ADVERTISEMENT
Yesterday, Bella Thorne came out with a powerful one-word tweet — “Yes.” The message came in response to a fan's question, "Are you bisexual?" Thorne's coming-out moment could be described in many ways — casual, simple, natural. It's also a part of a trend of celebs coming out directly to their fans through social media.
To many in the spotlight, opening up about their sexuality on platforms where they already share so much personal information might just seem like the natural route to take. YouTubers in particular have often used their vlogs to come out. In the absence of a third party mediating between the personalities and their fans, coming-out moments aren’t just more intimate — they become a sign of support to the community.
Last January, when Amandla Stenberg came out as bisexual during a Snapchat takeover on Teen Vogue's account, she referenced her sexuality to underline a message of comfort and support to viewers, saying, "It's deeply bruising to fight against your identity and mould yourself into shapes you just shouldn't be in. As someone who identifies as a Black, bisexual woman, I've been through it, and it hurts."
While 18-year-old Thorne's simple tweet might seem small, ultimately her chosen platform — Twitter — speaks directly to her followers, who just might be LGBTQ themselves. She levels the playing field for a moment, saying, — “I get what you might have struggled with and faced — we're both going to be okay.”
Here are a few times celebrities have come out using YouTube and social media.
ADVERTISEMENT