Joshua Bassett might be a queer. 

It all started with an interview on Clevver News when Bassett, who plays Ricky Bowen in the Disney+ show High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, was asked about his admiration for Harry Styles. He spent a minute fawning over the former One Direction member before being caught groaning slightly.

“I guess this is also my coming out video,” he said after a pause. The snippet of the interview comprising Bassett’s remarks, shared by Pop Crave on Twitter, went viral, garnering over 2 million views. Many fans questioned the actor’s sincerity because of the supposed love triangle he was involved in recently with his costar Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter. 

After intense speculation on social media regarding his orientation, Bassett finally addressed the issue on social media. He took to Twitter to expand on his comments. 

Bassett Is Serious

Although Bassett was accused of queerbaiting, his Twitter and Instagram posts suggested otherwise. Using a series of rainbow hearts, Bassett penned a note about how people have tried to tell him his romantic orientation his entire life and then thanked those who stood for love and acceptance. 

Bassett continued, calling out bigots for their ignorance and criticisms regarding his true identity. He opined that people who spread toxicity are to blame for the negativity surrounding the LGBTQ+ community and added that today’s generation should not have room for such thoughts. 

It’s 2021. We are the generation of love and growth. It’s time we act like it. Whether you love me, hate me, or damn me to hell, I love you all the same.

The actor notably did not align himself with any labels to define his orientation. Instead, he suggested he was more concerned with love. He urged people to choose love over ignorance and love others shamelessly.  In a separate post on Instagram, Bassett reiterated his words and sang something extra for his fans.

On Toxic Masculinity

Just a day before he clarified his orientation, Bassett had an important PSA for all the fellas. 

The singer took to Instagram and got candid about his thoughts on toxic masculinity. In a world where many men are taught to suppress their feelings, Bassett made essential points about defying societal expectations placed on men. 

Bassett’s slideshow post started with a video of him performing a ballad in the bathtub before moving onto a message about learning to share his vulnerable side with the world. Bassett recalled how he was taught to suppress his emotions while growing up.

He also mentioned that scorning sensitivity is the root of evil in society and confessed that even he had a negative perception of emotional and vulnerable people. 

These days, the actor has made peace with his vulnerability, and he finished the post with a call to action as he adjured other men to reevaluate the way they channel their emotions. He concluded by assuring fans that "crying is cool."