Netflix
Netflix

Oscar winner Mo’Nique seemingly came out as part of the LGBTQ+ community in her new standup special.

On 4 April, the beloved comedian released her highly anticipated Netflix special, My Name is Mo’Nique.

While the comedy project was full of hilarious moments, it also featured Mo’Nique opening up about personal topics regarding her LGBTQ+ family members, like her Uncle Tina.

“My grandmother has a daughter. But we call her daughter Uncle Tina… My Uncle Tina, if she walked in here right now, you would think you were looking at a whole man,” she recalled.

“So, for you babies in the LGBTQ+ community, I want y’all to hear me. I respect every-motherf***in body in here free enough to be their goddamn selves.”

After her heartfelt admission, Mo’Nique talked about Uncle Tina’s complicated relationship with her grandmother due to the former’s queer identity.

That strained family dynamic resulted in Mo’Nique refraining from opening up about her own sexuality.

“I felt cowardly when my grandmother left. Because I couldn’t tell my grandmother who her granddaughter really was. ‘Cause I didn’t want to be loved privately,” she explained.

“I adored how she adored me… So I couldn’t tell my grandmother my secret thoughts. And my fantasies. Cause I didn’t want her to love me privately.

 

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“And I did not want her to leave this Earth thinking she was a failure. Cause had I told her, my secret thoughts, she would’ve left thinking that she failed.”

Mo’Nique went on to say that as a way to avoid her same-sex attraction, she slept with “as many” men as possible and pushed away any thoughts of ever coming out.

“I promised that I would never tell anyone, that I would take that to my grave. Because I saw how they treated the people in my family with that ‘disease.’ Because they made us believe that it was a disease, right?” she added.

Fortunately for The Parkers star, she found unconditional acceptance from her husband of 17 years, Sidney Hicks.

“I said, ‘daddy, I want to be with another woman sexually.’ And he look at me, so beautifully and so patient and so loving, and said, ‘B***h, me too,'” she added.

Towards the end of the emotional moment, Mo’Nique gave further insight into her sexuality and where she stands today.

“Now I know y’all are looking at me saying, ‘Wait a minute, bitch. Are you a motherf***ing d***?’ No, I’m not!… all the way,” she said.

“But when you’re born with that, there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it. Nothing. And please understand that I tried.”

You can watch Mo’Nique’s full new comedy special on Netflix.