Dove Cameron opens up about first Pride Month after coming out as queer

Hollywood actor and singer Dove Cameron has recently become quite a popular face in the film industry thanks to her portrayal of Mal in the Descendants film series. The 25-year-old blonde bombshell recently opened up about her experience and journey after coming out publicly as ‘queer’ in September of 2020 and admits that this being her first Pride Month after the public announcement, has made it very special for the Liv and Maddie comedy series actor.

The actor came out as bisexual during an Instagram Live session she hosted in 2020, and later said that ‘queer’ was a more appropriate label to describe her. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Dove shared that she had always been out in front of her loved ones but it was the public admission of it that truly liberated her. She told ET, “I have been out in my own personal life ever since I can remember. I think the first time I had a conversation about my sexuality, I was like 8 years old with my mom. Anybody who I’ve met since then … I’ve said I’m bi … and it’s just been like, ‘Oh, okay.’ Nobody’s ever been like, ‘What?!’ … I don’t think it’s a big shock once you get to know me, really. When I came out last year, I really was like, ‘Oh great, there it is.’ “

The actor who will soon play Bubbles in the The Powerpuff Girls live, also admitted to Gay Times’ magazine when she appeared on their cover for their summer issue that she is not into labels, but thinks queer is the right fit for her, She shared, “I’m not a label person, but I would say that I am queer and that’s probably my most accurate way to represent myself. With the process of coming out, it was about who I am as a whole rather than who I choose to date or sleep with. I’m choosing to love myself, to be who I am every day and not edit myself depending on the room that I’m in. I’m making no apologies for who I am. I’m not saying it slightly differently to make people more comfortable.”

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Explaining why this Pride Month was more special than before, she shared, “I feel different being out and having people say things like that to me, like, ‘Happy Pride Month.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, thank you. Thanks.’ I’m usually the one wishing happy Pride Month and counting myself like an ally,” she added. “So yeah, it’s special. It’s special.”

Admitting that she never thought she would be accepted in the professional world if she admitted her sexuality, sharing, “I was never confused about who I was. I felt like I wouldn’t be accepted and I had this strange narrative that people wouldn’t believe me,” adding that she did it hoping her experiences helped others accept themselves, “I hope it helps, that’s why I came out. It felt like something that I could never talk about. I feel like the industry has changed a lot in terms of having room for people with platforms to be human and not to be picked apart.”

She also shared how she was very nervous to share her truth with the world, saying, “I was really nervous to come out and, one day, I dropped it because I was behaving like somebody who was out and I realised I wasn’t. When you are who you are, you assume people see that and then you realise, ‘No, I have to come out otherwise people aren’t gonna know.”