A famous male idol confessed that he is homosexual during a fan meeting attended by 2000 people.
Last month, Shinjiro Atae, a member of the Japanese idol group AAA, held a fan meeting with 2000 fans. Here, he made a brave decision and came out as gay during the event.
“I respect you and believe that you deserve to hear this directly from me. In the past few years, I have struggled to accept this part of mine. I was even unable to admit it to myself, and was worried that even after I accepted myself, the world will not recognize me as an artist”, Shinjiro Atae said, adding, “Now, after overcoming various struggles and experiences, I finally gain the courage to open up. I am gay.”
After Shinjiro Atae’s confession, fans were initially shocked, but quickly gave the male idol a huge applause filled with emotions.
Later on, Shinjiro Atae also published a long message on Instagram, reaffirming his sexuality.
Below is the full message of the male idol:
To all my fans, today was a very special day for me. For years, I struggled to accept a part of myself…But now, after all I have been through, I finally have the courage to open up to you about something. I am a gay man.
It has taken me a long time to be able to say I am gay. I could not even say it to myself. However, I’ve come to realize it is better, both for me, and for the people I care about, including my fans, to live life authentically than to live a life never accepting who I truly am. I hope people who are struggling with the same feeling will find courage and know they are not alone.
I held this event today because I wanted to tell as many of you as possible directly. For those unable to attend I will be posting my full speech on my website tomorrow so you can hear the news in my own words. The link is in my bio (English subtitles available).
When I think of my work in the entertainment industry and the many things for which I am grateful, it is my relationship with my fans that first comes to mind. I thank you guys from the bottom of my heart for standing beside me over the years. I’d also like to thank my family, friends, staff members and my fellow AAA members for providing me their full support throughout this process.
On the same day, Shinjiro Atae also released a new song titled “Into the Light”. He plans to donate a portion of the song’s proceeds to Japan’s first LGBTQ+ centers, “Pride House Tokyo” and “Re.Revolution.”
Meanwhile, Shinjiro Atae debuted as a member of the Japanese pop group “AAA” in 2005. Since then, he has gained the affection of fans as the youngest member of the group, and is currently active as both a singer and an actor.
Source: Yahoo, Instagram
