Some fans have criticized 17-year-old Billie Eilish’s new song, “Wish You Were Gay” after it’s revealed to be about a man, reported PinkNews.
After a teaser of the title led some fans to believe the singer was going to come out in the song, the release of the track on Monday (March 4) revealed that the song is actually about Eilish wishing a guy who isn’t romantically interested in her was gay.
“I just kinda wish you were gay to spare my pride / To give your lack of interest an explanation,” the lyrics read. “I’m not your type / Maybe I’m not your preferred gender orientation.”
A fan page posted a video of Eilish from an old livestream where she explained the meaning of the song.
the meaning behind 'wish you were gay' (this is from an old livestream) pic.twitter.com/kRLCEZO4zR
— billie eilish updates (@eilishupdates) March 3, 2019
“The song is called ‘I Wish You Were Gay,’ and that’s so not meant to be offensive in any way,” she said. “It literally means that I wish he was gay so he didn’t like me for an actual reason instead of the fact that he didn’t like me.”
In the livestream, Eilish claimed she “made” the subject of the song come out.
“And guess what: he just came out to me a couple of weeks ago,” she continued. “So f***ing, I did that s**t! I wrote the song and made him f**k a dude. I’m f***ing proud, bro.”
“That’s okay, he can be gay with other gay guys, and they can be beautiful together,” the video concluded. “And I can just watch.”
Eilish’s LGBTQ fans were angry with the singer after expecting the song to be a queer anthem.
Billie Eilish song “Wish You Were Gay” is not for the LGBT community, you fools
— Erick Rios (@ugh48) March 3, 2019
https://twitter.com/sam_jja/status/1102623261022662658
billie eilish released a song called 'wish you were gay' and my sapphic ass was ready to eat that shit up thinking it was about wishing the girl crush was into girls too but its about wishing a dude were gay bec he's just not into her so he MUST not be into girls in general pic.twitter.com/zKpXpWunjF
— ana (@alaynestoned) March 4, 2019
However, others supported the song, even saying the LGBTQ community was going to claim it as an anthem anyways.
idc if i wish you were gay is about about a boy this song was MADE for the gays and that is why we have officially claimed it! thank u for coming to this ted talk
— im baby (@BILLIEILISHES) March 4, 2019
before y’all slander billie for no apparent reason.. watch this video on the meaning of wish you were gay. thanks. pic.twitter.com/wwf5C50zr2
— sandy 59 (@lipajaureguis) March 5, 2019
lesbians stealing Wish You Were Gay by Billie Eilish to ourselves pic.twitter.com/1YP50BSjkQ
— Thais (@thaeezus) March 4, 2019