Rob Halford
From LGBT Archive
Rob Halford (Robert John Arthur Halford, born 1951) is a singer-songwriter, best known as the lead singer for the heavy metal band Judas Priest.
In 1998, he came out as gay:
- "I think that most people know that I've been a gay man all of my life, and it's only been in recent times it's an issue that I feel comfortable to address ... something that I feel has a moment, and this is the moment to discuss it."[1]
In a 1998 interview with the Editor In Chief of The Advocate, Halford broke down in tears and told Judy Wieder,
- "It's a wonderful moment when you walk out of the closet. Now I've done that and I've freed myself. It's a great feeling for me to finally let go and make this statement—especially to The Advocate, because this magazine has brought me so much comfort over the years. Obviously this is just a wonderful day for me." [2]
He currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona,[3] though he also maintains residences in San Diego and Amsterdam, Netherlands, as well as a home in his native Walsall. In September 2020, Halford revealed how in 1992 he had a "George Michael moment" when he was arrested for public indecency in a men's bathroom commonly used for casual sex in Venice Beach, California. An officer who was a fan of Judas Priest helped keep the arrest from wide publicity [4].
He is currently married to his husband Thomas.
References
- ↑ http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1429870/19980205/halford_rob.jhtml "Rob Halford Discusses Sexuality Publicly For The First Time" 5 February 1998 MTV News 24 May 2010
- ↑ Judy Wieder (ed) Celebrity: The Advocate Interviews Advocate Books, New York, 2001 isbn=1-55583-722-0 page=94
- ↑ http://www.myspace.com/robhalford Halford MySpace website
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Halford (accessed 16 January 2025)
