# Olly Alexander: “I couldn’t accept my identity” Queer joy and mental distress co-exist

An episode of [Happy Place](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1353058891), 9 Dec 2024, 46 min.

Audio: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/happy-place/e/67499dada8c6690faa46357c/media.mp3

There should be no shame in being who you are. Musician and actor Olly Alexander has felt first hand how grappling with your identity can lead to poor mental health. In this chat with Fearne, Olly explains why he feels there’s such a high level of mental distress in the queer community, and how acting in It’s A Sin helped him unpack his own lived experience. Both Fearne and Olly share their experiences of poor body image, wondering if bulimia felt like a helpful tool to regain control in an intimidating world. How can you go from disliking your body to recognising the brilliant things it can do for you? Plus, how to let yourself off the hook when you’ve messed up at work or in a social situation, and what to do when you don’t feel you’ve ‘achieved’ enough to be of value... Olly’s solo album, Polari, is out in February. CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains frank chat about suicide, self-harm, and bulimia, so take care while listening. If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like: Perrie Edwards Rebel Wilson YungBlud Child on the line is a three-part documentary podcast series celebrating the Volunteer Counsellors of Childline, and the brave children & young people who contact the helpline service. Listen here: https://www.childonthelinepodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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