Dancing with the Stars' Jason Mraz opens up about the challenges of growing up as a queer kid

During a recent appearance on the Dinner's on Me podcast with actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jason Mraz opened up about the challenges he faced growing up as a queer kid and the reason behind choosing to come out later in life. The Dancing with the Stars runner-up first opened up about his sexuality in a 2018 interview with Billboard.

“But I’ve had experiences with men, even while I was dating the woman who became my wife. It was like, ‘Wow, does that mean I am gay?’ And my wife laid it out for me. She calls it ‘two spirit,’ which is what the Native Americans call someone who can love both man and woman. I really like that," Mraz told Billboard at the time.

When Jesse Taylor asked when the singer realized he wasn't straight, Mraz explained his upbringing on a "very conservative street" in Virginia. The 48-year-old revealed he didn't have much s*xual experience in high school since he was a shy student and later moved to NYC.

"Skinny, scrawny, 18-year old kid in New York, I don't even know what to flirt with, who to flirt with, how to flirt. The romance in my songs was just copying other romance in songs."

Mraz revealed that ultimately, he got to know about his sexuality once he moved to California and met a community of people that saw him in a way the others hadn't before. Still, the singer found it difficult to grow out of his conservative upbringing and felt scared of what his family or hometown would say.

"I was very shy and and scared of what my family would say, or what my hometown would think or just whatever.”

Adding how his parents are supportive, Mraz added,

"I don't want to throw anybody under the bus because my parents are very supportive. I love them very much."

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"In the 90s, being gay was like (the) punchline of a joke," — Jason Mraz explains why he hid his queerness

Revealing the reason behind why he couldn't come out earlier, the American singer-songwriter further said,

"In the '90s, being gay was like (the) punchline of a joke, and I didn't want to be the punchline of the joke, and kept my nose down and figured out ways I could instead get out and see the world one day."

Jason Mraz also added that he has been enjoying his experiences despite being a "late bloomer." The I'm Yours hitmaker was earlier married to Sheridan Edley from 2001 to 2002; he then married Christina Carano from 2015 to 2023. In his 2018 Billboard interview, Jason Mraz revealed he'd had s*xual experiences with men while he was with Christina Carano.

"Yeah, yeah. My experiences are few, whereas other people my age might be more experienced, that's all."

In the recent podcast, Jason Mraz also mentioned he hasn't found love yet despite being in "amazing relationships." He added that he loves where he is right now and feels love for himself, which he believes will enhance his next relationship.