Pride Mont in #20GayTeen is (unfortunately) coming to an end. Although we commemorate our personal definition of our identity and sexuality every day of the year, there’s nothing we enjoy more than shedding happy queer tears about the latest celebrity who has felt comfortable enough to talk about their personal sexual identity in a public platform. Actress Tessa Thompson (i.e., Valkyrie) recently opened up about her definition of her sexuality and her friendship with Janelle Monáe—now, queue the prideful sobbing.
In an interview with Net-A-Porter, Thompson talked about the beauty of her sexuality and how her family has constantly embraced, encouraged and accepted her sexual identity. “I can take things for granted because of my family – it’s so free and you can be anything that you want to be. I’m attracted to men and also to women. If I bring a woman home, [or] a man, we don’t even have to have the discussion,” Thompson tells Net-A-Porter.
“I want everyone else to have that freedom and support that I have from my loved ones.”
“In my family you can be anything you want to be. I’m attracted to men and also to women. If I bring a woman home, or a man, we don’t even have to have the discussion”-Tessa Thompson for PORTER magazine pic.twitter.com/e4SO4h10WX
— cate (@Iesbianthunder) June 29, 2018
It’s so reassuring that Thompson’s family not only accepts her sexuality, but also makes her feel comfortable expressing her sexuality. And we’re so happy that she also felt comfortable enough to share her sexuality with the rest of the world.
Although The Cut notes that the Thor: Ragnarok star came out as bisexual during her interview with Net-A-Porter, Thompson might not necessarily identify as bisexual. According to GLAAD, Thompson’s particular description of her sexuality fits the cookie-cutter mold of bisexuality—however, there are a handful of other sexual orientations that also match or cross into this description.
For instance, some people who identify as sexually fluid can ascribe to this same definition, just like many pansexual people can. Many queer people can also resonate with Thompson’s definition of her sexuality. Albeit, queer is a common interchangeable term and can be used in conjunction with any of the aforementioned sexual identities. Overall, it depends on what labels Thompson identifies with, and thus feels comfortable using for her own sexuality—because it is her sexuality, and thus apart of her identity, after all.
Choosing what sexual orientation to label Thompson as, when she hasn’t implicitly referenced which label(s) she prefers, is a bit invasive, because it pushes presumptuous terms onto another person’s identity based on what a textbook definition of what her sexuality might fit.
Deciding these labels for another person can indirectly contribute to the erasure of her own identity. In reality, that’s up to Thompson to decide and we’re just ecstatic that she’s a part of the LGBTQ+ community. Still, Thompson, who updated her Instagram bio with an LGBTQ+ rainbow flag (and an appropriately accompanied “YES”) on Wednesday, discussed more than just her sexuality during her interview.
Uh this is the first rainbow thing I have saved in my phone so pls enjoy Tessa Thompson’s dress, Australia!! pic.twitter.com/fw9hupo3R1
— Cameron Esposito (@cameronesposito) November 15, 2017
Vulture adds that the actress also discussed her long-time friendship with Janelle Monáe. “It’s tricky, because Janelle and I are just really private people and we’re both trying to navigate how you reconcile wanting to have that privacy and space, and also wanting to use your platform and influence,” she said.
Thompson’s vague clarification regarding the grounding of her relationship with Monáe follows years of speculations and fan theories that the friends are a privy couple. However, Thompson doesn’t seem phased by these recirculating theories. “We love each other deeply. We’re so close, we vibrate on the same frequency. If people want to speculate about what we are, that’s okay. It doesn’t bother me,” Thompson continued.
After all, it’s really none of our business and we’re just happy that they love each other (and themselves respectively), and that Thompson and Monáe are happy in each other’s company. After all, love isn’t mutually exclusive to romantic relationships.