The Veronicas‘ Jessica Origliasso has opened up about having her sexuality “outed by tabloids” in her early music career.
Speaking to Stellar last week, the singer (who often goes by Jess), recounted her sexuality being outed by the media before she was ready to speak on it, and the accusations of “queerbaiting” and being a “fake lesbian” that came with it.
“I was out back then by default – outed by tabloids,” she said. “My statement [then] was that I didn’t need to make a statement. ‘I’m just going to be me, and if you all want to call me a fake lesbian,’ – which is what they called me at the time – ‘I don’t really care.’”
“I was 20. I didn’t want to give them an answer because I didn’t know what the answer was at the time,” she added. “Labels were loaded back then. But all of our fans knew I was queer; I wrote about it in so many songs.”
Lisa Origliasso, Jess’ twin sister and the other half of The Veronicas duo, added that the “queerbaiting” claims levelled at them on the basis of their close dynamic were “a deliberate disconnect by people who chose not to recognise the difference between romantic affection and familial affection.”
“They said we were attention seeking,” she said. “They called it queerbaiting.”
The pair shot to fame in 2005 following the release of their debut album ‘The Secret Life Of…’. It was followed in 2007 by ‘Hook Me Up’, which featured the hit single ‘Untouched’.
That track went on to become an LGBTQIA+ anthem of sorts, with Jess calling it “the gay national anthem” at Los Angeles Pride. “Everyone went nuts,” she recalled to Stellar. “I think it currently sits in Australia as the unofficial national anthem.”
The Veronicas are set to perform the track at this year’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade on Saturday February 25. “Having grown up deeply connected and involved with the LGBTQIA+ community from a young age and creating safe space for all at our shows for 18 years, representing Australia for WorldPride and being part of this incredible initiative will be an absolute personal and career highlight,” they said in a statement.
Sydney WorldPride kicked off on Friday (February 17) and will run until Sunday March 5. The event’s official opening night concert – Live And Proud – will take place this Thursday (February 23), featuring performances from Kylie Minogue, Charli XCX and Jessica Mauboy.
On March 5, it’ll wrap up with Rainbow Republic at the Sydney Domain, with the line-up boasting Kim Petras, MUNA, G Flip, Peach PRC, Alter Boy, BVT, Vetta Borne and more. Find remaining tickets here.