Janelle Monáe Comes Out as Queer

Singer Janelle Monáe has come out, calling herself “a queer black woman in America” in a Rolling Stone profile published Thursday. “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 said. While she initially identified as bisexual, Monáe said she later “read about pansexuality and was like, ‘Oh, these are things that I identify with too.’” She also described her fears about not being “a stereotypical black female artist” in the industry and how being a perfectionist has affected her emotional life. She discussed her experiences in therapy, saying that she sought help before “self-destruct[ing].” Monáe said her new album, Dirty Computer, was made for “young girls, young boys, nonbinary, gay, straight, queer people who are having a hard time dealing with their sexuality... This album is for you. Be proud.”