• The famous Pop Idol winner and star, Will Young, 43 has released his memoir.
• He talks about his coming out as gay, problems with homophobes, and his mental issues.
• He spoke to Times UK about all the problems he faced in his life until now.

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Will Young and his issues on coming out as gay

Pop Idol star Will Young is from the UK. He spoke to Times UK in which he said that 14 years ago when he was walking down the street holding hands with his boyfriend, homophobes shouted at him and threatened to kill him.

He said:

“I was wandering through the East End about 14 years ago, holding hands with my then boyfriend, Julian, and we had people shouting at us. Someone actually threatened to stab us.”

Will was only 23 years of age when he won the title of Pop Idol star. He soon after came out as gay. He admits that even now he has to differentiate between the places where he belongs and where is realizes that he might not be welcome or it may be unsafe for him to visit.

Also, read Michael Gunning, a gay colored-race swimmer who focuses on the 2021 Olympics to represent Jamaica in swimming!

More about the problems he faced as a gay man

Will further revealed:

“I’ve had people threatening to stab me and I once had someone shouting “queer” and “faggot” at me from a Vauxhall Nova outside a pub in Hampstead.

“Although on that occasion, I just shouted “faggot” back at them, so they got confused and drove off looking rather dejected.

“Someone also once rang my hotel room late at night to homophobically abuse me.”

Will’s memoir To Be A Gay Man is out and in it, he has talked about his struggles with sexuality. Talking about the rationale for him writing the book, he said:

“I genuinely do think it’s a book that’s needed because there is a lot of shame that hasn’t been worked through by gay people, and I don’t think that gay men are given room to work it out.

“But if you’ve had years and years of feeling bad about yourself and being told you are wrong, that doesn’t go overnight.”

Will talks about mental health issues

Earlier this month, his twin brother, Rupert, 41 died after battling mental issues. He had depression and was into heavy alcohol. Rupert had problems with Will when in 2002 he gained sudden fame overnight.

Will recalled:

“There was a moment I remember, when I had to go to some awards thing. I had an album out, I was in a film and I was having a great time professionally. I had to drive past the train station, and I knew that he’d been there for a day, just drinking. But I knew I had to leave him alone. That was tough, of course it was, but you have to get on. And in that respect being so involved in work was a great thing.” 

A friend of the family told The Sun UK:

“Will’s relationship with Rupert had been tough over the years at times. And they had both spoken about the mental health problems which had made it challenging.

“But there were hopes he had turned a corner and they are a very loving family – and utterly devastated by his passing.”