Dove Cameron Admitted That She 'Hated' Having To Publicly Come Out After Being Accused Of Queerbaiting, And Her Comments Are Super Honest
Dove faced queerbaiting accusations after one of her visual videos for her song 'We Belong' featured drawings of gay couples as well as straight couples. Amid the backlash, she went live on Instagram and described herself as 'super queer,' before coming out again on the cover of Gay Times in 2021, where she explained: 'I did a lyric video last year, for 'We Belong' … I used different combinations of emoji couples making out. When the song came out, everybody got the idea that the song was a big LGBTQ+ anthem song and I found myself in this position where everyone thought I was queerbaiting.'
Dove also recalled, 'I went on Instagram Live and said, 'Guys, I really needed to explain something to you. Maybe I haven't said it, but I'm super queer. This is something I want to represent through my music because it's who I am.''
Like Dove, several other celebrities have faced queerbaiting allegations, only to end up coming out as queer. For example, Rita Ora came out in 2018 after her song 'Girls' was met with heavy backlash, not just from fans but from fellow artists Hayley Kiyoko and Kehlani. Billie Eilish was also accused of queerbaiting multiple times before she came out 'officially' in 2023.
Now, Dove has opened up further about her experience facing queerbaiting allegations as a queer person.
Appearing on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast this week, Dove looked back on the backlash over her visual video for 'We Belong,' recalling deciding to feature different combinations of couples kissing after finding the initial lack of representation 'jarring.'
Dove also explained that she used an emoji of two women kissing to tease the song's release — something that led to heavy speculation that the track would be about her being queer. 'And then the song came out, and it wasn't about being queer,' she recalled. 'Everybody was like, 'You're queerbaiting! This is horrendous!''
'I had to basically go on Instagram Live at the time and be like, 'Guys, I'm not queerbaiting, I am queer. And I just wanted more fucking representation in the fucking cartoon. And the emoji was just hinting at the music video!'' she said.
Dove admitted that she was 'confused' by the backlash, and ultimately 'hated' the fact that she had to come out publicly as a result. 'I was confused by it,' she said. 'And also, at that time, I'd never said it publicly but all my friends, all my family, they knew I was queer...I just hated that I had to say it.'
Dove also said, 'I had a feeling that people were going to say I wasn't queer enough…I didn't really have an issue being second-guessed, because I truly was like, 'I know what I am.''
Dove went on to call out the 'weird' and 'discriminatory' attitudes people can have towards those who haven't publicly disclosed their sexuality. 'Even within the queer community, people are very heavy on labels; you have to define yourself, you have to know what it is, you have to show us proof,' she said.
'If we have that issue within the community, we have quite a ways to go before we're not feeling that from the world,' she added.
You can find Dove's full appearance on Armchair Expert here.
Dove Cameron Opened Up About How Her Life Has Changed Since Publicly Coming Out As QueerEllie Bate · July 16, 2021
Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, And 8 More Celebrities Accused Of "Queerbaiting,' Plus How They Responded To The AccusationsMychal Thompson · Sept. 13, 2022
Here's How Dax Shepard Responded When His Friend Called Him Out For Saying That He Enjoys Flirting With People Despite Being MarriedLeyla Mohammed · April 7, 2025
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