Jason Mraz Reveals He Came Out Later in Life Because Being Gay Was a ‘Punchline’ in the ’90s’

“I was very shy and and scared of what my family would say, or what my hometown would think or just whatever,” recalled the “I’m Yours” singer

Despite being an open bastion of pride today, Jason Mraz didn’t always feel comfortable enough to share his sexuality with the world due to societal pressures that existed when he was younger.

During a conversation with Jesse Tyler Ferguson on the actor’s Dinner’s On Me podcast, the 48-year-old “I’m Yours” singer touched on his reluctance to come out as a teenager.

“In the ’90s, being gay was like [the] punchline of a joke. and I didn’t want to be the punchline of a joke,” the singer shared, adding how he ultimately decided at the time to keep “my nose down.” to figure out “ways I could instead get out and see the world one day.”

Mraz also touched on how his upbringing in Virginia also took a toll on his thought process at the time in regards to his sexuality.

“I still took with me the conservative street that I grew up on, and that was very hard to ignore or to break out of,” he noted. “I was very shy and and scared of what my family would say, or what my hometown would think or just whatever.”

Although he highlighted fears of judgment from those around him, Mraz added that he doesn’t “want to throw anybody under the bus because my parents are very supportive. I love them very much.”

In a 2018 interview with Billboard, Mraz revealed that he’d had sexual experiences with men, even while dating Christina Carano, whom he married in 2015 and ultimately divorced in 2023. In the time since publicly identifying himself as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Mraz has remained open about his sexuality and journey toward further self-discovery.

Elsewhere in his Dinner’s On Me appearance, the musician revealed how he refers to himself as a “late bloomer” sexually.

“Yeah, yeah. My experiences are few, whereas other people my age might be more experienced, that’s all,” Mraz told Ferguson of his reasoning.

Although his experiences began at an older age, the singer remained optimistic, telling the podcast host and Modern Family star, “I feel like my life is just starting.”

“I can’t say that I have found love yet,” Mraz further explained, highlighting how he has “been in amazing relationships and I’ve always learned and grown.”

“I love where I am and I feel so much love for myself finally that can only enhance the next relationship,” he added, “when I find one.”