Model and actress Cara Delevingne has embraced a lesbian identity, telling Variety in a recent interview that she is "very happy" to claim the label despite her long-standing discomfort with categorization. The candid remarks come after fans questioned her sexuality when she publicly identified as a lesbian, given her past relationships with men.

Finding the right words

Delevingne explained that while she has always resisted being put in a box, she has reached a point in her life where the lesbian label feels authentic and affirming. "I'm very happy to say I'm a lesbian," she told the outlet. She noted that some people try to reframe her identity as pansexual or point to her dating history, but she was clear about where she stands now. "I want to have a family with this woman, so yes, I'm a very proud lesbian," she said, referring to her current partner, singer-songwriter Minke.

Overcoming internalized homophobia

When asked if claiming the word lesbian felt empowering, Delevingne said it absolutely did. She acknowledged a painful truth about her own journey: "There was something about my own internalized homophobia where that word was something I really didn't want to say or admit." This marks a significant shift from her earlier relationship with queer identity. In a 2022 BBC documentary, she opened up about suicidal ideation during her youth as she grappled with who she was. "I thought that I was abnormal," she recalled. "I thought about ending my life, like I had multiple times."

A message for the next generation

Despite her past struggles, Delevingne expressed hope and gratitude for the progress she sees around her. She praised younger people's openness about their identities and said their visibility has been transformative. "It is incredible when you have that kind of representation and community what it can do. We really can learn so much from the youth," she shared. Delevingne has also spoken about being genderfluid and rejected binary concepts of gender, describing herself as someone who loves moving fluidly between femininity and masculinity.

Source: LGBTQ Nation

Cover photo: MINK MGMT., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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