love defeats hate

Fans anxiously awaited the lead singer of Twenty One Pilots, Tyler Joseph, as he jumped down from the stage. He stood between the stage and barricade, then climbed his way to the top of the crowd. This is something he did every show, something almost everyone was familiar with, for the popular song “Holding Onto You”. Joseph then looked around at his surroundings, and as soon as he became comfortable, reached out and gripped onto a gay pride flag. The crowd cheered. This was something none of them were expecting, unlike other more familiar stunts.

   For the first time, Joseph was able to show his unwavering love and support for his LGBT+ fans in a way that he did not feel guilty about. In 2016, when gay marriage was legalized in the United States, Joseph was silent while many others celebrated. This lead to confusion for fans as they wondered why he would be silent during such a joyous time for so many. He then posted this letter, which has been a source of controversy since its release.  

   Many fans know he is religious, but were unsure of his stance on the LGBT+ community.  Some fans assumed he was not supportive, but continued to stand by him. On the other hand, there have been claims of his favorite fan experience being one where a fan came out in front of himself and his band mate, Josh Dun. Joseph has also been known to favorite or like things that are positive about the LGBT+ community, providing a ray of hope that he did in fact support all of his fans.

Tyler Joseph taking the pride flag was a significant step away from this controversy. Social media erupted, with photos of him holding the flag spreading across platforms like Twitter and Instagram. This small action caused a large ripple effect, with LGBT+ fans worldwide finally knowing that their idol loves and supports them with all of his heart.

written by: sarah nicholson edited by: becca williams picture credit:  @ tiedyekaleigh on twitter