Janelle Monáe is staying silent no longer. In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Monáe opens up about her sexuality, but she is doing it on her own terms and in her own time. Initially, Monáe identified as bisexual: “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-ass motherfucker,” she told the magazine. “Later I read about pansexuality and was like, ‘Oh, these are things that I identify with too.’ I’m open to learning more about who I am.”
Monáe declined to go into details about who she’s dated in the past to protect their privacy. She spoke instead of the creation and transition into her public person, an androgynous and robotic persona. She wanted to create a public figure that was separate from her private life, using it as a defense mechanism in order to maintain some semblance of privacy. But she also felt that, as a black woman in the music industry, she needed to maintain the persona. “It had to do with the fear of being judged. All I saw was that I was supposed to look a certain way coming into this industry, and I felt like I [didn’t] look like a stereotypical black female artist.”
Monáe acknowledges that she doesn’t owe anyone an explanation when it comes to her sexuality, which is why it was important for her to come out on her own terms. She hopes that as an out, queer black woman, albeit one in a more privileged position to be vocal and open about her sexuality, she can be a role model for other young girls within minority communities. “I want young girls, young boys, nonbinary, gay, straight, queer people who are having a hard time dealing with their sexuality, dealing with feeling ostracized or bullied for just being their unique selves, to know that I see you,” she said. “This album is for you. Be proud.”
Here’s to Janelle for being so eloquent and honest about her coming out, and let’s hope that future generations will have more role models like her.