Boy George: ‘I never, ever wanted to be straight’
Boy George has opened up about his drug use, knowing his sexuality from a young age, and why he’s content with his current single status.
In a wide-ranging new interview with ES Magazine, The BBC Voice coach admits he is making “peace” with his addiction demons after spending years denying that he had a problem.
“I’m in recovery and I hear a lot of people talking about how drugs destroyed their lives. It’s not unique to pop stars. An addict is an extreme person whether it’s drugs or fame or being in love or food.”
He continues: “An addict is an addict. But until you can say, ‘I’m an addict’, you can’t start to make peace with those demons. I struggled with that for years. I went to NA meetings, I went to see counsellors [but] I wouldn’t say it. It felt like a defeat. When I finally did, I was like, ‘What a relief! That’s what I am!”
George has been sober for eight years now despite previously struggling with a drug addiction, he no longer drinks alcohol, smokes or eats meat.
Going on to discusses his sexuality, the 54-year-old pop icon explains: “Even when I was ten, I just thought, ‘It’s what I’m meant to be and that’s the end of it.’ I never, ever wanted to be straight.”
George also talks about single life, saying he’s content twith focusing on himself for the forseeable.
“Am I happy? I would have found that question really weird ten years ago. Like, ‘What a f**king weird thing to ask me!'” he says. “But yeah, I’m happy a lot of the time. I mean, really, what have I got to complain about?
“I reached a point a few years ago where I suddenly realised that no one was going to complete me. I’m certainly not the gung-ho romantic that I was.”
But he doesn’t rule out dating in the future.
“I’m single. If someone amazing comes along, great. But I’m not holding my breath. There’s no big emptiness in my life.”
You can read the full interview with Boy George in this week’s issue of Evening Standard magazine – out today.
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