YouTuber Lilly Singh opens up about challenges of coming out as bisexual
Lilly Singh (Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)
YouTuber Lilly Singh has opened up about the challenges she faced in coming out as bisexual earlier this year.
The popular YouTuber – who is known as Superwoman on the platform – came out as bisexual on Twitter earlier this year. She has now revealed that coming out was challenging for her because of her Indian background.
“Growing up in Indian culture, there are a lot of things we don’t talk about like sexuality, mental health, harassment and abuse,” Singh told Hindustan Times.
She continued: “I don’t want to contribute to the culture of silence because these things affect so many of us. But we never create a dialogue.”
Lilly Singh: Coming out as bisexual was ‘nerve-wracking’.
Singh also revealed that coming out was “nerve-wracking” – but added: “I love myself and I am proud of who I am, and that’s why I did it.
“I encourage other people to be unapologetic about themselves as well.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Singh said that she didn’t ask her parents’ permission or opinion before announcing to the world that she is bisexual.
“They have been very supportive of what I have done so far. They have always been used to a daughter who is very strong-minded and were very clear about what I want to do and who I want to be,” she continued.
Growing up in Indian culture, there are a lot of things we don’t talk about like sexuality, mental health, harassment and abuse.
Singh – who is Canadian – has more than 14 million subscribers on YouTube. Last February she tweeted to tell her followers that she is not only “female” and “coloured”, but is also bisexual.
Lilly Singh (Emma McIntyre/Getty for AOL)
“Throughout my life these have proven to be obstacles from time to time. But now I’m fully embracing them as my superpowers.
“No matter how many ‘boxes’ you check, I encourage you to do the same,” she added.
Her announcement was met with love and support from her followers online.
Singh also has her own late night talk show.
In March it was announced that she was getting her own late-night talk show on NBC called A Little Late with Lilly Singh.
During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, she said she was excited to create the show “from scratch”.
“I get to make it inclusive, I get to create comedy segments and interview people and create something that I really believe in, and I’m so honoured and humbled.”
The TV personality said she was “honoured and privileged” to be offered the role, adding in a press release: “An Indian-Canadian woman with her own late night show? Now that is a dream come true.
