg:0.5rem 0.25rem 0.5rem 0.625rem;}}@media(m-width: 20rem){{paddg:0.5rem 0.25rem 0.5rem 0;} svg{fill:#000000;-webk-transn:fill 0.3s ease--out;transn:fill 0.3s ease--out;} svg:hover{fill:#595959;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem) and (max-width: 90rem){{marg-left:2.5rem;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{paddg:0.5rem 0.625rem 0.5rem 0.625rem;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{marg-left:0rem;}} svg{height:1.875rem;width:1.875rem;}</style><a aria-label="Sipanel Button" href="#sipanel" class="css-1s1p3wv e1c1bym14"><svg alt="Menu" tle="Si Panel" data-dynamic-svg><e href="/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/ins/"></e></svg></a><style data-emotn="css 1ivqn86">{le-height:0;marg-right:to;width:7.25rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{height:1rem;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{height:1.1rem;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{marg-right:0.3125rem;}}</style><a href="/" aria-label="Esquire" class="nav-logo css-1ivqn86 e1c1bym14"><img data-dynamic-svg src="/_assets/sign-tokens/quire/static/imag/logos/" fetchprry="high" alt="Logo" height="to" width="to" class="css-0 e1ccpyf90" /></a><style data-emotn="css ao5eoo">{-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;borr-bottom:th solid #F5F5F5;borr-top:th solid #F5F5F5;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webk-orr:1;-ms-flex-orr:1;orr:1;overflow-x:to;overflow-y:hidn;width:100%;}@media(m-width: 20rem){{background-lor:her;}}@media(m-width: 61.25rem){{background-lor:her;borr-bottom:0;borr-top:0;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{-webk-orr:0;-ms-flex-orr:0;orr:0;width:to;}}{height:0rem;}</style><div style="scrollbar-width: none;" class="css-ao5eoo efnztv73"><style data-emotn="css xs3857">{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;list-style:none;marg:0rem;paddg-left:1.125rem;-webk-transform:translateX(unfedpx);-moz-transform:translateX(unfedpx);-ms-transform:translateX(unfedpx);transform:translateX(unfedpx);width:100%;}@media(m-width: 40.625rem) and (max-width: 61.25rem){{paddg-left:2.625rem;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{paddg-left:3.125rem;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}</style><ul class="css-xs3857 efnztv72"><style data-emotn="css q9n041">{font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.75rem;letter-spacg:0.04rem;le-height:2rem;paddg:0 1.875rem 0 1.25rem;text-transform:upperse;whe-space:nowrap;}@media(m-width: 64rem){{paddg:0 1.25rem 0 1.25rem;}}</style><li class="css-q9n041 efnztv71"><style data-emotn="css c8i4ma">{lor:her;display:le-block;le-height:2.58918;m-height:3rem;m-width:3rem;paddg:.5rem 0 .5rem 0;text-align:center;-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;-webk-transn:outle 0.3s ease--out,outle-offset 0.3s ease--out;transn:outle 0.3s ease--out,outle-offset 0.3s ease--out;}@media(m-width: 61.25rem){{lor:her;}}{-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-thickns:0.0625rem;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;}</style><style data-emotn="css 7qn7yr">{lor:her;display:le-block;le-height:2.58918;m-height:3rem;m-width:3rem;paddg:.5rem 0 .5rem 0;text-align:center;-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;-webk-transn:outle 0.3s ease--out,outle-offset 0.3s ease--out;transn:outle 0.3s ease--out,outle-offset 0.3s ease--out;}@media(m-width: 61.25rem){{lor:her;}}{-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-thickns:0.0625rem;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;}</style><a href="/entertament/" aria-current="false" class="e1c1bym11 css-7qn7yr e1c1bym14">Entertament</a></li><li class="css-q9n041 efnztv71"><a href="/style/" aria-current="false" class="e1c1bym11 css-7qn7yr e1c1bym14">Style</a></li><li class="css-q9n041 efnztv71"><a href="/liftyle/" aria-current="false" class="e1c1bym11 css-7qn7yr e1c1bym14">Liftyle</a></li><li class="css-q9n041 efnztv71"><a href="/bt-products-to-buy/" aria-current="false" class="e1c1bym11 css-7qn7yr e1c1bym14">Shoppg</a></li><li class="css-q9n041 efnztv71"><a href="/news-polics/" aria-current="false" class="e1c1bym11 css-7qn7yr e1c1bym14">News & Polics</a></li></ul></div><style data-emotn="css gzliae">{-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:1.875rem;width:to;marg:0 0 0 to;paddg-left:1.05rem;paddg-right:1.05rem;text-align:center;-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;paddg-top:0.125rem;background:#FF3A30;background-lor:#FF3A30;lor:#000000;borr:th solid #FF3A30;borr-radi:2rem;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.875rem;le-height:1.3;letter-spacg:0.04rem;text-transform:upperse;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;} {width:unset;word-spacg:unset;}@media (any-hover: hover){{-webk-transn:box-shadow 0.2s lear,background 0.2s lear;transn:box-shadow 0.2s lear,background 0.2s lear;}{;;}}{outle-lor:#000000;}{background-lor:#ffffff;lor:#000;borr:th solid #FF3A30;} svg{fill:#000000;} svg>path{fill:#000000;} svg{fill:#000000;} svg>path{fill:#000000;}</style><a href=" class="css-gzliae e1c1bym14">Subscribe</a><style data-emotn="css 1y41cbl">{paddg-right:0.9375rem;posn:relative;}@media(m-width: 40.625rem) and (max-width: 90rem){{paddg-right:2.5rem;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{paddg-right:0rem;}}</style><div class="css-1y41cbl e7dmux20"><style data-emotn="css 90yh27">{-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.75rem;letter-spacg:0.04rem;le-height:2rem;marg-left:0.3125rem;-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;text-transform:upperse;}@media(m-width: 48rem){{marg-left:0.9375rem;}}</style><a rel="nofollow" href="/th/csrf?actn=log&return_url=/" class="css-90yh27 e1c1bym14"><style data-emotn="css 1o5u0ki">{whe-space:nowrap;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.75rem;le-height:2rem;letter-spacg:0.04rem;text-transform:upperse;}</style><span class="css-1o5u0ki e7dmux21">sign </span></a></div></div></nav><div class="oop-ad css-0 e1x3pu1"><div id="gpt-ad-oop-1" class="ad-ntaer css-0 e1x3pu0"></div></div><style data-emotn="css 17vkd49">{background-lor:bg-primary;posn:relative;}@media(max-width: 61.25rem){ .ewwgwfo0{overflow:hidn;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{marg-right:var(--sponsor-panel-width, to);}}</style><ma id="ma-ntent" class="css-17vkd49 e1q9j2sb0"><style data-emotn="css 179grqf">{background-lor:#E8E8E8;lor:#000;display:none;m-width:45.5rem;paddg:0.9375rem 0;text-align:center;width:100%;}@media prt{{display:none!important;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{m-height:121px;}}@media(m-width: 61.25rem){{display:block;}}</style><div id="gpt-learboard-ad" class="css-179grqf e1hka4w80"></div><style data-emotn="css joveom">{width:100%;max-width:100vw;display:grid;marg-bottom:0.9375rem;posn:relative;z-x:to;}@media prt{{max-width:100%;}} .ejku7p03{top:0.75rem;right:0.75rem;bottom:to;}</style><hear class="css-joveom exadjwu12"><style data-emotn="css 1lr08az">{grid-lumn:1/-1;text-align:center;}</style><div class="css-1lr08az e12wtocy0"><style data-emotn="css mktybr">{marg:0 to;max-width:75rem;paddg:0 0.938rem;text-align:center;}@media(m-width: 64rem){[data-has-sponsor] {text-align:start;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{paddg:0 2.5rem;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{paddg:0.9375rem 1.875rem;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{paddg:0 1.875rem;}}</style><div class="css-mktybr exadjwu4"><nav aria-label="breadcmbs" class="css-0 e9l0kn03"><style data-emotn="css 4j90ja">{lor:#595959;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.70284rem;le-height:1.3;list-style:none;marg:0 to;max-width:75rem;paddg:1.25rem 1.25rem 0 1.6875rem;}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{paddg:1.25rem 2.5rem 0 3.3125rem;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{paddg:1.25rem 0 0 0.8125rem;}}</style><ol emSpe emType=" class="css-4j90ja e9l0kn02"><style data-emotn="css zxq36b">{display:le;}{paddg:0.25rem;ntent:">";}</style><li emProp="emListElement" emSpe emType=" class="css-zxq36b e9l0kn01"><style data-emotn="css 100k4td">{-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-thickns:0.0625rem;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;}{lor:#000000;-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-thickns:0.0625rem;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;}</style><style data-emotn="css 10e6ywj">{-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-thickns:0.0625rem;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;}{lor:#000000;-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-thickns:0.0625rem;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;}</style><a emProp="em" href="/entertament/" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Breadcmbs" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="Entertament" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" class="e9l0kn00 css-10e6ywj e1c1bym14"><span emProp="name">Entertament</span></a><meta emProp="posn" ntent="1" /></li><li emProp="emListElement" emSpe emType=" class="css-zxq36b e9l0kn01"><a emProp="em" href="/entertament/mic/" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Breadcmbs" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="Mic" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" class="e9l0kn00 css-10e6ywj e1c1bym14"><span emProp="name">Mic</span></a><meta emProp="posn" ntent="2" /></li><style data-emotn="css huh8md">{display:none;}{paddg:0.25rem;ntent:">";}</style><li emProp="emListElement" emSpe emType=" class="css-huh8md e9l0kn01"><a emProp="em" href="/entertament/mic/a36820456/tj-osborne-gay-brothers-osborne-terview/" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Breadcmbs" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="T.J. Osborne is Country. And He's Queer. Deal Wh It." data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" class="e9l0kn00 css-10e6ywj e1c1bym14"><span emProp="name">T.J. Osborne is Country. And He's Queer. Deal Wh It.</span></a><meta emProp="posn" ntent="3" /></li></ol></nav><style data-emotn="css g4r5va">{font-fay:Glanz,Glanz-fallback,Tim,Serif;font-weight:normal;grid-lumn:1/-1;marg-bottom:0.9375rem;marg-top:0.9375rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:2rem;le-height:1.25;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:2.625rem;le-height:1.1;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{font-size:3.125rem;le-height:1.1;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem){{font-size:3.37499rem;le-height:1.1;}}</style><h1 class="css-g4r5va exadjwu10"><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-0 eagam8p0"></span>T.J. Osborne is Country. And He's Queer. Deal Wh It.<span aria-hidn="te" class="css-0 eagam8p1"></span></h1><style data-emotn="css 2qf7xf">{lor:#515150;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-weight:normal;marg-bottom:0.625rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:1.0625rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:1.3125rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{font-size:1.3125rem;le-height:1.3;}} a{-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-thickns:0.0625rem;text-ratn-lor:#FF3A30;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;lor:#000000;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;} a:hover{lor:#595959;text-ratn-lor:borr-lk-body-hover;}</style><div class="css-2qf7xf exadjwu8"><p>In the months sce g out, the untry star is rvg out a trail for gay men a way the genre hasn’t seen before.</p></div><style data-emotn="css d04ng2">{lor:#161616;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;letter-spacg:0.02rem;marg-bottom:0.625rem;paddg-right:0.3125rem;text-transform:upperse;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.4;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.3;}} span{font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;letter-spacg:0rem;text-transform:palize;}@media(max-width: 48rem){ span{font-size:0.875rem;le-height:1.4;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){ span{font-size:0.875rem;le-height:1.4;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){ span{font-size:0.875rem;le-height:1.4;}}</style><div class="css-d04ng2 exadjwu7"><style data-emotn="css 1eqkg5m">{lor:#161616;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-style:normal;letter-spacg:0.02rem;paddg-right:0.3125rem;text-transform:upperse;-webk-text-stroke:0.005rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.4;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.3;}}</style><addrs class="css-1eqkg5m ehvvd9m2"><style data-emotn="css 19e0noj">{lor:#161616;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;letter-spacg:0.02rem;paddg-right:0.3125rem;text-transform:upperse;-webk-text-stroke:0.005rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.4;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.3;}}</style><span class="css-19e0noj ehvvd9m1"><style data-emotn="css 1sa04t">{borr-radi:50%;vertil-align:middle;marg-right:0.3125rem;object-f:ver;}</style><img src="" alt="Headshot of Dave Holm" tle="Headshot of Dave Holm" width="40" height="40" dg="async" fetchPrry="high" class=" css-1sa04t ehvvd9m0" />By <style data-emotn="css 7l5upj">{-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-thickns:0.0625rem;text-ratn-lor:her;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;lor:her;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;}{lor:#595959;text-ratn-lor:borr-lk-body-hover;}</style><a href="/thor/9774/dave-holm/" class="css-7l5upj e1c1bym14">Dave Holm</a></span><style data-emotn="css 1bcsdhu">{display:le-block;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;marg-left:0.625rem;text-transform:upperse;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.75rem;le-height:1.3;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.75rem;le-height:1.3;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{font-size:0.75rem;le-height:1.3;}}</style><time class="css-1bcsdhu exadjwu6">Published: Jun 25, 2021</time></addrs></div><style data-emotn="css wkpw2c">{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webk-flex-directn:lumn;-ms-flex-directn:lumn;flex-directn:lumn;-webk-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webk-jtify-ntent:center;jtify-ntent:center;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;}</style><div class="no-prt css-wkpw2c exadjwu15"><style data-emotn="css 1hpjtwr">{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;posn:relative;marg-top:0.9375rem;}</style><div class="ntent-hear-actns css-1hpjtwr exadjwu14"><style data-emotn="css eg9z">{background-lor:#FF3A30;lor:#000000;borr:th solid #FF3A30;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webk-flex-directn:row;-ms-flex-directn:row;flex-directn:row;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;paddg:0.625rem 1.25rem;marg-top:0rem;marg-bottom:0rem;-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;text-transform:upperse;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;-webk-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webk-jtify-ntent:center;jtify-ntent:center;paddg-top:0.85rem;background:#FF3A30;borr-radi:2rem;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.875rem;le-height:1.3;letter-spacg:0.04rem;width:to;}{background-lor:#ffffff;lor:#000;cursor:poter;borr:th solid #FF3A30;} svg{fill:#000000;} svg>path{fill:#000000;}{marg-left:1rem;} svg{fill:#000000;} svg>path{fill:#000000;}</style><button data-tooltip-id="article-hear-save" class="ntentSaveButton css-eg9z e12nq69g1"><style data-emotn="css p7o3tf">{width:1rem;height:1rem;marg-right:0.625rem;} path{fill:#ffffff;} path{fill:#ffffff;}</style><svg xmlns=" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 48 62" class="css-p7o3tf e10k4xbi2"><path fill="#000" fill-le="evenodd" d="M24 46.52 48 61V0H0v61.44l24-14.92ZM5.67 50.9 24 39.5l18.33 11.4V5.7H5.67v45.2Z" clip-le="evenodd"></path></svg>Save Article</button><style data-emotn="css gulrqe">{width:160px;text-align:left;lor:#595959;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.70284rem;le-height:1.1;font-weight:normal;letter-spacg:0.045rem;text-transform:none;}</style></div></div></div></div></hear><style data-emotn="css k008qs">{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;}</style><div class="css-k008qs ewisyje0"><style data-emotn="css 7ce51e">{marg-bottom:0.9375rem;posn:relative;}@media(max-width: 64rem){{max-width:lc(100vw - (1rem * 2));marg-left:1rem;marg-right:1rem;} .e152u5os0{width:100vw;marg-left:lc(-1 * 1rem);}}@media(m-width: 48rem) and (max-width: 61.25rem){{marg-left:to;marg-right:to;} .e152u5os0{width:100vw;marg-left:lc((100vw - (lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem) - 2 * 1rem)) / -2);}}@media(m-width: 61.25rem) and (max-width: 90rem){{max-width:lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem);marg-left:lc((100vw - lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem) - 1rem - 20.625rem) / 2);paddg-left:1rem;paddg-right:1rem;} .e152u5os0{width:100vw;marg-left:lc(lc((100vw - lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem) - 1rem - 20.625rem) / -2) - 1rem);}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{marg-left:lc((100vw - lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem)) / 2);max-width:lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem);paddg-left:1rem;paddg-right:1rem;} .e152u5os0{width:100vw;marg-left:lc(lc((100vw - lc(20.625rem * 2 + 1rem)) / -2) - lc(2 * 1rem));}[data-has-sponsor] {marg-left:lc((100vw - lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem)) / 4);marg-right:lc((100vw - lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem)) / 4);}}</style><div class="standard-ntaer ntent-ntaer article-ntaer css-7ce51e ewisyje3"><style data-emotn="css trzem2">{jtify-self:center;posn:relative;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{marg-left:-50vw;marg-right:-50vw;width:100vw;left:50%;right:50%;}}</style><div class="ntent-lead css-trzem2 ewisyje6"><style data-emotn="css sm2oir">{height:to;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{marg:to lc(50% - 50vw);}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{marg:to;}}</style><div class="ntent-lead-image css-sm2oir e5f9kgu2"><style data-emotn="css eag3eq">{posn:relative;height:to;}</style><div class="css-eag3eq e5f9kgu1"><style data-emotn="css 335qep">{posn:relative;width:100%;height:100%;object-f:ver;vertil-align:top;}</style><img fetchPrry="high" alt="tj osborne" tle="tj osborne" width="1242" height="1600" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="css-335qep exi4f7p0" /></div><style data-emotn="css 285vyd">{le-height:1;}@media(max-width: 73.75rem){{paddg-left:0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{paddg-left:0;}}</style><figptn class="css-285vyd enfs9c50"><style data-emotn="css 1mcfn5x">{lor:#595959;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;paddg-right:0.3125rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.70028rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.70028rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{font-size:0.75rem;le-height:1.3;}}</style><span class="css-1mcfn5x e6iqd2">Natalie Osborne</span></figptn></div></div><style data-emotn="css z6i669">{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-size:1.1875rem;le-height:1.6;paddg-left:0rem;paddg-right:0rem;posn:relative;}@media(m-width: 48rem){{paddg-left:3.5rem;paddg-right:3.5rem;}}@media(m-width: 48rem) and (max-width: 61.25rem){{max-width:45.25rem;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;}}@media(m-width: 61.25rem){{paddg-left:0rem;paddg-right:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem) and (max-width: 100rem){{paddg-left:0rem;paddg-right:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{paddg-left:0rem;paddg-right:0rem;}} em{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-style:alic;} strong{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-weight:bold;}{clear:both;ntent:" ";display:block;font-size:0.7rem;le-height:1.5rem;height:0rem;visibily:hidn;}</style><div class="article-body-ntent article-body standard-body-ntent css-z6i669 ewisyje7"><style data-emotn="css 1nhwtgm">{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-size:1.1875rem;le-height:1.6;}{float:left;text-transform:upperse;font-weight:bold;marg-right:0.9375rem;marg-bottom:-0.625rem;marg-top:0;}{font-fay:Glanz,Glanz-fallback,Tim,Serif;font-size:6.25rem;font-weight:normal;le-height:0.75;marg-right:0;paddg:0.6rem 0.75rem 0 0;}@-moz-document url-prefix(){{marg-top:0.625rem;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){{marg-right:0.3125rem;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{le-height:0.75;}} em{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-style:alic;} strong{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-weight:bold;}</style><p data-no-id="0" class="body-dropp css-1nhwtgm et3p2gv0">T.J. Osborne had a slight revelatn while speakg to <em>Time</em> Magaze<em></em> this past Febary. “I told [wrer Sam Lansky], ‘Beg gay is a very small part of who I am. There are a lot of other thgs that I thk intify me.” A lot of say that when we’re g out, whether out of ternalized homophobia or some vague sense of obligatn to straight people. Most of , the space of months or years or s, e to reevaluate that posn. For T.J., the shift me stantly, the middle of his g out terview. “He said, ‘Well, what if ’s not? What if ’s the biggt part of who you are?’ Even though was such a simple qutn, kd of shattered me. I would soon realize, very rapidly after g out, that is a huge part of who I am.”</p><style data-emotn="css hg4fpa">{width:100%;}@media(m-width: 20rem){{marg-left:to;marg-right:to;width:100%;}}@media(m-width: 30rem){{marg-left:to;marg-right:to;width:100%;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{width:50%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{width:50%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{width:50%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem){{width:50%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;}}@media(m-width: 75rem){{width:50%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{width:50%;marg-left:1rem;marg-right:0rem;float:right;}}</style><div data-embed="loop" data-no-id="1" class="css-hg4fpa e1a0jkxd0"><style data-emotn="css 8atqhb">{width:100%;}</style><style data-emotn="css 1e3dj7m">{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webk-flex-directn:row-reverse;-ms-flex-directn:row-reverse;flex-directn:row-reverse;-webk-align-ems:flex-end;-webk-box-align:flex-end;-ms-flex-align:flex-end;align-ems:flex-end;posn:relative;width:100%;marg-bottom:0.9375rem;width:100%;} {visibily:hidn;opacy:0;-webk-transn:visibily 0s .3s,opacy .3s lear;transn:visibily 0s .3s,opacy .3s lear;}</style><div class="align-right size-medium embed e1a0jkxd1 css-1e3dj7m ejku7p04"><style data-emotn="css 5mi43p">{marg-bottom:0.9375rem;--aspect-rat:100%;width:100%;}</style><div class="__rp-ntaer css-5mi43p e6l0f0"><img width="540" height="540" alt="This is an image" tle="This is an image" fetchprry="to" dg="async" src=" size="to" srcSet=" loadg="lazy" class="lqip lazyload css-0 e1lki9i00" /></div></div></div><style data-emotn="css 18vfmjb">{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-size:1.1875rem;le-height:1.6;} em{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-style:alic;} strong{font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-weight:bold;}</style><p data-no-id="2" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">T.J. Osborne, lead sger of Brothers Osborne, the band he started wh his big brother John, is the first current, male, mastream untry artist to be openly gay. He had planned to let that terview be that: one and done. Play down on the red rpet, keep the foc on the mic. But now, four months after g out, T.J. Osborne is somethg even rarer and more signifint than an <em>out, gay, male, mastream</em> untry artist; he’s a public figure who’s explorg those qutns of inty, real time, right out loud. </p><p data-no-id="3" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Brothers Osborne has jt played their first big post-panmic show to a crowd of 25,000 at the Gulf Coast Jam Panama Cy Beach, Florida. It was their first appearance as a band sce playg the Halftime Show of the NFL Thanksgivg Day Classic back 2019—the night the lights went out Detro. “We’re on natnal televisn, about to play, and the whole thg go black,” he remembers. “We’re jt standg there. Nobody knows what’s happeng.” </p><style data-emotn="css 8c6v">{posn:absolute;left:-10000px;top:to;width:1px;height:1px;overflow:hidn;}</style><div data-ad-exclu class="css-8c6v ehha8ut0">This ntent is imported om youTube. You may be able to fd the same ntent another format, or you may be able to fd more rmatn, at their web se.</div><style data-emotn="css 9angbx">{marg-bottom:0.9375rem;m-height:299px;}@media(max-width: 30rem){{m-height:163px;}}@media(m-width: 30rem){{m-height:252px;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{m-height:347px;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{m-height:299px;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{m-height:344px;}}</style><div data-embed="youtube" data-no-id="4" class="embed align-center css-9angbx exa3d2e3"><style data-emotn="css 79elbk">{posn:relative;}</style><div class="css-79elbk exa3d2e2"><style data-emotn="css b0nlql">{background:lear-gradient(rgba(0,0,0,.8) , rgba(0,0,0,0) 95%);background-repeat:no-repeat;-webk-background-size:100% 60px;background-size:100% 60px;posn:absolute;top:0rem;left:0rem;right:0rem;bottom:0rem;z-x:2;height:60px;poter-events:her;}</style><div class="css-b0nlql exa3d2e1"></div><style data-emotn="css 8vvrvc">{lor:#fff;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;font-fay:"YouTube Noto",Roboto,Arial,Helveti,sans-serif;font-size:18px;height:60px;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;posn:absolute;paddg-left:1rem;left:0rem;right:0rem;top:0rem;text-shadow:0 0 2px rgba(0,0,0,0.5);z-x:4;}</style><div class="css-8vvrvc exa3d2e0"></div><style data-emotn="css 52d8dn">{background:rgba(23,23,23,0.8);borr-bottom-right-radi:2px;borr-top-right-radi:2px;bottom:5px;lor:#fff;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;font-weight:500;font-size:16px;le-height:16px;font-fay:"YouTube Noto",Roboto,Arial,Helveti,sans-serif;height:47px;paddg:16px 12px;posn:absolute;-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;z-x:2;}</style><style data-emotn="css 1exe7l8">{background:rgba(23,23,23,0.8);borr-bottom-right-radi:2px;borr-top-right-radi:2px;bottom:5px;lor:#fff;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;font-weight:500;font-size:16px;le-height:16px;font-fay:"YouTube Noto",Roboto,Arial,Helveti,sans-serif;height:47px;paddg:16px 12px;posn:absolute;-webk-text-ratn:none;text-ratn:none;z-x:2;}</style><a target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Watch on YouTube" href=" class="exa3d2e5 css-1exe7l8 e1c1bym14"><span>Watch on</span><style data-emotn="css 1b1cg">{display:block;fill:#fff;height:16px;marg-left:9px;width:72px;}</style><svg viewBox="0 0 508 114" xmlns=" class="css-1b1cg exa3d2e4"><tle>Watch on YouTube In</tle><sc>Watch on YouTube in for vio media</sc><path style="fill: var(--primary, #22181C);" d="M253.06 92.036c.887-2.315 1.332-6.099 1.332-11.35V58.561c0-5.096-.445-8.82-1.332-11.177-.888-2.355-2.452-3.533-4.69-3.533-2.163 0-3.689 1.178-4.576 3.533-.888 2.356-1.332 6.081-1.332 11.177v22.125c0 5.251.424 9.035 1.275 11.35.848 2.317 2.391 3.475 4.633 3.475 2.238 0 3.802-1.157 4.69-3.475Zm-17.953 11.12c-3.206-2.159-5.485-5.52-6.834-10.078-1.352-4.554-2.027-10.616-2.027-18.184v-10.31c0-7.644.771-13.785 2.316-18.417 1.544-4.633 3.956-8.01 7.24-10.135 3.281-2.122 7.587-3.185 12.916-3.185 5.25 0 9.458 1.082 12.625 3.243 3.165 2.162 5.482 5.542 6.95 10.135 1.466 4.596 2.2 10.715 2.2 18.36v10.31c0 7.567-.714 13.65-2.142 18.243-1.43 4.594-3.747 7.954-6.951 10.076-3.205 2.124-7.548 3.186-13.03 3.186-5.639 0-10.06-1.082-13.263-3.243m248.054-57.98c-.809 1.004-1.352 2.645-1.621 4.922-.272 2.279-.404 5.734-.404 10.367v5.097h11.697v-5.097c0-4.555-.155-8.01-.463-10.367-.309-2.354-.868-4.014-1.678-4.98-.812-.965-2.067-1.449-3.766-1.449-1.699 0-2.954.504-3.765 1.507Zm-2.025 29.885v3.59c0 4.558.132 7.974.404 10.251.269 2.279.828 3.94 1.68 4.982.849 1.042 2.16 1.564 3.938 1.564 2.392 0 4.035-.927 4.923-2.781.887-1.853 1.369-4.942 1.447-9.267l13.785.812c.077.62.116 1.468.116 2.547 0 6.565-1.795 11.47-5.387 14.712-3.589 3.242-8.669 4.864-15.232 4.864-7.875 0-13.398-2.47-16.563-7.414-3.168-4.94-4.751-12.585-4.751-22.934V63.593c0-10.656 1.642-18.435 4.924-23.34 3.281-4.904 8.9-7.355 16.854-7.355 5.482 0 9.691 1.004 12.626 3.011 2.933 2.01 4.999 5.137 6.197 9.383 1.197 4.247 1.796 10.117 1.796 17.607v12.163h-26.757m-284.954-1.33L177.996 8.054h15.868l6.371 29.77c1.623 7.338 2.819 13.593 3.591 18.765h.464c.54-3.706 1.737-9.922 3.59-18.65l6.603-29.885h15.869l-18.417 65.678v31.509h-15.753V73.732m125.93-39.497v71.005h-12.51l-1.391-8.688h-.347c-3.398 6.564-8.495 9.845-15.29 9.845-4.711 0-8.185-1.543-10.425-4.633-2.24-3.087-3.359-7.915-3.359-14.478V34.234h15.985v52.124c0 3.168.348 5.426 1.043 6.776.695 1.353 1.853 2.027 3.475 2.027 1.39 0 2.722-.423 3.995-1.275 1.275-.849 2.22-1.928 2.839-3.241v-56.41h15.985m81.985 0v71.005h-12.511l-1.39-8.688h-.346c-3.401 6.564-8.497 9.845-15.291 9.845-4.711 0-8.185-1.543-10.425-4.633-2.24-3.087-3.359-7.915-3.359-14.478V34.234h15.985v52.124c0 3.168.347 5.426 1.041 6.776.696 1.353 1.855 2.027 3.476 2.027 1.391 0 2.723-.423 3.996-1.275 1.275-.849 2.22-1.928 2.839-3.241v-56.41h15.985"></path><path style="fill: var(--primary, #22181C);" d="M365.538 20.914h-15.869v84.326h-15.637V20.914h-15.869V8.056h47.375v12.858Zm76.811 53.634c0 5.175-.215 9.23-.639 12.162-.424 2.937-1.138 5.021-2.142 6.255-1.004 1.236-2.358 1.854-4.054 1.854a7.406 7.406 0 0 1-3.649-.927c-1.121-.618-2.026-1.544-2.722-2.78v-40.31c.54-1.93 1.466-3.513 2.78-4.75 1.313-1.233 2.739-1.852 4.285-1.852 1.622 0 2.876.637 3.765 1.91.887 1.275 1.505 3.418 1.853 6.43.348 3.011.523 7.297.523 12.857v9.151Zm14.652-28.963c-.967-4.477-2.531-7.72-4.692-9.73-2.163-2.006-5.136-3.01-8.919-3.01-2.934 0-5.676.83-8.224 2.49a16.928 16.928 0 0 0-5.907 6.544h-.118l.002-37.415h-15.405v100.774h13.203l1.623-6.717h.347c1.234 2.393 3.088 4.285 5.559 5.675 2.471 1.39 5.214 2.085 8.226 2.085 5.403 0 9.381-2.491 11.93-7.471 2.548-4.982 3.823-12.76 3.823-23.34V64.233c0-7.953-.484-14.17-1.448-18.65"></path><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" style="fill: var(--primary, #22181C);" d="M144.276 3.393a20.283 20.283 0 0 1 14.32 14.32c3.384 12.632 3.384 38.986 3.384 38.986s0 26.356-3.384 38.987a20.283 20.283 0 0 1-14.32 14.32c-12.633 3.386-63.283 3.386-63.283 3.386s-50.65 0-63.283-3.386a20.284 20.284 0 0 1-14.32-14.32C.007 83.055.007 56.7.007 56.7s0-26.355 3.385-38.987a20.285 20.285 0 0 1 14.32-14.32C30.34.009 80.992.009 80.992.009s50.651 0 63.283 3.385Zm-37.404 53.305L64.79 32.401v48.594l42.082-24.297Z"></path></svg></a><style data-emotn="css 1uds6oo">{height:100%;width:100%;posn:relative;}</style><div class="css-1uds6oo e1f7ylgd6"><style data-emotn="css 1vn4202">{background:none;borr:0;posn:absolute;left:50%;top:50%;-webk-transform:translate(-50%,-50%);-moz-transform:translate(-50%,-50%);-ms-transform:translate(-50%,-50%);transform:translate(-50%,-50%);z-x:1;cursor:poter;}</style><button aria-label="Play Vio" class="css-1vn4202 e1f7ylgd0"><style data-emotn="css a0gows">{opacy:0.8;-webk-transn:opacy .25s cubic-bezier(0,0,0.2,1);transn:opacy .25s cubic-bezier(0,0,0.2,1);}.e1f7ylgd6:hover {opacy:1;}</style><img data-dynamic-svg src="/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/ins/social/;sendary=%2523ffffff" loadg="lazy" alt="youtube in" width="68" height="68" class="css-a0gows e1f7ylgd3" /></button><style data-emotn="css 157wciq">{width:100%;height:100%;object-f:ver;cursor:poter;}</style><style data-emotn="css g939jb">{width:100%;height:100%;object-f:ver;cursor:poter;}</style><img alt="This is an image" tle="Vio player poster image" loadg="lazy" width="2000" height="1000" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="e1f7ylgd5 css-g939jb exi4f7p0" /></div></div></div><p data-no-id="5" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">The show went on. “After that, we weren’t gog to tour through the wter. We were gog to rerd a new album," he says. "Then we me out to quarante.” Months later, T.J. was nervo for Gulf Coast Jam. “A ftival is always a mixture of people who are our fans and jt untry fans general. And I hadn’t played live so long: all of my go-tos, all the thgs I like to say on the fly to get through transns, I didn’t remember what I had ever said any of the shows.” </p><p data-no-id="6" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">There was also the small tail of sudnly beg a queer untry artist. “Country mic has a pretty nservative crowd, and we were playg down south, which is pretty nservative," he tells me. "But was awome. I felt like I uld take a breath and say ‘Okay, we’re dog this now. We’re back.’” </p><p data-no-id="7" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Though he’d been nervo about , the crowd took to Brothers Osborne’s newt sgle “Younger Me,” a eply emotnal song about tryg to nnect wh the secure, ightened child wh yourself. “I wanted to wre about the whole thg, but I didn’t want to be too on the nose, jt for the sake of not beg predictable,” he says. “But I did e out, and I did feel pelled to wre about , bee is one of the biggt, if not the biggt experience of my life.” T.J. and John wrote the song wh Kenll Marvel, “this, like, shaved head, Mossy Oak beard, big old wild drk’ whiskey kick’ ass kd of guy." Marvel, a untry songwrg veteran, is the proud dad of a gay son himself. </p><p data-no-id="8" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">“Younger Me” is a leap forward for untry mic. It opens wh ‘80s synths and builds to a crcendo that’s triumphant and vulnerable all at once. Naturally, took a few vol tak to get one where T.J. wasn’t cryg. “One of the l that still wrecks me is, <em>‘Younger me, way too young to pace a bedroom floor.’</em> When I thk of not jt 12, 13, 14 year old T.J., but 12, 13, 14 year old <em>anybody </em>pacg your bedroom floor at that imprsnable age, stuck your room wishg you uld be someone else, beg ashamed of yourself.” The ia of visibly upsets him, still. “It’s an emotn that’s way too powerful for someone that young to be experiencg that abundance. I jt want to fd that kid and say, ‘Buddy, you’re awome, and you have no ia how much of your youth you’re wastg wrapped up this thg that’s unfair.” </p><div data-ad-exclu class="css-8c6v ehha8ut0">This ntent is imported om youTube. You may be able to fd the same ntent another format, or you may be able to fd more rmatn, at their web se.</div><div data-embed="youtube" data-no-id="9" class="embed align-center css-9angbx exa3d2e3"><div class="css-79elbk exa3d2e2"><div class="css-b0nlql exa3d2e1"></div><div class="css-8vvrvc exa3d2e0"></div><a target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Watch on YouTube" href=" class="exa3d2e5 css-1exe7l8 e1c1bym14"><span>Watch on</span><svg viewBox="0 0 508 114" xmlns=" class="css-1b1cg exa3d2e4"><tle>Watch on YouTube In</tle><sc>Watch on YouTube in for vio media</sc><path style="fill: var(--primary, #22181C);" d="M253.06 92.036c.887-2.315 1.332-6.099 1.332-11.35V58.561c0-5.096-.445-8.82-1.332-11.177-.888-2.355-2.452-3.533-4.69-3.533-2.163 0-3.689 1.178-4.576 3.533-.888 2.356-1.332 6.081-1.332 11.177v22.125c0 5.251.424 9.035 1.275 11.35.848 2.317 2.391 3.475 4.633 3.475 2.238 0 3.802-1.157 4.69-3.475Zm-17.953 11.12c-3.206-2.159-5.485-5.52-6.834-10.078-1.352-4.554-2.027-10.616-2.027-18.184v-10.31c0-7.644.771-13.785 2.316-18.417 1.544-4.633 3.956-8.01 7.24-10.135 3.281-2.122 7.587-3.185 12.916-3.185 5.25 0 9.458 1.082 12.625 3.243 3.165 2.162 5.482 5.542 6.95 10.135 1.466 4.596 2.2 10.715 2.2 18.36v10.31c0 7.567-.714 13.65-2.142 18.243-1.43 4.594-3.747 7.954-6.951 10.076-3.205 2.124-7.548 3.186-13.03 3.186-5.639 0-10.06-1.082-13.263-3.243m248.054-57.98c-.809 1.004-1.352 2.645-1.621 4.922-.272 2.279-.404 5.734-.404 10.367v5.097h11.697v-5.097c0-4.555-.155-8.01-.463-10.367-.309-2.354-.868-4.014-1.678-4.98-.812-.965-2.067-1.449-3.766-1.449-1.699 0-2.954.504-3.765 1.507Zm-2.025 29.885v3.59c0 4.558.132 7.974.404 10.251.269 2.279.828 3.94 1.68 4.982.849 1.042 2.16 1.564 3.938 1.564 2.392 0 4.035-.927 4.923-2.781.887-1.853 1.369-4.942 1.447-9.267l13.785.812c.077.62.116 1.468.116 2.547 0 6.565-1.795 11.47-5.387 14.712-3.589 3.242-8.669 4.864-15.232 4.864-7.875 0-13.398-2.47-16.563-7.414-3.168-4.94-4.751-12.585-4.751-22.934V63.593c0-10.656 1.642-18.435 4.924-23.34 3.281-4.904 8.9-7.355 16.854-7.355 5.482 0 9.691 1.004 12.626 3.011 2.933 2.01 4.999 5.137 6.197 9.383 1.197 4.247 1.796 10.117 1.796 17.607v12.163h-26.757m-284.954-1.33L177.996 8.054h15.868l6.371 29.77c1.623 7.338 2.819 13.593 3.591 18.765h.464c.54-3.706 1.737-9.922 3.59-18.65l6.603-29.885h15.869l-18.417 65.678v31.509h-15.753V73.732m125.93-39.497v71.005h-12.51l-1.391-8.688h-.347c-3.398 6.564-8.495 9.845-15.29 9.845-4.711 0-8.185-1.543-10.425-4.633-2.24-3.087-3.359-7.915-3.359-14.478V34.234h15.985v52.124c0 3.168.348 5.426 1.043 6.776.695 1.353 1.853 2.027 3.475 2.027 1.39 0 2.722-.423 3.995-1.275 1.275-.849 2.22-1.928 2.839-3.241v-56.41h15.985m81.985 0v71.005h-12.511l-1.39-8.688h-.346c-3.401 6.564-8.497 9.845-15.291 9.845-4.711 0-8.185-1.543-10.425-4.633-2.24-3.087-3.359-7.915-3.359-14.478V34.234h15.985v52.124c0 3.168.347 5.426 1.041 6.776.696 1.353 1.855 2.027 3.476 2.027 1.391 0 2.723-.423 3.996-1.275 1.275-.849 2.22-1.928 2.839-3.241v-56.41h15.985"></path><path style="fill: var(--primary, #22181C);" d="M365.538 20.914h-15.869v84.326h-15.637V20.914h-15.869V8.056h47.375v12.858Zm76.811 53.634c0 5.175-.215 9.23-.639 12.162-.424 2.937-1.138 5.021-2.142 6.255-1.004 1.236-2.358 1.854-4.054 1.854a7.406 7.406 0 0 1-3.649-.927c-1.121-.618-2.026-1.544-2.722-2.78v-40.31c.54-1.93 1.466-3.513 2.78-4.75 1.313-1.233 2.739-1.852 4.285-1.852 1.622 0 2.876.637 3.765 1.91.887 1.275 1.505 3.418 1.853 6.43.348 3.011.523 7.297.523 12.857v9.151Zm14.652-28.963c-.967-4.477-2.531-7.72-4.692-9.73-2.163-2.006-5.136-3.01-8.919-3.01-2.934 0-5.676.83-8.224 2.49a16.928 16.928 0 0 0-5.907 6.544h-.118l.002-37.415h-15.405v100.774h13.203l1.623-6.717h.347c1.234 2.393 3.088 4.285 5.559 5.675 2.471 1.39 5.214 2.085 8.226 2.085 5.403 0 9.381-2.491 11.93-7.471 2.548-4.982 3.823-12.76 3.823-23.34V64.233c0-7.953-.484-14.17-1.448-18.65"></path><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" style="fill: var(--primary, #22181C);" d="M144.276 3.393a20.283 20.283 0 0 1 14.32 14.32c3.384 12.632 3.384 38.986 3.384 38.986s0 26.356-3.384 38.987a20.283 20.283 0 0 1-14.32 14.32c-12.633 3.386-63.283 3.386-63.283 3.386s-50.65 0-63.283-3.386a20.284 20.284 0 0 1-14.32-14.32C.007 83.055.007 56.7.007 56.7s0-26.355 3.385-38.987a20.285 20.285 0 0 1 14.32-14.32C30.34.009 80.992.009 80.992.009s50.651 0 63.283 3.385Zm-37.404 53.305L64.79 32.401v48.594l42.082-24.297Z"></path></svg></a><div class="css-1uds6oo e1f7ylgd6"><button aria-label="Play Vio" class="css-1vn4202 e1f7ylgd0"><img data-dynamic-svg src="/_assets/sign-tokens/e/static/ins/social/;sendary=%2523ffffff" loadg="lazy" alt="youtube in" width="68" height="68" class="css-a0gows e1f7ylgd3" /></button><img alt="This is an image" tle="Vio player poster image" loadg="lazy" width="2000" height="1000" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="e1f7ylgd5 css-g939jb exi4f7p0" /></div></div></div><p data-no-id="10" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">T.J. has only recently begun to stop wastg that time and energy himself. “Before, I didn’t realize real time that I was dog , but if I wanted to do a move or a gture or some body language, I would filter a ltle. Try to keep mascule,” he tells me. "I got so good at dog I wouldn’t even realize . And I am a cis man. This is me. But I noticed down Panama Cy, I’d do a movement that was a ltle more flamboyant, and end up beg better. I felt so much eedom. I didn’t realize the rtrats I’d been puttg on myself. It’s ridiculo that I would waste any bra power on somethg so trivial.” </p><p data-no-id="11" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">It’s a prison most Amerin men are , I say, this policg of our ton and gtur and behavr. But for those of who have lived the closet, ’s necsary for our survival, and n hang on long after ’s eful. “I thk that’s been a problem the gay muny, wh the preference beg for mascule men. Or people not wantg anyone to know they’re a bottom, bee tops are more sirable.” T.J. lghs. “Which is hilar, bee who do we fuck if there’s no bottoms?” Gee Jon uld never. </p><p data-no-id="12" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">For someone on jt the other si of the closet door, T.J. has a clear view of what he’s left behd. “I was always workg. I got so fuckg good at . I didn’t realize that my bra, all day, every day was dodgg qutns, answerg qutns a certa way that would flip around so people ultimately wouldn’t ask me about relatnships. I uld do like <em>that</em>,” he snaps his fgers, still exudg a laid-back, nfint, untry-boy energy, even as he’s learng fundamental lsons about himself and his relatnship to the world at age 36, “I didn’t realize how exhstg was. It’s so much easier beg out.” Lsons like that shatter some people; some people never get to learn them.</p><div supprsHydratnWarng data-no-id="13" data-embed="pullquote" class="embed css-0 e9hzx6g0"><style data-emotn="css 1eiql25">{text-align:center;marg:0rem;paddg-top:0.9375rem;paddg-bottom:0.9375rem;}</style><blockquote class="css-1eiql25 e1pe3zr91"><style data-emotn="css ow0dpz">{borr:0.3125rem solid #FF3A30;borr-radi:100%;ntent:'';display:block;height:2.1875rem;left:50%;marg:-0.99rem to 0 -1.33rem;posn:absolute;width:2.1875rem;}</style><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-ow0dpz eagam8p0"></span><style data-emotn="css la9czl">{font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:1.625rem;le-height:1.2;marg:0rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:1.75rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{font-size:2.375rem;le-height:1.2;}} b, strong{font-fay:her;font-weight:bold;} em, i{font-fay:her;font-style:alic;}{ntent:'＂';display:block;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:3.4375rem;le-height:0.72;font-style:alic;paddg:0.3125rem 0.875rem 0 0;}</style><blockquote class="css-la9czl e1pe3zr90">"I thk that’s been a problem the gay muny, wh the preference beg for mascule men. Or people not wantg anyone to know they’re a bottom... which is hilar, bee who do we fuck if there’s no bottoms?"</blockquote><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-0 eagam8p1"></span></blockquote></div><p data-no-id="14" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">His beg out mak that much easier for the next artist, and the one after that. There was no clear role mol for him, at least not at first. He grew up listeng to R.E.M., payg special notice to that moment the ‘90s when Michael Stipe started to get more hont about his love life. “I’d see him late night terviews, and he’s a cis du. He would ocsnally talk about his partner. I thk his name might even have been Thomas, which is my name.” He ps and lghs. “Please only quote me there if I’m rrect.” (He is; Stipe liv wh his partner, artist Thomas Dozol.) </p><p data-no-id="15" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">One out gay rock star was a great leap forward, but R.E.M. was an alternative band. “They existed that space where all thgs are possible. Where I was hopg to go, was more of a narrow lane,” he adms. “But now, untry is beg more diverse than ’s ever been. [Country is] beg one of the more diverse genr out there terms of the sound of the mic. You’re startg to see more people of lor and more varieti of people g to this genre, and we’re seeg how powerful that is and how much ’ll help prerve and save untry mic.”</p><p data-no-id="16" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Te, but we n’t ignore the fact that jt this year, Man Wallen got ught sayg the n-word on tape. His album <em>Dangero</em>, already at number one,<em></em> broke rerds by holdg the spot for 10 weeks amid the ntroversy. T.J.’s done some thkg about this too: “I thk as a society, we tend to rally behd people who are gettg negative feedback, Man beg the latt example. But if you look at R. Kelly and Michael Jackson, when those documentari were nng, their streamg numbers explod too. We rally behd people who are beg shunned, even if they’re beg shunned for good reason, over people who seem like they’re beg loved and accepted.” </p><style data-emotn="css 1736von">{--data-embed-display:flex;-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;clear:both;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;marg-bottom:0.9375rem;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;width:100%;}@media(m-width: 20rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 30rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 75rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{width:100%;marg:0 to 0.9375rem;}} a span{right:1rem;} img{width:to;height:85vh;} a{display:-webk-le-box;display:-webk-le-flex;display:-ms-le-flexbox;display:le-flex;posn:var(--posn, relative);} img:not(.ewcw41w1){display:block;width:100%;height:to;-webk-align-self:flex-start;-ms-flex-em-align:flex-start;align-self:flex-start;}</style><div size="medium" data-embed="body-image" data-no-id="17" class="align-center size-medium embed css-1736von e1xqj1sx4"><style data-emotn="css uwraif">{width:100%;display:-webk-le-box;display:-webk-le-flex;display:-ms-le-flexbox;display:le-flex;-webk-flex-directn:lumn;-ms-flex-directn:lumn;flex-directn:lumn;marg-left:to;marg-right:to;-webk-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webk-jtify-ntent:center;jtify-ntent:center;}</style><div class="css-uwraif e1xqj1sx3"><img alt="tj and john osborne" tle="2021 CMT Mic Awards - Portras & Backstage" loadg="lazy" width="1024" height="683" dg="async" data-nimg="1" style="lor: transparent; width: 100%; height: to;" siz="100vw" srcSet=" 640w, 980w, 1120w, 1200w, 1920w" src="" class="css-0 exi4f7p0" /><style data-emotn="css swqnqv">@media(m-width: 20rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 30rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 73.75rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 75rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}@media(m-width: 90rem){{paddg-left:0rem;}}</style><div class="css-swqnqv e1xqj1sx2"><style data-emotn="css 8h7i7x">{width:0;m-width:100%;paddg-top:0.625rem;letter-spacg:0.02rem;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.875rem;le-height:1.3;} em, i{font-fay:her;font-style:alic;}</style><div class="css-8h7i7x e1xqj1sx1">T.J. and his brother, John, posg for a portra backstage at the 2021 CMT Mic Awards.</div><style data-emotn="css 1am3yn9">{paddg-left:0rem;le-height:1;}</style><figptn class="css-1am3yn9 enfs9c50"><span class="css-1mcfn5x e6iqd2">John Shearer/2021 CMT Awards</span><style data-emotn="css 1vpjmnm">{lor:#595959;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;paddg:0 0.3rem;paddg-right:0.3125rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.70028rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.70028rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{font-size:0.75rem;le-height:1.3;}}</style><span class="css-1vpjmnm e6iqd0">//</span><span class="css-1mcfn5x e6iqd1">Getty Imag</span></figptn></div></div></div><p data-no-id="18" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">That brgs to Pri Month, to the flurry of attentn and offers he’s gettg and hopg aren’t jt a seasonal obligatn. “I’ve ma a pot terviews recently to say: ’s great that you’re takg this moment to pay attentn to the queer muny, but we’re really gog to need you when ’s like, November. Ask me <em>then</em> to do a playlist for you. In June helps me a ltle, but n read a ltle like chary.” He shak his head, a wise and nny advote jt four months to beg out. “There's 11 more months where ’s fuckg hard as sh. So that’s a thg I’m tryg to figure out. Once this month is over, how do we ntue to get the support of the people who sh out to support someone for beg ncelled?” </p><p data-no-id="19" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Brothers Osborne got a nice ltle streamg bump the wake of the <em>Time</em> terview, but not on a Man Wallen level. “While I’ve been loved and accepted, there’s still a lot of hate for me and for people like me. We n’t fet that and act like our work is over. It’s still really hard.” He’s grateful for the chance to have the nversatns about inty, and ’s rehg to hear him do , but there’s still a band to promote. “I know I n talk about this June, but what about Augt when I’ve got Brothers Osborne stuff I want to talk about?”</p><style data-emotn="css 1oaqclt">{font-fay:Glanz,Glanz-fallback,Tim,Serif;font-weight:normal;marg-bottom:0.625rem;marg-top:0.625rem;text-align:center;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:1.75rem;le-height:1.3;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:1.875rem;le-height:1.2;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{font-size:2.125rem;le-height:1.2;}} b, strong{font-fay:her;font-weight:bold;} em, i{font-fay:her;font-style:alic;}</style><h2 data-no-id="20" class="body-h4 css-1oaqclt et3p2gv0">Get unlimed accs to + a prt subscriptn wh <style data-emotn="css umdwtv">{-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-thickns:.0625rem;text-ratn-lor:#FF3A30;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;lor:her;-webk-transn:background 0.4s;transn:background 0.4s;background:lear-gradient(#ffffff, #ffffff 50%, #d5dbe3 50%, #d5dbe3);-webk-background-size:100% 200%;background-size:100% 200%;}{lor:#000000;text-ratn-lor:borr-lk-body-hover;-webk-background-posn:100% 100%;background-posn:100% 100%;}</style><a href=" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-outbound-lk=" data-vars-ga-ux-element="Hyperlk" data-vars-ga-ll-to-actn="Esquire Select" class="body-lk css-umdwtv et3p2gv0">Esquire Select</a>. </h2><p data-no-id="21" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">Let’s not wa for Augt. Brothers Osborne’s third album <em>Skeletons</em> is a perfect party album for a summer when we n start havg parti aga, wh classic untry them and classic-rock guar solos for days. “Younger Me” asi, a fourth album will have to wa until their We’re Not For Everyone Tour wraps up at the end of the year. “The timg is good. Thgs are stabilizg out there a ltle b. I’m lookg to brg some new fans to untry mic," he says. "And I want to see gay fans feelg good and wele and fortable those crowds.” </p><p data-no-id="22" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">In the meantime, T.J. is workg some ser sh out, public, a way we’ve never seen an artist do before. He’s as surprised as anyone. “I didn’t thk I’d want to talk about beg gay this much. And then when I me out, there was jt this llg. I wouldn’t even ll an obligatn. It jt felt like a purpose. Sometim now ’s hard <em>not</em> to talk about .”</p><p data-no-id="23" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">It mak sense, right? All the tertg stuff, all the good stuff, all the stuff you get exced to dig to, is on the other si of that closet door. </p><p data-no-id="24" class="css-18vfmjb et3p2gv0">“Absolutely,” he says. “I am absolutely, whout a doubt, leaps and bounds happier than I’ve ever been.”</p><style data-emotn="css 2ok9l4">{marg-top:1.875rem;borr-top:th solid #595959;}</style><div data-jam-id="thor-b" class="css-2ok9l4 e13rjwo40"><style data-emotn="css f0b5z8">{display:grid;grid-template-lumns:to 1;grid-lumn-gap:0.625rem;paddg-top:1.25rem;paddg-bottom:1.25rem;clear:both;}</style><div class="css-f0b5z8 e19xk9rq8"><style data-emotn="css irehmq">{borr-radi:50%;height:60px;width:60px;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{width:40px;height:40px;}}</style><span class="css-irehmq e19xk9rq1"><style data-emotn="css o0wq4v">{width:100%;height:100%;borr-radi:50%;vertil-align:middle;object-f:ver;}</style><img src="" alt="Headshot of Dave Holm" tle="Headshot of Dave Holm" width="100%" height="100%" dg="async" loadg="lazy" class="css-o0wq4v e19xk9rq3" /></span><div><style data-emotn="css 3sqxrq">{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;grid-gap:4px;-webk-align-ems:basele;-webk-box-align:basele;-ms-flex-align:basele;align-ems:basele;-webk-box-flex-wrap:wrap;-webk-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;}</style><div class="css-3sqxrq e19xk9rq7"><span class="css-0 e19xk9rq5"><style data-emotn="css 1yunoig">{lor:#161616;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;letter-spacg:0.02rem;-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-lor:her;text-ratn-thickns:0.0625rem;text-transform:upperse;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.4;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.3;}}{lor:#595959;text-ratn-lor:borr-lk-body-hover;}</style><style data-emotn="css 1kgdfad">{lor:#161616;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;letter-spacg:0.02rem;text-transform:upperse;lor:#161616;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;letter-spacg:0.02rem;-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-lor:her;text-ratn-thickns:0.0625rem;text-transform:upperse;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;-webk-transn:all 0.3s ease--out;transn:all 0.3s ease--out;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.4;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.3;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.4;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.3;}}{lor:#595959;text-ratn-lor:borr-lk-body-hover;}</style><a href="/thor/9774/dave-holm/" class="e1c1bym13 css-1kgdfad e1c1bym14"><span>Dave Holm</span></a></span></div><style data-emotn="css pqlu">{lor:#161616;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;letter-spacg:0.02rem;marg-top:0.625rem;text-transform:upperse;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.4;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{font-size:0.70003rem;le-height:1.3;}}</style><div class="css-pqlu e19xk9rq6">Edor-at-Large</div><style data-emotn="css 1b1navg">{display:-webk-box;font-fay:Charter,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-size:1rem;le-height:1.4;overflow:hidn;paddg-top:0.3125rem;-webk-box-orient:vertil;-webk-le-clamp:5;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{-webk-le-clamp:10;}}>*{display:le;} em{font-fay:CharterItalic,Geia,Tim,Serif;font-style:alic;} p{marg:0rem;} p a{-webk-text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn:unrle;text-ratn-thickns:0.0625rem;text-ratn-lor:her;text-unrle-offset:0.25rem;} p a:hover{text-ratn-lor:borr-lk-body-hover;}</style><div class="css-1b1navg e19xk9rq4"><p>Dave Holm is Esquire's L.A.-based edor-at-large. His first book, "Party of One," is out now. </p></div></div></div></div><style data-emotn="css ciejky">{clear:both;marg-top:1.25rem;}</style><div id="journey-le" class="css-ciejky e1cslvxz0"></div><div class="css-79elbk eg8z2o90"><div class="css-79elbk e1tp40ll1"><div data-anchor-id="P0-0" class="css-0 e1tp40ll0"></div></div><style data-emotn="css hi6ssp">{display:block;grid-area:article_body;grid-lumn:article_body-start/article_body-end;grid-row:to;jtify-self:center;marg:1.25rem 0 0;}@media prt{{display:none;}}@media(max-width: 30rem){{width:100%;}}@media(max-width: 61.25rem){{m-height:28rem;}}@media(m-width: 30rem){{width:488px;}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{width:612px;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{max-width:40.25rem;}}</style><div class="css-hi6ssp eg8z2o92"></div></div></div></div><div></div><style data-emotn="css 6b9rfj">{display:block;-webk-flex-basis:lc((100vw - lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem) - 1rem - 20.625rem) / 2);-ms-flex-preferred-size:lc((100vw - lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem) - 1rem - 20.625rem) / 2);flex-basis:lc((100vw - lc(20.625rem * 2 - 1rem) - 1rem - 20.625rem) / 2);-webk-box-flex:0;-webk-flex-grow:0;-ms-flex-posive:0;flex-grow:0;-webk-flex-shrk:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrk:0;}@media(max-width: 61.25rem){{display:none;}}</style><div class="no-prt css-6b9rfj ewisyje1"><div><style data-emotn="css 1tuodqg">{width:330px;paddg-left:30px;}</style><div id="ad-article-rail-flt-wrapper" class="vertil-ad css-1tuodqg eqm02p30"><style data-emotn="css w0cuw4">{display:block;posn:-webk-sticky;posn:sticky;top:5rem;}@media(max-width: 61.25rem){{display:none;}}</style><div class="vertilAdSticky css-w0cuw4 eqm02p32"><style data-emotn="css 9fasmy">{m-height:523px;top:5rem;}@media(max-width: 61.25rem){{display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webk-flex-directn:lumn;-ms-flex-directn:lumn;flex-directn:lumn;-webk-box-pack:jtify;-webk-jtify-ntent:space-between;jtify-ntent:space-between;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{m-height:138px;}}@media(max-width: 61.25rem){{ntent:"";display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;borr-bottom:th solid #E8E8E8;}}</style><div class="standard-article-vertil-ad css-9fasmy eqm02p31"><style data-emotn="css 14b96eg">{m-width:18.75rem;text-align:center;}</style><div id="gpt-ad-vertil-top" class="ad-ntaer css-14b96eg e1hka4w80"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div data-teractive="WatchNext-1" class="css-0 e10xr3vp6"><style data-emotn="css 1pqv15d">{marg-bottom:1.875rem;marg-top:1.875rem;paddg:0 0.938rem;}@media(m-width: 40.625rem){{paddg:0 2.5rem;}}</style><div data-embed="watch-next" class="css-1pqv15d e10xr3vp5"><style data-emotn="css 604vx7">{text-align:center;marg:0 to;max-width:60rem;borr-top:0.125rem solid #15263D;}</style><div class="css-604vx7 e10xr3vp4"><style data-emotn="css 1sowyjy">{marg-bottom:1.25rem;}</style><div class="css-1sowyjy e10xr3vp3"><style data-emotn="css ju94x7">{marg:0rem;font-weight:normal;background-lor:#ffffff;lor:#000;borr:0.125rem solid #15263D;text-align:left;width:-webk-f-ntent;width:-moz-f-ntent;width:f-ntent;borr-radi:2rem;display:block;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.70028rem;le-height:1.2;letter-spacg:0.04rem;marg-top:-1rem;paddg:0.5rem 0.9375rem 0.25rem;text-transform:upperse;}</style><h6 class="css-ju94x7 e10xr3vp2"><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-0 eagam8p0"></span><span class="css-0 e10xr3vp1">Watch Next</span><span aria-hidn="te" class="css-0 eagam8p1"></span></h6><style data-emotn="css un61">{-webk-align-ems:center;-webk-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-ems:center;display:-webk-box;display:-webk-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;font-fay:Lsanne,Lsanne-fallback,Arial,sans-serif;font-weight:normal;-webk-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webk-jtify-ntent:center;jtify-ntent:center;marg:0rem;m-height:to;paddg-top:1rem;text-align:left;}@media(max-width: 48rem){{font-size:1.5rem;le-height:1.1;}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{font-size:1.875rem;le-height:1.3;}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{font-size:2.125rem;le-height:1.2;}}</style><h6 class="css-un61 e10xr3vp0"> </h6></div><style data-emotn="css b3y6x">{marg-bottom:0.9375rem;--aspect-rat:56.25%;} {posn:absolute;marg:0rem;}{ntent:"";display:block;height:0rem;width:100%;}@media(max-width: 30rem){{paddg-bottom:lc((45% / 1.16) + 20px + 1.66em);}}@media(m-width: 30rem) and (max-width: 48rem){{paddg-bottom:lc((45% / 1.43) + 20px + 1.66em);}}@media(m-width: 40.625rem) and (max-width: 64rem){{paddg-bottom:lc((33% / 1.40) + 20px + 1.66em);}}@media(m-width: 48rem){{paddg-bottom:lc((25% / 1.36) + 20px + 1.66em);}}@media(m-width: 64rem){{paddg-bottom:lc((25% / 1.46) + 20px + 1.66em);}}</style><div class="__rp-ntaer css-b3y6x e6l0f0"><style data-emotn="css 1yu8e3d">{marg-bottom:0.9375rem;width:100%;height:100%;} .__rp-ntaer{height:to;}</style><div data-embed="embed-vio" class="vio-player css-1yu8e3d e1ou1fny0"><div class="css-1uds6oo e1f7ylgd6"><style data-emotn="css 1iiivv4">{background-lor:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);borr:.1875rem solid whe;borr-radi:50%;lor:#fff;cursor:poter;height:3.75rem;left:50%;posn:absolute;top:50%;-webk-transform:translate(-50%,-50%);-moz-transform:translate(-50%,-50%);-ms-transform:translate(-50%,-50%);transform:translate(-50%,-50%);-webk-transn:all 0.4s;transn:all 0.4s;width:3.75rem;z-x:1;}.e1f7ylgd6:hover {background-lor:rgba(33, 150, 245, 0.8);lor:#ffffff;}@media(m-width: 48rem){{height:5.625rem;width:5.625rem;borr:.28125rem solid whe;}}</style><button aria-label="Play Vio" class="css-1iiivv4 e1f7ylgd1"><style data-emotn="css 1lhf7lq">{fill:#ffffff;height:1.4rem;vertil-align:middle;width:1.45rem;}@media(m-width: 48rem){{width:2.3125rem;height:3rem;}}</style><svg xmlns=" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" style="fill: var(--primary, #000);" role="img" tle="Play" class="css-1lhf7lq e1f7ylgd2"><tle>play in
.