Rob Halford, the vocalist for Judas Priest , recounted in a recent interview with NME how he came out as gay during a live performance on MTV in 1998. He said: “It’s never too late to break free because, as we know, once you come out, the attacks disappear. I’m here, I’m gay, get used to it!”
During the conversation with Nick Levine , Halford explained that he didn't premeditate it and that it happened naturally. “It was simply me talking as if I were talking to you. I just said, ‘Talking like a gay man, blah, blah, blah.’ And those simple words resonated and went to many places. Then, when I got back to the hotel, I thought, ‘Now that’s it. Everyone knows I’m a gay guy.’”
When asked if other musicians had sought advice on coming out, he said yes, but that he wouldn't name names. He added: “As we all know, coming out is a very difficult thing, even now in 2024, because we still have this ongoing challenge of hate, intolerance, and division. You'd think it would be much easier, but it's not. The struggle is still very real for young people, and that's where I hope all the conversations I have with other people will be beneficial.”
Rob Halford talks about how he deals with homophobia.
Furthermore, he mentioned that his bandmates and record label colleagues already knew, and that even fans suspected. But coming out as gay in the metal world certainly wasn't easy at the time, due to homophobia and resistance. He concluded that he still receives homophobic comments on social media today.
During the interview, she talked about how she reacts when faced with homophobia online. “You know, someone bullied me the other day on Facebook [writing]: 'You say you're a Christian – well, good for you – but you should leave that husband of yours because he's evil and you're an abomination to God. Find a woman, you'll be happier.' [My response:] 'Thank you, delete!'”
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