Panic! At The Disco Singer Brendon Urie Comes Out as Pansexual

Back in the 2000s, the heavily eyelinered, gender-bending Panic! At The Disco frontman Brendon Urie probably inspired many a sexual awakening for queer kids. A decade later, the singer-songwriter is speaking out about his sexuality, and proudly declared that he identifies as pansexual.

In an interview with Paper, the artist explained, “I’m married to a woman and I’m very much in love with her but I’m not opposed to a man because to me, I like a person.” He elaborated, “Yeah I guess you could qualify me as pansexual because I really don’t care. If a person is great, then a person is great. I just like good people, if your heart’s in the right place. I’m definitely attracted to men. It’s just people that I am attracted to.” Urie added, “I guess this is me coming out as pansexual.”

Along with being a longtime advocate for the LGBTQ community, Urie has previously hinted at being sexually attracted to men. He spoke for the first time on speculations about his sexuality in 2013. Nodding to the rumors, which were provoked by his making out with other male band members on stage, he declared he was “straight,” but “experimented in other realms of homosexuality and bisexuality.”

He opened up to Paper about kissing his friends on stage. “I would go up to Ryan our guitar player, and like kiss him on the neck or kiss him on the mouth and he would be so mad. I was like, I just want to kiss you bro,” Urie recalled. “I would hang out with friends and after five or six beers we’re just kind of like smooching on each other. People just get hammered and fool around.”

Brendon is one of many celebrities who have come out or put a stamp on their sexuality in 2018—and he’s shedding an important light on pansexuality. Earlier this year, singer Janelle Monae came out as pan, but it’s rare that we get to see out men identifying as such. Nowadays, Urie is comfortable with such a label, but he told Paper that he regrets having referred to himself as “barsexual,” as in, he only kisses his male friends while drinking.

In June, the 31-year old pledged to donate $1 million to the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network through his Highest Hopes Foundation, which benefits LGBTQ youth. His partnership with the group aims to establish Gay Straight Alliance clubs in every high school in the United States, and his funds will go toward training, resources, and support for the groups.

“For years my fans have inspired me with their determination and creativity as they have created a safe and inclusive community,” Urie said in regards to the extensive donation. “I felt the time had come for me to join them boldly, to bring that energy and power to bear on the huge challenges facing our whole society.”

Panic! at the Disco released Pray for the Wicked in June. It’s Urie’s 6^th studio album, and the second Panic! album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.