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Grammy-nominated, singer-songwriter Janelle Monáe publicly came out as nonbinary during Wednesday’s (April 20) episode of “Red Table Talk.”
“I’m nonbinary, so I just don’t see myself as a woman, solely,” Monáe told hosts Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, and Adrienne Banfield-Norris during the season premiere.
The artist continued, “I feel all of my energy. I feel like God is so much bigger than the ‘he’ or the ‘she.’ If I am from God, I am everything. I am everything, but I will always, always stand with women. I will always stand with Black women. But I just see everything beyond the binary.”
During the “Red Table Talk” interview, Monáe said that she sees past the boundaries of gender when she looks at people.
“I don’t see how you identify,” the Dirty Computer singer said. “And I feel like that opens you up to fall in love with whoever, with any beautiful spirit.”
Monáe said she wanted to figure things out for herself and have important conversations with her family before publicly coming out as nonbinary.
“My whole family is church, church, church. And I’m just like, well, what does it mean to go against your whole family on this thing?” Monáe said. “But I was ready. I was like, you know what, if they don’t love me, don’t call me asking me for no money. You will not get my LGBTQIA+ money.”
Monáe added that it took "a lot of healing" and self-discovery to become authentically herself. Before coming out, she was fearful of rejection and losing those around her, but now Monáe has accepted any changes that may come, similar to a play.
“There are going to be recurring characters,” Monáe told the "Red Table Talk" hosts. “There are going to be folks that won’t make it back for the second act, and we have to just be fine with letting go. You go to different levels in your life. Everybody can’t come.”
Monáe told Los Angeles Times, “My pronouns are free-ass motherf*cker and they/them, her/she.”
Additionally, Monáe’s rep confirmed to Rolling Stone that they will continue to also use she/her pronouns.
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