Helen Jarden
Editor-In-Chief
Bella Thorne, Disney star from the show “Shake it Up,” came out as bisexual during a Twitter Question and Answer session on August 23.
The topic came up when one of her fans asked her if she was bisexual. Her answer was short and sweet. “Yes.” The tweet, which can be found here: http://bit.ly/2bvcUpH, has received over 35,000 retweets.
Thorne has not been the first celebrity to come out this year. Earlier in June, Mara Wilson, star of the movie “Matilda,” announced that she’s bisexual. A month after that, “Cafe Society” actress Kristen Stewart revealed that she has a girlfriend.
While some celebrities have been cautious in revealing their sexual orientation, Thorne has not. She’s taken several photos of herself kissing her brother’s ex, Bella Pendergast, on Snapchat and Instagram. It was speculated that these two would be dating, however Thorne confirmed on Twitter that she is still single.
Unfortunately for many LGBT+ people, revealing their orientation is still a difficult decision to make.
“It’s definitely a risk to admit to the public your sexual orientation these days. The subject is extremely volatile and controversial in this day and age. It can destroy your career as a public figure and cause strain to your family relations and friendships,” Kayla Howland, English student, said.
However, Thorne’s carefree attitude presents hope to the future, and has given many of her fans courage.
“It is a social revolution of sorts for large public figures to reveal their orientation to the public. It takes grit and courage. It gives others hope and reinforces their self-worth. In the end, it shouldn’t matter what sexual orientation we have. It will be a good day that it’s no longer news for a public figure to come out,” Howland continued.
To see Bella Thorne’s tweets and to send her encouraging messages, visit her profile here: https://twitter.com/bellathorne.
