Tessa Thompson Gives Fans Courage To Come Out

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Thor actress Tessa Thompson recently said her openness about her sexuality has inspired some fans to also live in their truth.

Thompson — who came out as bisexual in 2018 — discussed her queerness and that of her character Valkyrie in Thor: Love and Thunder which hits theaters on July 8.

“I’ve had so many folks write me and say that they were able to come out or to talk to their family, which is a dream,” said Thompson on the Just for Variety podcast.

Sharing insight on her experience in the industry, the actress said she hasn’t encountered anyone throughout her career who didn’t want her to be truthful about how she identifies. 

“I feel really lucky in the sense that I work in real close proximity to people that I think want to advocate for me to be myself and be the fullest expression of myself,” the star said. “I think the industry at large might put a tremendous amount of pressure, never mind their sexuality, but a real pressure, I think, to be a certain kind of thing. And I think that’s intensified particularly where sexual orientation is concerned and that’s a real problem,” 

She continued:

“And it’s still a problem that I know friends of mine, dear friends of mine, have been deeply affected by. I think we have a tremendous amount of work to do, but I feel really lucky to exist inside of a space, both in my professional space and my personal space and familial space, where I feel really loved and supported for who I am. And I know that is a privilege that not a lot of people share. So to those folks that don’t have those spaces, I see them.”

On Playing Valkyrie

“I think a part of really being able to normalize queer characters, LBGTQIA characters, is to allow them to exist in their humanity,” Thompson expressed of Valkyrie. “And that doesn’t always mean that they’re in love or in a partnership because plenty of us know that sometimes you’re not. So, yeah, we’ll see if she finds love.”

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