Shawn Mendes on Teddy Geiger's Transition: 'Let Somebody Be and Feel and Live How They Want'

During his chat with Billboard’s Chelsea Briggs at the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday (May 20), Shawn Mendes shared a message of support for the LGBTQ community ahead of Pride Month.

Mendes, who worked with producer Teddy Geiger in the past, as well as on his forthcoming album Shawn Mendes: The Album, has previously spoken out in support of Geiger following the announcement that she is transitioning. In the video, which you can watch above, Mendes is asked what advice he would give to straight men who want to support the LGBTQ community but don’t necessarily know how.

“Just open your eyes and open your mind,” he advises, “because, for me, going through one of my closest friends going through a very big transition period in her life, was incredible to watch.

“There was a moment when I remember I referred to Teddy as she, like without thinking, and it takes time to be able to learn that, obviously,” Mendes continues. “And the way she looked at me was this intense amount of joy that I swear if everybody in the world experienced one of their best friends experiencing that, there would be no questions. People would not be questioning it. It’s just not worth it to question it. Let somebody be and feel and live how they want to live.”