Actor Garrett Clayton, who only just came out this past August, revealed that he was encouraged to remain in the closet.

 

"One of the first things somebody who was instrumental in starting my career did [was] they sat me down and they said, 'Are you gay?' And I could feel the pressure of the question," . "So I was like, 'Yeah, I’m gay, or bi, or whatever,' because suddenly I could feel that there was something wrong with that in this person’s eyes."

 

The response? "No one wants to fuck the gay guy, they want to go shopping with him, so we’re going to have to figure this out."

 

But that wasn't his only experience with an industry still fixated on the idea that gay men can't play straight roles. Garrett was constantly being told to "butch it up," to change the way he spoke, and walked, and dressed. 

 

"And that was so conflicting, because here’s somebody offering you your dream, but they’re telling you that you’re not good enough the way you are. You’re talented, but who you are isn’t good enough," he added.

 

"It got as petty as them saying, 'People need to see that you’re into sports because they’ll think that’s more masculine, so why don’t you go buy a sports hat, take some pictures in it, and make sure people see you in it.'"

 

Luckily, Clayton went to see a therapist to work through it all. It allowed him to finally reveal to fans that he is a gay man.

 

And hopefully those who led him astray in the early years of his career are also getting the help they obviously need.