Tessa Thompson, 34, wants everyone to know that she’s proud of who she is. The Thor: Ragnarok actress just revealed that she’s attracted to both men and women, while simultaneously admitting that she and Janelle Monae, 32, are “deeply in love.”
Thompson opened up about her sexuality and how her family completely accepts her in a new interview with Net-a-Porter. “I can take things for granted because of my family – it’s so free and you can be anything that you want to be,” she told the outlet. “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 also acknowledged how discussing her dynamic with Monae was complicated for her since she wanted to remain private, but also understands the need for increased bisexual and pansexual representation in the media.
“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. “That was something I was conscientious of in terms of this declaration around Janelle and myself. I want everyone else to have that freedom and support that I have from my loved ones,” she continues. “But so many people don’t. So, do I have a responsibility to talk about that? Do I have a responsibility to say in a public space that this is my person?” Monae came out as pansexual in a Rolling Stone interview earlier this year.
Sometimes we cheer so loudly at someone speaking their truth, that we miss what they say. (Here’s looking at you media journalism). I didn’t say I was in a relationship. But I said lots of other things. All below. One thing I missed — Pride Has No End. x https://t.co/yEd0Ep6K17
— Tessa Thompson (@TessaThompson_x) June 29, 2018
Fans of the pair have long been analyzing their interactions while speculating about their relationship status. This doesn’t faze Thompson in the slightest, though. “We love each other deeply,” she explained. “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.”
Much much much love and respect to Tessa and Janelle for sacrificing some of their hard-won privacy for the sake of the larger visibility of the pansexual and bisexual communities. That’s an act of generosity. pic.twitter.com/dmsrzkNnaa
— Joanna Robinson 🇺🇸✌️🏳️🌈💙 (@jowrotethis) June 29, 2018
However, Thompson did clarify in a tweet that she and Monae aren’t in a relationship. “Sometimes we cheer so loudly at someone speaking their truth, that we miss what they say. (Here’s looking at you media journalism),” she tweeted. “I didn’t say I was in a relationship. But I said lots of other things. All below. One thing I missed — Pride Has No End. x”
Needless to say, fans are psyched about Thompson publicly discussing her sexuality. “Much much much love and respect to Tessa and Janelle for sacrificing some of their hard-won privacy for the sake of the larger visibility of the pansexual and bisexual communities. That’s an act of generosity,” Twitter user @jowrotethis tweeted. Social media user @glossdaya said: “tessa thompson and janelle monae are confirmed to be dating happy pride month ladies!” Truly a wonderful way to wrap up June 20GayTeen.