Little Mix's Jade Thirlwall inspires gay fan to come out and it's inspiring af

16 July 2018, 12:09 | Updated: 23 October 2018, 11:59

By Sam Prance

We must protect Jade Thirlwall at all costs...

Ever since Little Mix won the X Factor back in 2011, they have been incredible allies to the LGBTQ+ community. Not only are they always on hand to shut down homophobia on social media but they also recorded their hit single 'Secret Love Song' for their queer fans. To top it all off, their latest music video 'Only You' centres a lesbian romance and it is already being hailed by the internet for its powerful message.

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However, out of Jesy, Jade, Leigh-Anne and Perrie, there's no question that Jade is the most prominent ally in the girl group. The 'Shout Out to My Ex' star dedicates a speech to the LGBTQ+ community during every Little Mix concert, used her 25th birthday party as a way to raise money for the prominent LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall and has since begun working closely with them.

In fact, Jade is such an incredible ally that she has just inspired a gay fan to come out.

Jade Thirlwall
Jade Thirlwall. Picture: Instagram // Twitter

Taking to Twitter, a Little Mix fan called Conan Mark Smith shared a screenshot of him coming out on Facebook with the caption: "So last night I decided to finally come out as gay. It was honestly the scariest but most amazing thing ever. The support has been incredble. #JadeThirlwall from @LittleMix is a huge inspiration to me and I am so thankful for the platform she gives to the #LGBT community."

Our hearts. He then added: "Jade along with many others made a desperate dream of mine a reality and I am so excited to properly start my life."

Read Conan's coming out post in full here:

Ever the compassionate queen, Jade immediately responded to the tweet. The 'Black Magic' star wrote: "You should be so, so proud of yourself. And I feel so humbled and honoured to have a played a part in your personal journey. Congratulations on this new chapter of your life, where you can be completely yourself with the love and support of those around you".

Conan then replied: "OH MY GOD!!! The last few days have been incredible 🏳️‍🌈 thank you for getting back to me Jade 💙 this really is the icing on the cake for me!! Love you girls."

See Jade's touching response here:

It may seem small but having stars like Jade publicly engage with and support their LGBTQ+ fans like this is so important. It helps normalise being LGBTQ+ and helps combat the prejudice that queer people face.

In conclusion, Jade is a legend and we are forever grateful for everything that she does.