Anitta addresses those ‘fake bisexual’ jibes: ‘People want to dictate how you need to behave’
Anitta has opened up about navigating “fake bisexual” jibes, revealing that some people didn’t believe her identity in a new interview.
The Brazilian singer-songwriter, 30, is openly bisexual, revealing her identity in her 2018 Netflix docuseries, Vai Anitta. Her decision to be open about her sexuality came after a picture of her kissing a woman at a party surfaced.
At the time, there were few openly bisexual or lesbian singers in Brazil, with the LGBTQ+ community facing restrictions from the government and an increase in hate crimes. “People worried it would be big news – I’d lose contacts,” she said to Cosmopolitan UK. “But I never wanted to hide.”
However, the singer being so forthright about living as her most authentic self was met by people who refused to believe her.
“People want to dictate how you need to behave as a bisexual,” she told the outlet. “I’ve never dated a woman long-term. I had a thing with a person my friends just know, but it wasn’t serious… I’m the same with men! People like to say, ‘oh, she says she’s bisexual, but she’s never had a girlfriend’. Does that make me a ‘fake bisexual’? No!”
Anitta soon realised she had a young fanbase of people who looked to her for representation and her political thoughts.
“I realised how dangerous it is when you get visibility and you don’t know what to do with it. There’s a lot of teenagers listening to me. I felt the pressure,” she said.
Elsewhere in her stellar career, the pop star previously teamed up with Savage x Fenty as its 2023 brand partner.
The singer said at the time: “Savage x Fenty resonates a lot with me because my work and my art are also about love, confidence, and feminine empowerment. It means the world to be a part of such an important movement.”
Discussing body representation within the industry, the singer told Glamour UK: “We can see some changes in the fashion industry coming from some brands.
“However, I’d be lying if I said this is already a global phenomenon and that every single brand is really connected to these ideals. But Savage x Fenty definitely is one of them. I have great hopes for the industry, one day, realizing the value of diversity.”
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