Little Mix’s Jade Thirlwall Opens Up About Being An LGBTQ+ Ally: ‘I’m Still Very Much Learning’

28 May 2020, 16:53

Jade Thirlwall spoke to Attitude about the pressure of being a public LGBTQ+ally.
Jade Thirlwall spoke to Attitude about the pressure of being a public LGBTQ+ally. Picture: instagram

Little Mix’s Jade Thirlwall has opened up about being an ally for the LGBTQ+ community.

Little Mix star Jade Thirlwall is well known for being an LGBTQ+ ally, however, she’s insisted she doesn’t want to be ‘on a pedestal’ as she’s ‘still very much learning’.

The ‘LM5’ singer made the comments while chatting to gay lifestyle magazine, Attitude.

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Little Mix's Jade Thirlwall bakes some break up cookies

When asked if she feels ‘like there’s a pressure that comes with being such a public ally,’ she replied: “I think the pressure comes with just wanting to say and do the right things.

“I don't think there is such thing as ‘the perfect ally.’ I'm still very much learning, and I don't want to put myself on a pedestal, for then maybe to say the wrong thing one day and slip up and be like ‘Oh god, I'm so sorry, I've done the wrong thing.’

“I’m just constantly trying to learn and not speak for other people, but speak with them. That's a big part of my ally journey. Because I would never want to look like I was just using that audience for my own benefit.”

Jade also revealed in the chat that she ‘constantly’ receives messages from LGBTQ+ fans who are ‘struggling’ and that she always makes a conscious effort to show them she’s doing all that she can to help.

She added: “I constantly get DMs and messages, particularly from LGBTQ+ fans who might be struggling at home and things like that.

“Over the years, I've really tried to find ways of, like I've said before, walking the walk instead of just talking the talk, and really trying to show them that I’m doing all that I can to help.”

Jade and the rest of her Little Mix bandmates, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Perrie Edwards, made headlines last year when they performed their track ‘Secret Love Song’ in front of a giant rainbow flag on stage in the U.A.E, where homosexuality is considered a crime.

Little Mix - 'Secret Love Song' (Live At The Summertime Ball 2016)

The song is considered a ‘gay anthem’ and Jade revealed to Attitude that she would ‘love’ to ‘do more videos and songs that make a difference’ in the future.

She added: “If you if you look at songs like 'Secret Love Song', that's had such an impact, unknowingly to us, on our LGBTQ+ fans. It would be lovely to do another song that can achieve that again - and make more of a statement with the music video.”

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