From Janelle Monáe to Miley Cyrus, here are some pan celebs owning their truth
BY NIC CROSARA, IMAGE VIA CREATIVE COMMONS
Tomorrow (24 May) marks the annual observation of Pansexual Visibility Day. Here at DIVA HQ we celebrate the pansexual and panromantic members of our community all year round. But if you’re looking for some inspiring words from out and proud pan celebs, we’ve got you covered!
Janelle Monáe
Back in 2018, ahead of the release of her revolutionary album Dirty Computer, Janelle came out as pansexual. She’d previously alluded to being bisexual, but after learning more about pansexuality she determined that this was the right label for her. In an interview with Rolling Stone she opened up about her sexuality: “Being a queer black woman in America, someone who has been in relationships with both men and women – I consider myself to be a free–ss motherf-cker.”
Since then, Janelle has allowed many to feel seen, most recently in April when she appeared on The Red Table Talk and opened up about being non-binary.
Asia Kate Dillon
Making history as the first non-binary character on North American Television for portraying Taylor on Billions, Asia has also served up unapologetic pansexual visibility. In an interview with HuffPost they said: “…from the time I came to understand sex and sexual orientation, and all of that, I’ve identified as pansexual and I’ve always felt like I had the spiritual, emotional, physical capability of being attracted to any gender.”
Amandla Stenberg
Known for roles such as Rue in The Hunger Games and Starr in The Hate U Give, Amandla has spoken out on sexuality throughout her career. They previously used bisexual to describe themself but “I would also use the word pansexual to describe my sexuality. The thing is I use the word bisexual just because I feel like for people who don’t necessarily know that vocabulary…it’s easier to say I’m bi.” Amandla has also spoken out on bi erasure.
Tess Holliday
In a 2019 interview with Nylon, plus-size model Tess Holiday opened up when asked about how she identifies when it comes to the LGBTQI spectrum. “I’ve been thinking a lot about my relationship to my own queerness, and I think the word pansexual speaks to me more than bi does.”
Bob The Drag Queen
Bob has always served up unapologetic authenticity and in 2019, she set the record straight about her sexuality and gender identity tweeting: “For the record I identify as Pansexual and non binary.” Bob also answered questions in the comment sections. When asked what about what pronouns to use, Bob wrote: “oddly enough I prefer binary pronouns. he/him/his/she/her/hers”.
For the record I identify as Pansexual and non binary.
— Black Lives Still Matter (@thatonequeen) October 7, 2019
Miley Cyrus
In 2015, Miley came out as pansexual when speaking to Elle Magazine about the LGBTQI community: “I’m very open about it — I’m pansexual. But I’m not in a relationship,” Cyrus said. “I’m 22, I’m going on dates, but I change my style every two weeks, let alone who I’m with.”
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