Grammy-winning singer Sam Smith told a
British paper this week that he faced anti-gay bullying while growing
up.
The 22-year-old singer told The
Sun that he was getting bullied before he came out at 11,
saying that boys would ask him if he was gay, and when he replied
“no,” they would taunt him even more.
After his family moved to London, Smith
said that he got punched in the neck while walking home from work.
“I've been through stuff, but I'm
lucky because none of it has damaged me,” he told the paper. “My
parents were amazing, but there was only so much advice they could
give.”
Smith said that he was speaking out now
to help gay teens.
“At the beginning of last year I
wasn't talking about my sexuality as much,” he said. “But I've
sold loads of records now and I have a voice. I can speak about this
from a position of power, compared to two years ago where it would
have been p***ing in the wind. It wouldn't have gone anywhere.”