“You like beings. You like what you like.”
Coming out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community is a pivotal moment in a person's life -- especially for celebrities who are sharing their personal truth with the whole world. In the past few years, a number of stars have opened up about their sexuality, sharing that they are pansexual. While many of their fans may be unfamiliar with pansexuality, these stars are making it their responsibility to educate others about the label.
For most of these stars, pansexuality means that a person is romantically, emotionally, and/or sexually attracted to all kinds of people -- regardless of their gender identity. While the label is closely related to bisexuality, which refers to people who are attracted to more than one gender, it's not an interchangeable term.
"Pan is more about all-inclusive, and bi tends to be more than one," GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis recently told USA Today. "The golden rule, honestly, is to call someone by how they identify."
Read on to find out which celebrities identify as pansexual...
1. Wayne Brady
Wayne Brady recently opened up about his sexuality, revealing that he is a member of the LGBTQ+ community by lip-syncing to Celine Dion's "It's All Coming Back To Me Now" in a celebratory TikTok. While he admitted it was "scary as hell" to tell the world he is pansexual, he says he wanted to be "brave enough" to be himself "unapologetically."
"To me, pan means being able to be attracted to anyone who identifies as gay, straight, bi, transsexual or non-binary. Being able to be attracted across the board. And, I think, at least for me for right now, that is the proper place. I took pan to mean that not only can I be attracted to any of these people or types physically, but I could be attracted to the person that is there," Wayne shared with People.
He added that he's currently single.
2. Miley Cyrus
In 2015, Miley Cyrus came out as pansexual, sharing in an interview with Paper that she was "open to every single thing that is consenting and doesn't involve an animal and everyone is of age." Miley later opened up about the moment she knew she was pansexual, explaining that she had always "hated the word 'bisexual'" and didn't know about pansexuality until taking a trip to the LGBTQ center in L.A.
"I went to the LGBTQ center here in L.A., and I started hearing these stories. I saw one human in particular who didn't identify as male or female. Looking at them, they were both: beautiful and sexy and tough but vulnerable and feminine but masculine. And I related to that person more than I related to anyone in my life," she told Variety. "Once I understood my gender more, which was unassigned, then I understood my sexuality more. I was like, 'Oh -- that's why I don't feel straight and I don't feel gay. It’s because I'm not.'"
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View Story3. JoJo Siwa
In early 2021, JoJo Siwa came out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, revealing that she was still figuring out her identity. But if she had to put a label on things, JoJo says she would probably label herself as pansexual.
“But like, I don't know, bisexual, pansexual, queer, lesbian, gay, straight. I always just say gay because it just kind of covers it or queer because I think the keyword is cool. I like queer,” she told People. "Technically I would say that I am pansexual because that's how I have always been my whole life is just like, my human is my human.”
For a long time, Janelle Monáe chose to keep her sexual identity under wraps. But in 2018, she opened up to Rolling Stone, explaining that she had first thought she was bisexual until she learned about pansexuality.
"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 a-- motherf--ker," she told the outlet, sharing that she initially identified as bisexual. "But then later I read about pansexuality and was like, 'Oh, these are things that I identify with too.' I'm open to learning more about who I am."
5. Bella Thorne
In 2016, Bella Thorne came out as bisexual but in the years that followed, she says she realized she related more to being pansexual. She shared that she hadn't really understood what that meant until someone thoroughly explained it to her.
"I'm actually pansexual, and I didn't know that. Somebody explained to me really thoroughly what that is," she said on Good Morning America, adding, "You like beings. You like what you like. Doesn't have to be a girl or a guy or a he or she or they or this or that. It's literally you like personality. You just like a being."
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View Story6. Brendon Urie
Panic! At The Disco frontman Brendon Urie has been married to a woman for over a decade but in 2018, he revealed that he identifies as pansexual.
"I'm married to a woman and I'm very much in love with her but I'm not opposed to a man because to me, I like a person. Yeah I guess you could qualify me as pansexual because I really don't care. If a person is great, then a person is great. I just like good people, if your heart's in the right place. I'm definitely attracted to men. It's just people that I am attracted to…I guess this is me coming out as pansexual," he shared with Paper.
7. Demi Lovato
Growing up in the public eye, Demi Lovato explained that she was very "closeted off" for a long time. Looking back, Demi says any attraction she felt towards a female, she had to "shut it down" before she even let herself process those thoughts. Over time, Demi eventually realized that she was open to dating all kinds of people.
"I also don't know if I'm going to end up with a guy, so I can't really see myself maybe getting pregnant. I'm so fluid now -- and a part of the reason why I am so fluid is because I was super closeted off…yeah, [I'm] pansexual. I heard someone call the LGBTQIA+ community the 'alphabet mafia,' and I was like, 'That's it. That’s what I'm going with," Demi said on The Joe Rogan Experience.
During Cara Delevingne's early days in Hollywood, she was told she needed to stay in the closet and even consider faking a relationship with a man. Looking back, Cara says the more she was pushed in that direction, the more she wanted to go the opposite way. In 2018, she told fans that she identified as sexually fluid and a few years later, she shared that she more so felt that she was pansexual.
"I always will remain, I think, pansexual. However one defines themselves, whether it’s 'they' or 'he' or 'she,' I fall in love with the person -- and that’s that. I’m attracted to the person," she told Variety.
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View Story9. Madison Bailey
In 2020, Outer Banks actress Madison Bailey came out as pansexual in a TikTok, writing, "Girls. Boys. Trans boys. Trans girls. Nonbinary babies. It's what's on the inside boo." Shortly after, Madison confirmed her relationship with girlfriend Mariah Linney. Looking back, Madison said she felt "lighter" and "happier" after coming out.
"I feel zero shame, and I don't feel that way because nobody's ever really shamed me for it and I know a lot of people have had a lot of hate and lack of support. I know so many, countless stories of queer people that did not have support. But if you're asking me personally, that’s just my experience with it. It was worth it. I feel lighter, I feel happier that I can just be so open and honest. It feels nice," Madison said during an Instagram Live.
10. Mae Whitman
Mae Whitman opened up about being pansexual while discussing her Disney Channel animated series The Owl House. Mae shared that she was so proud to be a part of the series, which showcases both lesbian and bisexual characters.
"Just taking a moment to say I am SO proud to be even a small part of a show like The Owl House. Being pansexual myself, I wish I had such incredible characters like Amity and Luz in my life when I was growing up. Queer representation is sososo important :,) keep it up world!" Mae wrote before adding, "For me it means I know I can fall in love with people of all genders. This is the word that fits me best 🌈 and I’m proud+happy to be part of the Bi+ community."
11. Tess Holliday
In 2019, model Tess Holliday revealed she was pansexual while sharing a funny anecdote in an interview with Nylon. She explained that she had been on vacation and sitting at a pool bar when a man she had been speaking with asked, "Are you bi?"
"I said, 'Thank you so much for asking. I've been thinking a lot about my relationship to my own queerness, and I think the word pansexual speaks to me more than bi does,'" she told the outlet -- before adding that the man had actually asked if she was "buying!"
12. Tammy Slaton
1000-Lb. Sisters star Tammy Slaton revealed she identifies as pansexual on an episode of her show in 2021. She explained that she had always thought she was bisexual until talking to a friend who was pansexual. After learning more about it, she realized she was pansexual too because she was open to loving anyone, regardless of who they were.
"I am pansexual. It means love is love. I would date anybody whether they're transgender, straight, gay. It's about how they make me feel, not how they look," she said.