Jason Mraz didn't come out sooner because being gay was 'the punchline of a joke'
Jason Mraz wasn't comfortable sharing his sexuality because "being gay" was the "punchline of a joke" in the 1990s.
The 'I'm Yours' hitmaker revealed in 2018 that he previously had sexual experiences with men, including during his relationship with Christina Carano - who he divorced in 2023 after eight years of marriage - and is a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
Explaining why he didn't come out as a teenager, the 48-year-old singer told the 'Dinner's On Me' podcast: "In the 90s, being gay was like punchline of a joke and I didn’t want to be the punchline of a joke and kept my nose down and figured out ways I could instead get out and see the world one day.”
His upbringing in Virginia also played a role, as he was worried about what his loved ones or other people in his "hometown" would think about him.
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He said: "I still took with me the conservative street that I grew up on, and that was very hard to ignore or to break out of.
"I was very shy and and scared of what my family would say, or what my hometown would think or just whatever."
However, he insisted he doesn't "want to throw anybody under the bus", pointing out that his "parents are very supportive".
He added: "I love them very much."
Jason described himself as a "late bloomer" sexually, explaining that his "experiences are few, whereas other people [his] age might be more experienced".
He pondered: "Even to have been a late bloomer to where I am now, honestly, I feel like my life is just starting…
"I can’t say that I have found love yet. I have been in amazing relationships and I’ve always learned and grown and hopefully I don’t have bad karma woven through those relationships.
"But I love where I am and I feel so much love for myself finally that can only enhance the next relationship or yeah or a relationship when I find one.”
Back in 2018, Jason recalled figuring out his sexuality, and how it aligns with the Native American phrase "two spirit".
He told Billboard magazine: "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.”