Speaking and embracing his truth! Wayne Brady is getting candid about his sexuality.
The Let’s Make a Deal star recently sat down for an interview with People, and he opened up about identifying as pansexual, and how he defines that for himself.
“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,” Brady said. “So, I came to pansexual.”
Brady explained, “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.”
“I think, at least for me for right now, that is the proper place,” he added. “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.”
Brady was joined for the interview by his ex-wife, Mandie Taketa, and their 20-year-old daughter, Maile — both of whom expressed their love and support for Brady.
According to Brady, there have been times in his life when he’s felt an attraction to men, but never acted on those feelings because of “how I was raised,” and societal pressure and stigmas instilled in him growing up.
“So, what does it mean if I feel something? I don’t think I’m gay, but what if I feel something for another [man]… That’s still gay,” Brady said, explaining the inner conflict he felt before coming out. “I was already bullied about a bunch of other s**t. I didn’t wanna add a top hat on top of that suit.”
Despite being a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, Brady said he felt shame because of his own inability to be true about how he felt.
“I’ve always had a wonderful community of friends who are in the LGBTQ+ community, people that I’ve grown up with in shows, gays and lesbians, and, later in life, my trans relatives and my niece. I’ve always had that community, but I’ve always felt like a sham because I wasn’t being forthcoming with myself,” he shared. “I’ve told myself in the past, also, nobody needs to know my personal business. The world can absolutely go without knowing that Wayne identifies as pan. But that gave me license to still live in the shadows and to be secretive…. I had to break that behavior.”
Brady said he’s opening up so that he can live life to its fullest and be the best version of himself.
“[I’m] not dating yet, though!” Brady added. “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.”
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