Freddie Mercury anybody. And to your question most none fans thought he was gay anyway.

Guitarhero said:

jdcxc said:

Guitarhero said:

Freddie Mercury anybody. And to your question most none fans thought he was gay anyway.

True...David Bowie and Prince helped break gender rules.

Yes.

Yes

jhon00 said:

Thoughts?

Given his "pretty boy" look I think the general public assumed he was gay.

If he were openly gay, wouldn't that have changed the lyrical content of his music? A certain amount of his lyrics are about male-to-female lust, and those lyrics are part of what he's specifically identified with. Being openly gay would give a different focus to that part of his music, at least -- can't say how that would impact his general popularity.

As being a queer myself, I believe Prince wouldn't be mainstream artist if he was open or he likely would known as a one hit wonder.

I still believed Prince was at least bisexual or explored it. I felt religion and living in heterosexist society kept him from living his truth.

That is why to this days so many celebrities are in the closet despite things are getting better with tolerance among LGBT people because of mass appeal. Some used fake girlfriends (or even lesbians used fake boyfriends) from model agencies to cover up their sexuality to the public. The celebrity families often get to meet both the beard and the same sex lover.

Where are my LBGT peeps at on here? I remember the org use to be a lot of gays on here. Now they are gone.

[Edited 10/19/16 9:04am]

i think over half of casual listeners thought he was gay anyway.
there hasn't been a single instance over the past 25 years since
i became a fan, that people i told about his cool music didn't ask
me if he was gay when told he had a wife and child and got
remarried a few years later, people seemed perplexed

so i don't think him actually being gay would have changed his
succes in any way. especially with casual listeners or people who
just listen to and buy top 40 singles. i didn't know anything but
the very basics about any of the people whose music i sometimes
enjoyed if they'd release a really cool single. i'd only read up on
people like prince or eurythmics or such because i was a big fan
and bought everything they released.

I never wondered about his sexuality. I did wonder if he would have been as successful if his skin had been darker. Remember back to the 80s - people thought he was white, or maybe bi-racial. If he had looked like, say, Seal (who is actually a dish IMO), would Prince have been as popular?

[Edited 10/19/16 9:15am]

ladygirl99 said:

As being a queer myself, I believe Prince wouldn't be mainstream artist if he was open or he likely would known as a one hit wonder.

I still believed Prince was at least bisexual or explored it. I felt religion and living in heterosexist society kept him from living his truth.

That is why to this days so many celebrities are in the closet despite things are getting better with tolerance among LGBT people because of mass appeal. Some used fake girlfriends (or even lesbians used fake boyfriends) from model agencies to cover up their sexuality to the public. The celebrity families often get to meet both the beard and the same sex lover.

Where are my LBGT peeps at on here? I remember the org use to be a lot of gays on here. Now they are gone.

[Edited 10/19/16 9:04am]

There was a time when you would wonder ... Even after his death, I read one article in which the writer was discussing this topic and saying, with no proof, that Prince had been involved with a male friend as a teenager. That was the first and only time I ever read something like that about P.

I would say yes, considering most of the masses, casual listener, etc, think he was gay anyway.

morningsong said:

PR the movie could not work.

Interesting point. I agree with you. You take away his biggest accomplishment with the PR project. and perhaps he doesn't have the mass appeal that came after PR.

If he were gay (or atleast bisexual), I think he would have an inspirational impact for the LGBTQ community and audiences especially to queer black folks aswell. I'd still love him if he were identified as Trans* tho, i wouldn't care.

[Edited 10/19/16 9:51am]

ladygirl99 said:

As being a queer myself, I believe Prince wouldn't be mainstream artist if he was open or he likely would known as a one hit wonder.

I still believed Prince was at least bisexual or explored it. I felt religion and living in heterosexist society kept him from living his truth.

That is why to this days so many celebrities are in the closet despite things are getting better with tolerance among LGBT people because of mass appeal. Some used fake girlfriends (or even lesbians used fake boyfriends) from model agencies to cover up their sexuality to the public. The celebrity families often get to meet both the beard and the same sex lover.

Where are my LBGT peeps at on here? I remember the org use to be a lot of gays on here. Now they are gone.

[Edited 10/19/16 9:04am]

I'm here and Queer too!
seriously tho, we need more LGBTQ Prince fans up in here.

1Sasha said:

ladygirl99 said:

As being a queer myself, I believe Prince wouldn't be mainstream artist if he was open or he likely would known as a one hit wonder.

I still believed Prince was at least bisexual or explored it. I felt religion and living in heterosexist society kept him from living his truth.

That is why to this days so many celebrities are in the closet despite things are getting better with tolerance among LGBT people because of mass appeal. Some used fake girlfriends (or even lesbians used fake boyfriends) from model agencies to cover up their sexuality to the public. The celebrity families often get to meet both the beard and the same sex lover.

Where are my LBGT peeps at on here? I remember the org use to be a lot of gays on here. Now they are gone.

[Edited 10/19/16 9:04am]

There was a time when you would wonder ... Even after his death, I read one article in which the writer was discussing this topic and saying, with no proof, that Prince had been involved with a male friend as a teenager. That was the first and only time I ever read something like that about P.

I read and heard over the years Prince had several male lovers. The reason why you unlikely going to hear from those lovers (if it true) because I believed for three reasons: they are in the closet themselves and nondisclosure agreements or they passed. But they are rumors because I don't want his straight female fans coming after me insisting Prince was straight but never been to his concert much less been part of his very small circle. But I believed Prince also repressed too. I also believed Prince played mind games toward his women partners too and some could had been his beards without them realizing it.

I also noticed Prince tend to keep his male associates on payroll for years after they no longer worked for him but rarely for the female associates unless he was dating them and helping them in the time of need. But again that doesn't mean nothing.

But I still think Prince would have the same career success of the likes of Sylester and Jermaine Stewart and Boy George if he was openly gay. I believed him constantly be around women helped him have longivity as a musician in a world where it is still not gay friendly.

Yeah sometimes straight person (most time LGBT ally) insisted a celebrity should just come out and be free and they still have success. Well I disagree to a certain extend because majority of music buyers are females and the closeted artist want to appeal to them as much as they can selling a fantasy. Why else Ricky Martin, Lance Brass, and even George Michael remained in the closeted until after their careers cooled off? With Prince's case, I believed he played mind games to his fans to appeal to them, and I read and heard interviews of Jill and Dez that Prince knew how to manipulate the public and fans. And Jill said he did the same even to his associates keeping in the dark about his private life.

joeycocopuffs said:

ladygirl99 said:

As being a queer myself, I believe Prince wouldn't be mainstream artist if he was open or he likely would known as a one hit wonder.

I still believed Prince was at least bisexual or explored it. I felt religion and living in heterosexist society kept him from living his truth.

That is why to this days so many celebrities are in the closet despite things are getting better with tolerance among LGBT people because of mass appeal. Some used fake girlfriends (or even lesbians used fake boyfriends) from model agencies to cover up their sexuality to the public. The celebrity families often get to meet both the beard and the same sex lover.

Where are my LBGT peeps at on here? I remember the org use to be a lot of gays on here. Now they are gone.

[Edited 10/19/16 9:04am]

I'm here and Queer too!
seriously tho, we need more LGBTQ Prince fans up in here.

There used to more queer members on the org especially in the early to mid 2000s. I believed at one point there were more gay orgers than straight ones.

It seem like this page has gone more straight and conservative in recent times. I am still here more out of loyality.

Oh yeah I agree I think it would meant a lot to me as well being a queer person of color if Prince came out or 'was actually one of us'.

I understand where you are coming from. I always thought it was odd that he mentored multiple young female artists, but there didn't seem to be any young male artists around. I guess I just chalked it up to testosterone and his liking women more.

ladygirl99 said:

ladygirl99 said:

joeycocopuffs said:

I'm here and Queer too!
seriously tho, we need more LGBTQ Prince fans up in here.

There used to more queer members on the org especially in the early to mid 2000s. I believed at one point there were more gay orgers than straight ones.

It seem like this page has gone more straight and conservative in recent times. I am still here more out of loyality.

Oh yeah I agree I think it would meant a lot to me as well being a queer person of color if Prince came out or 'was actually one of us'.

Yup, just like David Bowie has a huge following for queer audiences who are mostly white, i expect Prince to be the same but with more diversity than just one race alone.

Damn that sucks how time changes.

When I first saw Prince 30 years ago I thoughtt maybe he was Gay but it didn'tt stop me from seeing his awesomeness and being a good fan. I think he would be just as famous as he is today.

joeycocopuffs said:

EmmaMcG said:

joeycocopuffs said:

I'm here and Queer too!
seriously tho, we need more LGBTQ Prince fans up in here.

I'm bi, does that count?

Yessssss

1Sasha said:

I understand where you are coming from. I always thought it was odd that he mentored multiple young female artists, but there didn't seem to be any young male artists around. I guess I just chalked it up to testosterone and his liking women more.

Yeah that is true but he also mentored and help Tevin Campbell and plus Josh and plus the members of Mazarati. And also some men liked to be around women more because they like their friendship and feel more connected to them. I believed it was that way with Prince. Being around women and like them as friends and their looks that doesnt automatically mean that person is gay. Prince did said several times he had a girl inside him and his feminine side is very strong. I believed he was more of a genderqueer or agender. Wendy said several times that Prince was a better girl than her and she also said she was at the Contrversy video shooting and while watched Prince performed she sai she wanted fo fall in love with 'that girl' (referring to Prince).

He did said in I would die for you, 'I am not a man I am not a woman I am something that you will never understand.' So again Prince was a genderbender but like to be around women and feminine guys (like Kurt J and Morris Day and Jerome and Arsenio Hall and Will Smith and Eddie Murphy as they all were his friends on and off) as friendships and also given the women some fashion tips on how to be a 'better girl' (like Lisa Coleman because she stated Prince had to tell her she need to dress better than just t shirt and jeans). Prince responded better to feminity regardless of gender in my opionion. Prince is my mirror because I respond better to feminity too and turn off by super masculinity regardless of gender. That is why I believed Prince didn't have too many super masculity guys around and didn't he also said he was uncomfortable around certain type of men like actor Tracey Morgan who admit he want to screw Prince if he was gay lol but Prince might had felt uncomfortable of him around because he is too masculine.

Prince is a very complex guy and yeah people had listen to the clues of his interviews and his songs to even partial get him. If Prince was gay likely he messed with feminine guys too because again he has attraction toward feminity. He could have been a femsexual that means he likes anyone regardless of their gender as long as they are feminine (from straight women, to femininie guys to transwomen). I also thought David Bowie was a femsexual too.

1Sasha said:

I never wondered about his sexuality. I did wonder if he would have been as successful if his skin had been darker. Remember back to the 80s - people thought he was white, or maybe bi-racial. If he had looked like, say, Seal (who is actually a dish IMO), would Prince have been as popular?

[Edited 10/19/16 9:15am]

I still think he would have been successful despite his skin color. Most people (even hardcore racists) would overlook his skin color and focus on the music because Prince created some kickass music. Michael Jackson (when his skin was darker) and even crazy Kanye are superstars and their skin color didn't hinder that.

EmmaMcG said:

joeycocopuffs said:

I'm here and Queer too!
seriously tho, we need more LGBTQ Prince fans up in here.

I'm bi, does that count? In response to the original question, I think Prince would definitely have been as famous as he was. Being gay doesn't make you less popular. There have been loads of gay singers who've reached similar levels of fame with only a fraction of Prince’s talent. Plus, as has already been mentioned, a lot of people thought he was gay anyway but they still bought his records and went to see him perform. For the record, I'm one of those who believe Prince was as straight as an arrow. He liked to live up to the whole gender bending thing in his youth but that was all showmanship, publicity, controversy. He said himself that his claim to fame is scandal. So, Prince was definitely not gay, but if he was, he'd still be famous, he'd still be talented, he'd still be rich, he'd still be Prince.

Bisexual of course you matter lol.

But interesting point. I think Prince (again if he was bisexual or femqueer the type who like feminine people regardless of gender) didn't want to come out for privacy purpose and also he wanted people to focus on his music rather than his sexuality. He also didn't want to be know as an R&B artist. Like you said Prince did whatever it takes to crossover and he did 'scandal' to make it happen. Then once he crossover he at least went back to his funk rock roots.

I hope someday we get to know the real Prince from people who are ready to talk. The more I know about Prince since April 21 the more I don't know.

[Edited 10/19/16 11:20am]

Definitely not for several reasons. Here I assume you mean Prince comes out as openly gay at the start of his career and has all the same musical talent, except his songs are homoerotic.

.

1. Prince initially marketed at Black people and young girls. If he was openly gay and looking for guys, he would have been ignored by the young girl bopper audience he got with the first two albums.

.

2. The music would be different lyrics, most of his songs are about chasing girls and sex for the first 5 albums. Bambi would be "Brian can't you understand its better with man" "All your lovers they are a different sex to you", Soft and wet would be "My ass is soft and wet" "You have a sugarcane that u r going to lose in me and baby I can take the pain" Not even I could become a fan off those lyrics.

.

3. Openly gay artists were not that known in 1970s America, most were closeted or careers ended when it was founded (Elton John had major fall off in late 1976, when he came out as "bisexual") and even Jagger and Bowie had to tone it down. When both artists got over their gay/bi phase their careers shot back up. Jobriath was an openly gay 70s American artists and despite his hype faded into obscurity. More successful was Sylvester who was gay and a transexual I think, still his disco sound had a cult and gay following, but was hardly #1 hits!

.

4. America was even more homophobic back then, although extreme born again shit churches got going in the 1980s. And I amsorry to say the black people that bought Prince in his early days, would not have bought his music unlesshe pretended to be straight. Black people in general were more homophobic then like everyone else. Even the Village pretended to be straight in 1980s Can't stop the music, and this before AIDS ramped up homophobia another 1000%.

.

5. He would have done better in Britain, but even then Britain only really had the gay pop revolution from 1982 onwards with the arrival of Culture Club and Soft Cell, with earlier gay artists remaining in the closet until then (Freddie Mercury was not openly gay until 1983/84). The gay pop phase peaked around 1984/85 and was mainstreamed by 1990. In the USA gay themed or gay acts have never really caught on still, due to the extreme Christianity of many americans. Okay Culture Club did, but it was tokenism and BG never let on he was gay, but would own up only to being bi (Like Pete Burns from Dead or Alive).

.

There was a very cool LGBT scene in the USA though and by the 1980s were several gay and lesbian acts that had huge cult followings and a a gay Prince may have fitted in with the Melissa Etheridges, Scissor sisters and Indigo girls. By 1988 some lesbian artists like Tracy Chapman and KD lang were seeing mainstream success, but not transvestite (Rupaul's hit was a dance hit only) or gay acts at least until Rufus Wainwright and Samwell's what what in the butt (Bothe had limikted cult success).

.

6. He would have been seen as another gay disco act, which by 1979 was hated by the rock and roll meatheads - Disco sux.

.

7. Given his sexual promiscuity, it is a high chance gay Prince would have developed AIDS and died in the late 1980s. Or he would have found God and renounced his sinful ways by praying the gay away, stopped making gay music and retired.

.

8. His success would have been limited to a couple of cult dance hits like Paul Lekakis or Dead or Alive type act. I doubt he would have had more than a few well received dance hits, even a gay themed act like Grace Jones has never reaqlly troubled the charts in the USA.

.

9. The rise of homophobic shit hop and r and b along with churchified gospel music would ensure an act like gay Prince would have little black success other than with gay black men and it would be likely most of his fans would be gay white men and lesbians.

.

That is my opinion anyway.