Janelle Monáe is having a very good week. After a number of interviews leading up to the release of her new album Dirty Computer (out Friday, April 27), the singer revealed in her cover story for Rolling Stone that she is queer.
“Being a black queer woman in America, someone who has been in relationships with both men and women,” she told the magazine, “I consider myself to be a free-ass motherfucker.” She further identified herself, saying that while she once considered herself to be bisexual, “Later I read about pansexuality and I was like, ‘Oh, these are things that I identify with too. I’m open to learning more about myself.”
Monáe’s fans took to Twitter to congratulate her on her official coming out, and thanked her for being another example of a successful queer black woman. In honor of Monáe’s coming out, here are a few of Billboard Pride’s favorite Twitter reactions to the singer officially living her truth:
We been knew Janelle Monáe was a member of the tribe. But in an America where the LGBT murder rate has gone up by nearly 90%, and when queer black folks are erased in both queer and black communities, a famous black woman stood proudly and claimed her queerness
That’s important pic.twitter.com/zUCfoLpibV
— Robert De Negro (@baizeodu) April 26, 2018
Janelle Monáe coming out as pan has my heart all –?–??——–??———- pic.twitter.com/ln6REyjJwB
— bella (@isvbella) April 26, 2018
WELCOME TO BEING OUT, JANELLE MONAE, WE LOVE YOU pic.twitter.com/LpIbCj0peo
— Louisa —— (@LouisatheLast) April 26, 2018
janelle actually came out im pic.twitter.com/VmwKUAqV4n
— honey should we get out of here (@shurivaIkyrie) April 26, 2018
ANTYWAYS enough of that musty man let’s talk about how Rihanna is becoming Americans best business woman, how Janelle Monae is exploring and opening discussions about sexuality, and how Beyonce continues to be true unapologetically black hero we deserve aka support black women pic.twitter.com/EDNNlYuGlh
— Britneyyy– (@BinnyBons) April 25, 2018
moments like this matter to queer kids all over the world more than we will ever know. thank you @JanelleMonae!!! pic.twitter.com/FvrbMe3Q5l
— James Michael Nichols (@JMN) April 26, 2018
ok @JanelleMonae made me go bald this morning pic.twitter.com/mnOiQ9QPPA
— *rusalka, rusalka (@gayprotag) April 26, 2018
janelle monáe is now an out and proud pansexual queen
welcome to the bi+ fam, ma’am!https://t.co/4wQy5X6s8Q pic.twitter.com/xUj4SK0VfY
— Ryan Carey-Mahoney (@thegoodcarmah) April 26, 2018
Reading this Janelle Monáe interview and sobbing and so full of love https://t.co/8qDwaWV6W5 pic.twitter.com/nfKV22VO08
— Kara Sowles (@FeyNudibranch) April 26, 2018