John Waters: 'Why Is the Gay World Fighting With Each Other?'
Ahead of his Barbican show, the cult director and author talks about political correctness, bad taste and "Liarmouth", his debut novel.
www.vice.comShort answer: There’s no public record of John Waters ever officially coming out as gay in the way a formal announcement might be framed, and Waters has often described his sexuality and public persona in ways that resist simple labels. Public reporting over the years has treated him as a prominent openly queer cultural figure, but he has given varying accounts about certain aspects of his personal life and how he has described himself.[1][6]
What people generally know
- Waters has long been a central figure in LGBTQ+ culture and activism, celebrated for his work and for living openly within queer circles, even if he has at times described his own disclosures as ambiguous or situational.[2][1]
- He has spoken about not fitting neatly into traditional labels and about how “out” has been interpreted differently in different eras, which has contributed to ongoing public curiosity about his sexuality.[1][2]
Notes on context
- Some interviews and profiles emphasize his identity as a gay man and ally, while Waters has sometimes described the way his sexuality was discussed in media as not always matching his own view of his life and relationships. This nuance makes a straightforward, definitive public coming-out statement harder to pin down.[6][1]
- For readers seeking the latest commentary or appearances, recent sources indicate Waters continues to engage with LGBTQ+ audiences and broader cultural conversations, but they do not provide a clear, widely acknowledged press declaration of a formal coming out.[3][2]
If you’d like, I can narrow to a specific timeframe or source (e.g., the last five years, or major interviews) and pull precise quotes with citations.