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YouTuber Dan Howell comes out as gay

The BBC presenter opened up about his sexuality to his six million followers

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Dan Howell. (Screenshot via YouTube)

YouTuber and BBC presenter Dan Howell has come out.

The 28-year-old British Internet personality shared the news with his more than six million subscribers with a 45-minute video titled “Basically I’m Gay.”

“Spoiler alert: I’m not straight,” Howell begins. “We live in a heteronormative world … which means people are presumed to be straight. If you’re not, then at some point you have to ‘come out’.”

Howell says he feels the term “queer” applies more to his identity but he is comfortable using the word “gay.”

“Whatever heterosexual is, I ain’t it,” Howell says. “Really, if you ask me, I don’t think anyone is totally straight. I think there’s a lot of social and emotional issues getting in the way of yet-to-be-understood feelings of attraction that can be very flexible. Am I totally gay? No.”

Howell also hinted at his relationship with fellow YouTuber and frequent collaborator Phil Lester.

“Obviously we were more than friends, but it was more than just romantic,” Howell says. “This is someone who genuinely liked me. I trusted them. And for the first time since I was a tiny child I actually felt safe…we are real best friends. Companions through life. Like, actual soul mate.”

Howell shared a message of encouragement to his viewers who haven’t come out yet.

“To anyone watching this that isn’t out, it’s OK,” he adds. “You’re OK. You were born this way. It’s right. And anyone that has a problem with it is wrong.”

Watch below.

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PHOTOS: SUNFESTIVAL

Annual dance party held amid weekend festivities in Rehoboth Beach

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A scene from the SUNFESTIVAL Night of Dance at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center on Sept. 6. (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

The annual CAMP Rehoboth fundraiser, SUNFESTIVAL, was held over Labor Day weekend in Rehoboth Beach, Del. The festival included a massive dance party at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center on Sunday.

(Washington Blade photos by Daniel Truitt)

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Arts & Entertainment

Nominate your favorites for the Blade’s 25th annual Best Of LGBTQ DC Awards

Submit your picks now; top 5 vote getters move to the finals

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Nominate your favorites in our Best of LGBTQ DC categories through Sept. 24. The top 5 nominees from each category will become finalists with voting starting Sept. 28. Our 2026 Best of LGBTQ DC winners will be announced at the Best of LGBTQ DC Awards Party on Thursday, Oct. 22 and our special issue will come out on Friday, Oct. 23. One vote per email address per day. Good luck!

CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE OR USE THE FORM BELOW!

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Out & About

Blade Foundation to host fundraiser in Rehoboth on Sept. 12

Mayor-elect Stewart, state Rep. Snyder-Hall to give remarks

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Rehoboth Mayor-elect Susan Stewart will speak at the Blade Foundation fundraiser on Sept. 12.

The Washington Blade Foundation will host a fundraiser on Saturday, Sept. 12 in Rehoboth Beach featuring remarks from Rehoboth’s Mayor-elect Susan Stewart and Delaware state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall.

The Foundation funds fellowships for aspiring queer journalists and enterprise journalism projects.

The event will be held at a private home in Rehoboth. Tickets are $100 and include open bar from Diego’s, catered appetizers from the Blue Moon, entertainment, guest speakers, and an auction. Tickets are available here.

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