Reneé Rapp Had To Defend Her Sexuality On Social Media, And I Can't Believe It's Necessary
Reneé Rapp has "had enough" of people questioning her sexuality, and I'm glad she's speaking out.
It's easy to see where Reneé's coming from. When I came out, I thought my biggest battle would be against the evil, faceless collective of anti-gay bigots. It was. But as a bisexual person, I found myself also defending my identity to other LGBTQ+ folks — that was a shocker.
How you identify can be a journey, an experience that evolves or becomes defined differently as you mature and understand more about yourself. For me, I thought I had to"pick a letter," until I realized that I have complete control over defining my sexuality and what these terms mean or don't mean to me at any point.
The Mean Girls actor's latest social media callout shows that this is a problem that many LGBTQ+ people face when we attempt to define our identities ourselves in public.
In the past, Reneé identified as bisexual, but recently, she has doubled down in interviews that she identifies as a lesbian.
In a February cover story of the Hollywood Reporter, Reneé discussed how she redefined her sexuality. "I’ve only recently started referring to myself as a lesbian, and I've only recently been in a relationship where I'm like, 'Yeah, I'm a lesbian for sure,'" she said. "I’m watching all these movies and parts of gay culture, specifically lesbian culture, and I'm like, 'I love this.'"
The "Tummy Hurts" singer walked the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscars Party red carpet with her girlfriend, Towa Bird, in all her sapphic glory, but somehow, she's still forced to defend her identity.
On Monday, Reneé wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), "If I say I'm a lesbian, I am a lesbian, and if someone says they're bi, they are bi. I've had enough of you witches."
if I say I’m a lesbian I am a lesbian and if someone says they’re bi they are bi I’ve had enough of you witches
— RMJ (@reneerapp) March 25, 2024
Note: Reneé's post was edited for clarity.
Reneé's comment highlights several critical issues when dealing with LGBTQ+ identities. LGBTQ+ people shouldn't have to constantly label themselves and provide weekly updates to justify which letter of the rainbow alphabet they subscribe to. NOR should they have to define what that label means to them — but here we are.
Second, there's bi erasure or bi invisibility, which GLAAD describes as "a pervasive problem in which the existence or legitimacy of bisexuality [...] is questioned or denied outright." Speaking from experience, one move can change everything and completely discredit your existence, and it's unfair and invalidating.
Reneé's comment highlights what most LGBTQ+ people who have to defend their identities are thinking. Reneé or, indeed, anyone else shouldn't have to justify whom they're dating or whether they subscribe to any of the LGBTQ+ initials — and fans agree.
U tell Em Queen pic.twitter.com/CYtd6WXoz2
— Maxmud Haji (@IamMoone94) March 25, 2024
i love you so so so much i’m sorry people are invalidating you and both of these communities. we deserved to be respected no matter what!!
— cait 💌 (@rappreads) March 25, 2024
people really need to stop speaking on people’s sexuality they have no right
— megs (@exactlymegs) March 25, 2024
and spoiler: people can change their sexuality and ypu dont get to decide whether thats accepted or not BC ITS THEIR SEXUALITY NOT YOURS
— kiwi ✩*:･ﾟ (@soldyoumyheart) March 25, 2024
Being bi is hard bc if I date a man “I was never really bi” but if I say im straight and say a woman is hot “im queerbaiting” . Like omg leave bi people alooonnneee
— Syd:)🤍 (@nicknaps100) March 25, 2024
seriously people need to allow people b who they are ❤️
— Nikki (@holhud76) March 25, 2024
Thank you for speaking up, Reneé.
