Aunjanue Ellis has never been secretive about who she is, however the actress is fully opening up about her queer identity for the primary time ever just as Pride Month 2022 kicks off.

Ellis, 53, tells Variety that she has been open concerning the undeniable fact that she is a bisexual woman that identifies as queer with friends, family, and coworkers throughout the duration of her profession. In actual fact, she even announced it via her signature style – stitching words of affirmation and identity into her clothing for events and appearances – while accepting her honor on the fifteenth annual ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood luncheon last March.

The word “queer” was emblazoned on the proper sleeve of her daring red Dolce & Gabanna suit in daring, Swarovski-encrusted letters. But, Black women ever being the mind-our-business type, it went largely unacknowledged on the event.

“I used to be pondering, ‘Why didn’t more people listen to that?’ And I used to be like, they probably thought it said ‘Queen,’” she laughed. “It wasn’t that I used to be expecting any form of major response or anything like that. One among my members of the family noticed, but no one else did.”

For Ellis, the major hurdle to more public declaration has never been embarrassment or fear, but she says, the perception and pride of her family. Though her family has long known her truth, with their deep-South Bible Belt values, they encourage her to maintain things private. Ellis said a member of the family told her that even that subtle stitching on her sleeve, unnoticed by many and unaddressed by all, was ‘hurtful’ for them.

“The best way that I live my life, across the people who I live my life around, I’m public about it,” Ellis says. “I’m very clear about being bisexual. I actually have a sweatshirt that claims ‘Girl Bi’ that I wear in all places.”

As for why she never formally opened up about her queer identity within the press before this, the reply is pretty easy for Ellis: “No person asked.”

The Mississippi native says she has known that she is queer because the age of 8. But growing up in a staunchly religious community, she didn’t at all times know what it meant or the best way to navigate it.

“The solitude of that’s so lonely, it’s violent,” she said of growing up queer. “It’s violent since you literally must tuck and place so many parts of you to be acceptable, so people won’t run from you and don’t need to be around you. It was exhausting. That’s what childhood was like. That’s what adolescence was like. I knew [my sexuality], but there was no template for it; there was no example of it; there was no place for it, and positively no forgiveness for it.”

Finally in a position to fully acknowledge that she is bisexual in her 30’s, Ellis’ next struggle was broaching the subject with fellow actors within the industry, who often expressed some not-so-progressive ideas about queer identities that they never hesitated to share along with her, under the presumption that she was each straight-identifying and like-minded.

“There’s an assumption made from me — a presumption made from me. Is it because I’m a Black woman from Mississippi? Is it because I’m older?” she wondered. “I don’t know what the mechanics are that goes into them not processing, or them not only having the ability to imagine that in the identical way I’m Black, I’m queer. That is who I’m.”

But she eventually mustered up the courage to send out a bunch text to let everyone in her circle know that she’s a bisexual woman, and when disparaging comments are made about queer people, they hit her like a private attack.

“I used to be like, ‘Look, I really like y’all. I appreciate my relationships and friendships, working and otherwise with all of you, but it is advisable to know that I’m bisexual. So while you say things, when you’ve got felt your most intimate with me, which can be queer-phobic, you’re talking about me. And it hurts.’”

Now, Ellis is making it a profession focus to bring more stories centering Black queer characters and historical figures to the screen, in order that understanding and tolerance will be commonplace, and queer identity becomes less taboo.

“This concept that we just decided to be gay two years ago, or 15 years ago, or 20 years ago is a lie,” she said. “It will not be a blemish on who we’re. It’s the wonderful scope of our humanity as Black folks on this country. It’s something that I’m insisting on, in what I bring into the world creatively.”