Harry Styles may be a bona fide sex symbol, but he wasn't always comfortable with that part of himself.
In a new interview with Better Homes & Gardens, the 28-year-old got candid about how he has recently been working through issues related to intimacy.
"For a long time, it felt like the only thing that was mine was my sex life," he shared in the profile published April 26. "I felt so ashamed about it, ashamed at the idea of people even knowing that I was having sex, let alone who with."
The One Direction alum explained that as boy band member, he felt pressures to put forth the perfect heartthrob image, where it was acceptable to be flirtatious, but not overtly sexual.
"At the time, there were still the kiss-and-tell things. Working out who I could trust was stressful," he recalled. "But I think I got to a place where I was like, why do I feel ashamed? I'm a 26-year-old man who's single; it's like, yes, I have sex."
Since breaking out as a solo artist, there has been even more interest in Harry's personal life, including rampant speculation about his sexuality. Harry has raised eyebrows for his flamboyant fashion sense—including gracing the cover of Vogue in a Gucci dress—waving Pride flags during his performances and suggestive lyrics such as "The boys and the girls are here/I mess around with them/and I'm okay with it," on his song "Medicine."
Harry has never explicitly clarified his sexual identity and says he finds the expectation to make that information public "outdated."
"I've been really open with it with my friends, but that's my personal experience; it's mine," he said. "The whole point of where we should be heading, which is toward accepting everybody and being more open, is that it doesn't matter, and it's about not having to label everything, not having to clarify what boxes you're checking."
The sentiment echoed what Harry told The Sun in 2017, that he "never felt the need to" label his sexuality, shortly after Miley Cyrus opened about her pansexuality.
"Everyone should just be who they want to be," he told the outlet. "It's tough to justify somebody having to answer to someone else about stuff like that."
He added, "I don't feel like it's something I've ever felt like I have to explain about myself."
Another subject Harry prefers to keep mum about is his relationship with Olivia Wilde, 38. The couple—who met on the set of the upcoming psychological thriller, Don't Worry, Darling, which they both star in and Olivia directed—have been going strong since going public with their romance in January 2020.
Most recently the actress supported Harry during his two-weekend headline performances at Coachella 2022, dancing in the crowd and cheering him on.
In his cover story with Dazed in November, Harry explained why he doesn't publicize the romance, saying, "I've always tried to compartmentalize my personal life and my working life."