Greta Van Fleet singer comes out: ‘It’s imperative I speak my truth’

Greta Van Fleet’s Josh Kiszka came out in an Instagram post on Tuesday, saying he’s been in “loving, same-sex relationship” with his partner for eight years.

“It’s imperative that I speak my truth for not only myself, but in hopes to change hearts, minds and laws in Tennessee and beyond,” the band’s frontman said in his post.

The throwback Michigan rockers now reside in Tennessee, which in the last year has signed several pieces of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation into law, “bills that threaten the freedom of love,” Kiszka wrote.

Among those bills are curriculum censorship laws, bathroom bans and a ban on drag shows on public property or any venue where they would be accessible to minors. Since 2015, Tennessee has enacted 19 anti-LGBTQ+ laws, more than any other state in the country, according to the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization.

In his post, Kiszka, 27, pointed toward a number of organizations working in the space of LGBTQ+ rights. “The LGBTQ+ community is a cultural pillar, constantly championing positivity and acceptance through art, music, literature, film, and most importantly, legislation.”

Kiszka said those close to him are “well aware” of his news, “but it’s important to me to share publicly,” he wrote.

Over the weekend, several artists at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee, spoke up against the state’s recent anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, including Paramore’s Hayley Williams, who wore a T-shirt that read, “Gays, yes; Contras, no” a 1986 New York Daily News headline that ran in the wake of the approval of an LGBTQ rights bill.

Greta Van Fleet’s third studio album, “Starcatcher,” is due out July 21. So far, three singles from the set have been released on digital platforms, “Meeting the Master,” “Sacred the Thread” and “Farewell for Now.”