Troye Sivan Wants Trans Kids to Know They’re Loved, and Not Alone

In between recording new music and acting in numerous film and TV projects, Australian pop star Troye Sivan has emerged to speak out against the current backlash against LGBTQ+ rights. Sivan hopes to send a message of love and support to queer kids around the world in a moment when it is desperately needed.

In a new interview with Elle, Sivan recalled how celebrities demonstrating support for gay rights helped him come out when he was younger. He explained that seeing Lady Gaga speak to a massive Pride parade crowd showed him the power of representation.

“I didn’t know any queer people in real life, and just seeing that crowd I was like, ‘Okay, so it is out there somewhere, I just have to go find it,’” he said.

“And I think that that’s what representation really does. It shows you that your immediate circumstances are not going to be your circumstances forever, that there are people out there who are going to love you and support you, and places where you can feel safe.”

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“I feel as if there has been an implied gag order for a very long time now.”

Now Sivan hopes to be that representation for queer kids. And with attacks against the LGBTQ+ community ramping up around the world, he recognizes that representation is more important than ever.

Not only has the US introduced a slew of anti-drag and anti-trans laws—including the first such bill to reach the House of Representatives—Sivan’s home country of Australia has itself been riding the wave of anti-trans sentiment.

The silver lining is that queer youth these days have many more avenues for resources than Sivan did. “It’s a big relief to know that while all of this really messed-up stuff is happening, people really attempting to send us backwards, that young people can go on TikTok or turn on the Grammys or watch music videos on YouTube and see themselves [represented],” Sivan said.

“I think it’s a lot less suffocating than it used to be, because having access to the representation, it shows you that the world is a big place. Those people who are trying to send us backwards? They’re not everyone.”

As fans wait for a new record, Sivan’s next big role will be in The Weekend’s upcoming HBO series The Idol. The show follows an aspiring pop idol who becomes involved with a cult leader after her tour is canceled, with Sivan playing series regular Caleb. “It was the first time in my life when I really felt like an actor,” he said of the role.

The Idol will premiere on HBO and HBO Max on June 4.