“Abbott Elementary” star Tyler James Williams put a stop to speculation about his sexuality once and for all.
In a lengthy Instagram Story shared on Sunday, the 30-year-old revealed that while he is not a part of the LGBTQ community, he is an ally to its members.
“Usually I wouldn’t address stuff like this, but I feel like it as a conversation is bigger than me. I’m not gay,” he began.
“But I think the culture of trying to ‘find’ some kind of hidden trait or behavior that a closed person ‘let slip’ is very dangerous,” the “Everybody Hates Chris” alum added.
He went on to note how “overanalyzing someone’s behavior in an attempt to ‘catch’ them” contributes to the fears of many queer and queer-questioning individuals have.
“It makes the most pedestrian of conversations and interactions in spaces feel less safe for our gay brothers and sisters and those who may be questioning,” Williams continued.
He then explained how this concept fortifies the idea that many straight males “have to live under that is oftentimes unrealistic, less free and limits individual expressing.”
Williams penned a lengthy memo on his Instagram Stories on Sunday, advocating for the LGBTQ community.Tyler James Williams/InstagramThe “Let it Shine” star said that he wants to use his platform “to push back against those archetypes,” also saying that “being straight doesn’t look one way. Being gay doesn’t look one way.”
“And what may seem like harmless fun and conversation may actually be sending a dangerous message to those struggling with real issues,” he said. “I refuse to inadvertently contribute to that message.”
“As an ally, I continue to be committed to assisting in that where I can and helping to cultivate a future where we are all accepted and given permission to be ourselves,” Williams ended his message.
The Golden Globe winner also recently divulged that his body “crashed” following an eruption of his Crohn’s disease.
While the incident occurred over five years ago, he opened up to Men’s Health earlier this year about the condition, saying that he had been trying to build more muscle in order to aid him in auditioning for more adult roles.
“Usually I wouldn’t address stuff like this, but I feel like it as a conversation is bigger than me. I’m not gay,” he wrote on social media. Getty ImagesHowever, in late 2017, he experienced horrible stomach pains and underwent a colonoscopy to figure out the issue. He then had an emergency procedure to remove six inches of his lower intestine.
He weighed just 105 pounds and survived off intravenous foods with an ostomy bag for several months.
“The last thought I had was, ‘Holy s–t, this could be it,’” he recalled, adding that his body was “vibrating” after going into septic shock.
“If this is it, I’m not happy. I worked a lot. I did a lot of things. I didn’t enjoy any of this. This can’t be it,” he recounted the thoughts that zoomed through his mind at the time.
Thankfully, Williams recovered and now has implemented dramatic changes in his lifestyle to keep him healthy. He said he avoids Crohn’s triggers, such as booze, coffee, and red meat, as well as taking his prescribed medication.
