Tessa Thompson and Janelle Monáe “love each other deeply”, and the Hollywood star has opened up on their battle to keep their privacy while being outspoken for the LGBTQ community.
Tessa Thompson says she and Janelle Monáe “love each other deeply”.
The 34-year-old actress has opened up about the nature of her relationship with the 32-year-old singer, and has insisted that while they feel a close connection, they aren’t worrying about labels.
Speaking to this week’s issue of NET-A-PORTER’s weekly digital magazine PorterEdit, she said: “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.”
While both stars are keen to support members of the LGBTQ community, Tessa – who recently revealed she identifies with aspects of pansexuality – has admitted they also feel a need for their privacy.
She added: “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.”
Meanwhile, Tessa also opened up about how accepting her family has been of her sexuality.
She explained how that makes her wonder if she needs to be more open about her connection with Janelle, in order to help people who don’t have the same support.
She said: “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. 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.
“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?”