Joshua Bassett has revealed he is a victim of sexual abuse.
“I experienced sexual abuse a lot in my childhood,” the 20-year-old told GQ. “I didn't remember that until last year, which is pretty insane. I buried it so far.
“And when I was a teen, a much older man routinely abused me, and I wasn't able to see it for what it was at the time.”
Bassett said the experiences have made him “so much stronger than I was before.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Bassett said even though he has tried, he hasn’t been able to speak to his ex and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series co-star Olivia Rodrigo since May. “She hasn't spoken to me since 'Drivers License’ came out,” he said, referring to Rodrigo's chart-topping song that fans believe is about him.
Bassett said he is ready to tell his side of the story. “People don't realize how long ago that was. It’s not as recent as it seems,” he said. “I’m a completely different person now.”
On his new song “Crisis,” Bassett sings: “It’s cool if you want me to play the bad guy / But don’t go acting like I never loved you” and “Weren’t you the one who left in the first place /Weren’t you the one who called things off.” Another song, “Secret,” includes the lyrics: “When your woe-is-me stops working / I bet your songs won’t sound the same.”
Earlier this year, Bassett responded to speculation about his sexuality in an Instagram post that read, in part: “Love who you love shamelessly. It’s OK to still be figuring out who you are. Life’s too short to let ignorance and hatred win. I choose love.”
He later told Attitude that posting those words was “one of the most liberating things I’ve ever done” and said “it definitely took a lot of time to realize” that he didn’t need to label himself.
Bassett told GQ he is currently single. “Ultimately, being in a relationship is a responsibility. I don't know if I'm ready for that,” he explained. “I’m good on my own. I don’t need somebody else."