Advocate.com - Tyler Glenn comes out

[Source]

Tyler Glenn, Frontman of Neon Trees, Urges Fans: 'Come Out as You'

The 30-year-old gay singer revealed conflicts with his Mormon faith and how he was inspired by NFL hopeful Michael Sam.

March 24 2014 4:09 PM ET               UPDATED: March 25 2014 3:10 PM ET

The lead singer of Neon Trees has come out as gay, and he's urging his fans to strive for an honest life as well.

After first revealing his sexual orientation in a Rolling Stone interview, musician Tyler Glenn posted a long note on the Neon Trees Facebook page late Monday night thanking his fans old and new for "so much compassion and love." He then urged them to "come out as you."

"I guess the last thing I want to say tonight and for now is if you're like me, a wanderer, a questioner, a soul searcher, a dreamer, or misunderstood for any reason at all: Come out," Glenn concluded. "Come out as a wanderer. Come out as a questioner. One day it wont matter. But it still does. Come out as YOU. That’s all I really can say. That’s what i’d say to me at 21, the scared return mormon missionary who knew this part of himself but loved God too. You can do both. Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t."

Read the full note on the Neon Trees Facebook page.

In an interview to be released Friday in the upcoming print issue of Rolling Stone, Glenn, 30, revealed his sexual orientation and the conflicted emotions he had toward his Mormon faith, which resulted in years of repression.

"I had my crushes on guys throughout high school, but it was never an overwhelming thing until my 20s," the frontman revealed. "Then I'd be dating girls and in love with my straight friend and it was the worst feeling in the world."

"We were always taught, and I hate this word, 'tolerance,'" he said in reference to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint’s opposition to same-sex love both morally and politically. "The only time that felt different was when the Prop. 8 thing came up.”

Glenn began coming out privately to family and friends in October 2013 while writing music for the upcoming Neon Trees album Pop Psychology, which includes lyrics that speak about his experiences as a closeted gay man. He says his coming out was partly inspired by athletes like NFL hopeful Michael Sam, who recently came forward about his sexual orientation.

"I really love all of the sports figures that are coming out recently," he said. "I appreciated Michael Sam was like, 'I want to be able to go to the movies and hold hands with my boyfriend.' Even hearing him say 'boyfriend,' I was just like, 'that's cool.'"

Neon Trees - Facebook

[Source]

Neon Trees

I don’t think I’m special for being a gay man. That’s not why I came out. I didn't come out so all of you could say “i knew it” based on the clothes I wear or the way I dance. I never even thought I’d have to come out.

I’d be the 50 yr old living with dogs hiding my relationships living on a beach somewhere. Maybe then i’d be comfortable with it. But it was last summer, writing songs for the new album, being so fed up with “hiding” and being so ready to be “free” that I poured my heart out into music more than I’d ever had before. Music indeed was my first love. Not a boy. It was music that I had always had a torrid love affair with. I felt I owed him, the music, or her, the song. I had to be honest with that relationship.

It was the moment I let myself write about the years spent in falling for my straight friend or the song I let myself write about thinking it was ok to be alone forever because it was better than explaining myself. It was those truths that came out before I decided to. You can’t hide away forever. I don't think i was even trying. But music never let me lie. Something always would come out in the songs.

So now you know what you may have always assumed. Good for you. How does it feel? Do you want a “gaydar” award? Do you want to be pat on the back because you can “spot them”?

It is not news. It is not meant to be salacious. Until you know what it’s like to hide, to keep away true happiness out of fear. That’s when you truly understand what it’s like. It’s not about coming out to wave a flag in another’s face. At least it’s not for me. For me its about finding the purist of peace. The absolute settling of my soul. The clearest vision of the road I want to take.

I’m 30. I don’t want to die anymore. I want to really live. Honestly, and fully. What an amazing place to be. For me it was a place I never cared about. Now all I want is to be honest.

That’s what this whole “coming out” thing is for me. It’s been quite a real and beautiful day to have so much compassion and love coming from strangers, fans that have been there since the beginning, new fans, family, friends. For someone like me, the eternal self deprecator, i just want to say thank you.
I guess the last thing I want to say tonight and for now is if you're like me, a wanderer, a questioner, a soul searcher, a dreamer, or misunderstood for any reason at all: Come out.

Come out as a wanderer. Come out as a questioner. One day it wont matter. But it still does. Come out as YOU. That’s all I really can say. That’s what i’d say to me at 21, the scared return mormon missionary who knew this part of himself but loved God too. You can do both. Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t.

All my love and hope, and for now, back to the music.

XO Your friend, Tyler.

CNN - Neon Trees singer comes out as gay

[Source]

Neon Trees singer comes out as gay

By Caryn Ganz, Rolling Stone
March 24, 2014 -- Updated 2203 GMT (0603 HKT)

(RS.com) -- Tyler Glenn — lead singer for Provo, Utah New Wave-pop quartet Neon Trees and a Mormon his entire life — reveals he is gay in the new issue of Rolling Stone (on stands Friday, March 28).

"I've always felt like I'm an open book, and yet obviously I haven't been completely," he tells the magazin Caryn Ganz.

But he is now: Glenn speaks candidly about his first gay experiences, his band's reaction to his coming out and his complicated relationship with his conservative religion.
Artist of the Week: Neon Trees

Glenn says he's known he was gay since he was a young child, but kept his sexuality a secret — until now. "I had my crushes on guys throughout high school, but it was never an overwhelming thing until my 20s," he admits. "Then I'd be dating girls and in love with my straight friend and it was the worst feeling in the world."

"We were always taught, and I hate this word, 'tolerance,'" he says, regarding his church's stance on homosexuality, which is notoriously fraught. "The only time that felt different was when the Prop 8 thing came up," he says, referring to when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spent an estimated $22 million fighting same-sex marriage in California in 2008.

Neon Trees talk about wanting to always sound like Neon Trees

Glenn started to tell close friends and family members his big news in October 2013, as he was finishing up writing songs for Neon Trees' upcoming third LP, "Pop Psychology," many of which address his years in the closet.

Today, he's inspired by the variety of men and women from all corners of pop culture who have been coming out publicly, especially athletes facing high stakes.

"I really love all of the sports figures that are coming out recently," he says. "I appreciated (that) Michael Sam was like, 'I want to be able to go to the movies and hold hands with my boyfriend.' Even hearing him say 'boyfriend,' I was just like, that's cool."

Read the full story for reaction from Glenn's Neon Trees bandmates and his mother, plus Glenn's take on straight artists acting as the gay community's spokespeople and his explanation of the events that led to his big coming out.

See the original story at RollingStone.com.

Rolling Stones Magazine - Tyler Glenn comes out

[Source]

Neon Trees' Tyler Glenn Comes Out as Gay in Rolling Stone

Mormon frontman speaks for the first time about his lifetime in the closet in our new issue

Tyler Glenn of Neon Trees performs in New York City.
Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

March 24, 2014 2:00 PM ET

Tyler Glenn — lead singer for Provo, Utah New Wave-pop quartet Neon Trees and a Mormon his entire life — reveals he is gay in the new issue of Rolling Stone (on stands Friday, March 28th). "I've always felt like I'm an open book, and yet obviously I haven't been completely," he tells RS' Caryn Ganz. But he is now: Glenn speaks candidly about his first gay experiences, his band's reaction to his coming out and his complicated relationship with his conservative religion in our new story.

Gay, Mormon & Finally Out: read our full Neon Trees feature

Glenn says he's known he was gay since he was a young child, but kept his sexuality a secret — until now. "I had my crushes on guys throughout high school, but it was never an overwhelming thing until my twenties," he admits. "Then I'd be dating girls and in love with my straight friend and it was the worst feeling in the world." (Read the full feature on here).

"We were always taught, and I hate this word, 'tolerance,'" he says, regarding his church's stance on homosexuality, which is notoriously fraught. "The only time that felt different was when the Prop 8 thing came up," he says, referring to when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spent an estimated $22 million fighting same-sex marriage in California in 2008.

Glenn started to tell close friends and family members his big news in October 2013, as he was finishing up writing songs for Neon Trees' upcoming third LP, Pop Psychology, many of which address his years in the closet. Today, he's inspired by the variety of men and women from all corners of pop culture who have been coming out publically, especially athletes facing high stakes.

The Hidden War Against Gay Teens

"I really love all of the sports figures that are coming out recently," he says. "I appreciated Michael Sam was like, 'I want to be able to go to the movies and hold hands with my boyfriend.' Even hearing him say 'boyfriend,' I was just like, that's cool."

Read the full story for reaction from Glenn's Neon Trees bandmates and his mother, plus Glenn's take on straight artists acting as the gay community's spokespeople and his explanation of the events that led to his big coming out.