Wayne Brady is opening up about his sexuality.
For, moments ago, the actor, host, and singer announced that he is pansexual.
Full story below…
Speaking with PEOPLE, Brady revealed: “I am pansexual” – meaning that he is attracted to people regardless of their sex or gender.
Brady says that he first broke the news to his 20-year-old daughter Maile, 20 and ex-wife Mandie Taketa, 47, who are both very supportive.
Expanding on his journey to self-realization, he said:
“In doing my research, both with myself and just with the world, I couldn’t say if I was bisexual, because I had to really see what that was, especially because I really have not gotten a chance to act on anything. So, I came to pansexual because — and I know that I’m completely messing up the dictionary meaning — but to me, pan means being able to be attracted to anyone who identifies as gay, straight, bi, transsexual or non-binary. Being able to be attracted across the board. And, I think, at least for me for right now, that is the proper place. I took pan to mean that not only can I be attracted to any of these people or types physically, but I could be attracted to the person that is there.”
Adding that Robin Williams’ death in 2014 sent him on a path to really deal with his issues, he continued:
“Once I opened that door to myself though, I had to start learning about myself, and I had to start owning up to things that maybe I’d either repressed, suppressed, or just didn’t wanna deal with. I’ve done a lot of work on a lot of other things until now, one of the last things on that checklist was, what’s one of the last things that you need to be really happy and to be truly, authentically yourself? I gave joy at work. But the pity is then I come home, and I don’t have that joy. I have joy because I love my daughter and I love my family. I love being a dad more than chocolate ice cream. But that can’t be my only joy. I have to love myself. And that’s when I realized that I had a problem because if I can spend everything on stage and on camera but then I come home and there is a love deficit, what is going on? That was my rock bottom.”
Perhaps preemptively addressing public curiosities that are likely to arise from opening up, Brady touched on the notion of being “gay” and the complexities around the matter in his life:
“Let’s be really honest: I’ve also been attracted to certain men in my life. But I have never dated a man. I’ve always pushed that aside because of how I was raised”
Now, though, he proudly declares: “I love all people equally, and now that includes myself.”
As for what the future holds, Brady concluded:
“Not dating yet though! [Laughs] I am single, but it’s not about being with someone right now. I’ve got some work to do still. Then, Wayne as a single, open-minded pansexual can make a decision and be free and open to other people.”