Arts & Entertainment
‘Boy Erased’ star Lucas Hedges says he’s ‘not totally straight’
The actor recounts an ‘infatuation’ with his ‘closest male friends’


Lucas Hedges as Jared in ‘Boy Erased’ (Screenshot via YouTube)
“Boy Erased” star Lucas Hedges opened up about his sexuality describing himself as “not totally straight.”
Hedges, 21, spoke with Vulture about how he noticed during his childhood that his sexuality existed on a spectrum.
“I owe it to this part to speak as honestly as possible,” Hedges says.“In the early stages of my life, some of the people I was most infatuated with were my closest male friends. That was the case through high school, and I think I was always aware that while for the most part I was attracted to women, I existed on a spectrum.”
“I felt ashamed that I wasn’t 100 percent, because it was clear that one side of sexuality presents issues, and the other doesn’t as much,” Hedges added.
He continued on that his experience helped him to relate to his character Jared, whose religious parents send him away to a conversion therapy program.
“I recognized that sense of anticipating and waiting for anyone and everyone to be like, ‘There’s something wrong with you,’” Hedges says. “It’s a story about shame, which felt to me like the governing factor of my life and my childhood.”

The Washington Blade hosted the inaugural WorldPride Boat Parade at The Wharf DC on Friday, June 6. NBC4’s Tommy McFly served as the emcee.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)























The 2025 Capital Pride Honors awards ceremony and gala reception was held at the National Building Museum on Thursday, June 5. Honorees included Cathy Renna, Jerry St. Louis, Ernest Hopkins, Lamar Braithwaite, Rev. Dr. Donna Claycomb Sokol, Kriston Pumphrey, Gia Martinez, Kraig Williams and SMYAL. Presenters and speakers included U.S. Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Amber Ruffin, Raven-Symoné and Paul Wharton.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)




































La Fiesta: The Official Latinx Pride Party was held at Bunker on Thursday, May 29. The event was hosted by Lady J Monroe and featured performances by Mia Carlisle, Stefon Royce, Evry Pleasure and Alexis Carter St. James.
(Washington Blade photos by Robert Rapanut)











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