Music

The 1975’s Matty Healy defies Dubai’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws to kiss male fan on the lips


Matty kissed a male fan at a Dubai gig (Picture: Getty/Instagram)

The 1975’s Matty Healy kissed a male fan in the audience at the band’s concert in Dubai, defying the city’s strict anti-LGBTQ+ laws.

The 30-year-old suggested the band may not be allowed back into the United Arab Emirates following the moment, but said he ‘wouldn’t have done anything differently’.

The Chocolate stars played their first ever show in the United Arab Emirates state last night at Dubai’s Coca Cola Arena, and in a video taken by an attendee, Matty is seen getting down into the crowd to hug a fan who had apparently shouted ‘Marry me’.

The singer gave the fan a hug, and appeared to ask if he wanted a kiss before planting a kiss on his lips as the rest of the crowd cheered.

The band also played Loving Someone, which The 1975 often performs in front of a rainbow flag and dedicates to the LGBTQ+ community.

Homosexuality is illegal in Dubai, and is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Following the show, Matty – the son of Denise Welch and Benidorm star Tim Healy – tweeted: ‘Thank you Dubai you were so amazing. I don’t think we’ll be allowed back due to my “behaviour” but know that I love you and I wouldn’t have done anything differently given the chance again.

‘But who knows maybe they will let me back in let’s just wait and see :).’

The Sex singer has been praised for the gesture, with one person replying: ‘In conclusion, we stan harder than ever before’ and another tweeting:

‘Thank you for not being complacent. Thank you for fighting the fight. Thank you for being such a great role model. Thank you for taking action. Thank you for using your platform for good.’

In the UAE, all sexual activity outside heterosexual marriage is considered a crime, with punishments including jail time, floggings, beatings, death, torture, fines, vigilante execution, and deportation.

The 1975 are proud LGBTQ+ allies (Picture: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

In 2017, Scottish man Jamie Harron faced a three-year jail sentence for public indecency after putting his hand on a man’s hip in a bar to avoid bumping and spilling drinks.

Matty identifies as straight, although previously said that he was attracted to men but ‘not in a carnal, sexual way’, but he and the rest of The 1975 have been praised as LGBTQ+ allies.

Healy was named ally of the year at the 2019 Diva Awards for using his platform to promote equality, while the band – who are nominated for the 2019 Mercury Prize – quietly donated a large sum of money to help set up an LGBTQ+ community centre in London.

After the project organisers made the band’s donation public after it helped them clear the £50,000 fundraising target, Matty told The Observer: ‘I am a bit wary of talking about it because I don’t want to appear to be virtue-signalling, but me and the others in the band all felt it was obviously a good thing to put our money towards.’



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