Honestly, the internet is a weird place. One day you’re minding your own business, and the next, your entire dating history and sexual orientation are being dissected by millions of people who’ve never met you. This is basically the life of Billie Eilish. For years, the question is Billie Eilish lesbian has trended on every corner of social media. It’s been a cycle of "queerbaiting" accusations, red-carpet "accidental" coming outs, and some of the most viral song lyrics we’ve heard in decades.
But if you’re looking for a simple yes-or-no label, you’re kinda missing the point. Billie has spent the last few years trying to tell us that she doesn’t really care for the boxes we try to put her in.
The Variety Interview That Changed Everything
In November 2023, Billie sat down for a cover story with Variety. She was talking about her relationship with womanhood, which has always been a bit complicated for her. She famously spent years wearing baggy clothes to hide her body, partly to avoid being sexualized and partly because she didn't feel "feminine" enough.
Then she dropped the line heard 'round the world.
She told the interviewer, Tiana DeNicola, that she was "physically attracted" to women. She followed it up by saying, "I’m also so intimidated by them and their beauty and their presence."
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People lost it.
The internet immediately labeled this her official coming out. But when she showed up at the Variety Hitmakers red carpet a few weeks later, she seemed genuinely surprised that everyone was making such a big deal out of it. She told the reporter, "I didn't realize people didn't know." To her, it was just a fact of her life that had been true forever. She wasn't trying to make a grand announcement. She was just existing.
Is She Actually a Lesbian?
The short answer? She’s used the word "queer" and "for the girls," but she’s also been very clear that she likes both boys and girls.
After that red carpet interview went viral, Billie took to Instagram to vent a little. She actually accused Variety of "outing" her on a red carpet at 11 a.m. instead of talking about her music. In that same post, she wrote: "I like boys and girls leave me alone about it please literally who cares."
- Her Dating History: We’ve seen her in public relationships with men. There was the rapper Brandon Adams (7:AMP), which we saw play out in her documentary The World’s a Little Blurry. More recently, there was her relationship with Jesse Rutherford from The Neighbourhood, which ended in May 2023.
- Her Own Labels: She hasn't strictly called herself a "lesbian." Instead, she’s leaned into the idea of being "attracted to women" or "liking both."
- The "Lunch" Era: Her 2024 album Hit Me Hard and Soft basically ended the debate for anyone who was still skeptical. The lead single, "Lunch," is a bass-heavy anthem about cunnilingus. I mean, the lyrics "I could eat that girl for lunch / Yeah, she dances on my tongue" aren't exactly subtle.
Billie told Rolling Stone that writing that song actually helped her understand her own sexuality. She said she’d been in love with girls her whole life but didn't quite "get it" until recently.
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The Exhausting Debate Over Queerbaiting
Before she was open about her attraction to women, Billie went through a rough patch with the "queerbaiting" discourse. If you aren't familiar, queerbaiting is when an artist hints at being queer to get support from the LGBTQ+ community without actually being "about that life."
In 2021, when she released the "Lost Cause" music video—which featured a bunch of girls at a slumber party—people were angry. They thought she was using sapphic imagery for views while being straight. She responded on Instagram with a caption that simply said, "I love girls."
Looking back, it’s kinda sad. We basically bullied a girl into explaining her private feelings before she was ready. She’s mentioned in interviews that the internet is "mean" and that she wishes nobody knew anything about who she was dating.
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Where She Stands Now
As of 2026, Billie seems to be in a "don't ask, don't tell" phase. In her 2024 Vogue interview, she said she never wants to talk about her sexuality again. She feels like she was pressured into a spotlight she didn't want.
She’s a queer woman. That much is clear. But whether she’s a lesbian, bisexual, or just fluid is something she’s keeping for herself. And honestly? Good for her.
If you're a fan, the best way to support her isn't by tracking her every move or analyzing her "Is Billie Eilish lesbian" status on TikTok. It’s by listening to the music. She’s put her heart into these songs, and they tell a much more nuanced story than a Wikipedia sidebar ever could.
What You Should Take Away
- Labels aren't for everyone. Billie prefers to just exist without being pinned down to one specific word.
- Respect the "no comment." She’s stated multiple times that she regrets being so open because of how the media handled it.
- The music is the map. If you want to understand her journey with sexuality, listen to "Lunch" or "Guess" (the remix with Charli XCX). She’s much more comfortable being honest in her lyrics than in a high-pressure interview.
The next time you see a headline claiming to have the "truth" about her love life, just remember: she’s probably at home wishing we’d all just talk about her production skills instead.
Next steps for fans: If you want to support queer artists who are also open about their journey, check out Billie's frequent collaborators or artists she’s praised, like Chappell Roan or Boygenius. These artists are shifting the landscape so that "coming out" doesn't have to be a traumatic media circus anymore.