Paris says dad Michael Jackson 'caught on quick' that she was gay when she was 8 and gave her all his support

'He would tease me the same way that he would tease my brothers, like 'Oh, you got yourself a girlfriend',' Paris Jackson said
PUBLISHED JUL 2, 2020
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

During a recent interview, Paris Jackson revealed that her father Michael caught on the fact that she was 'gay' pretty early on in her life and was very supportive for which she was grateful.

Michael Jackson passed away when Paris was just 11 years old but she remembers all of the special moments that she got to share with the King of Pop including the time his observant eye made him guess the fact that his daughter could be interested in people of her own sex. "My dad caught on pretty quick," the 22-year-old said about her sexuality in her new Facebook Watch series, 'Unfiltered: Paris Jackson & Gabriel Glenn.'

She added that her dad would lightheartedly joke about the possibility of her getting romantically involved with a member of the same sex in the future. "I think he just felt the energy and he would like kind of tease me the same way that he would tease my brothers, like 'Oh, you got yourself a girlfriend,'" she said. Paris said that having grown up, she now appreciated the support she got from her dad at such a young age toward the acceptance of her sexuality. "I’m very lucky to have that, especially so young — I think I was like 8 or 9," she admitted. "Not many children have that experience."

Singer Janet Jackson and Michael Jackson's daughter Paris hug onstage during the Michael Jackson public memorial service held at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California (Getty Images)

Although she describes herself as 'gay', she said that it wasn't the true representation of her romantic life. In fact, she is currently in a  relationship with boyfriend Gabriel Glenn. "I say I’m gay, because I guess I am, but I wouldn’t consider myself bisexual because I’ve dated more than just men and women," she explained. "I’ve dated a man that had a vagina. So it has nothing to do with what’s in your pants. It has nothing to do with your XY chromosome makeup…it’s literally just like, what are you like as a person."

Last month, Paris also stressed that she doesn't identify with bisexuality but instead the larger LGBTQ community on her Instagram Stories. She said that she was surprised to find out that not many people were in the know about her sexual fluidity. "I came out when I was 14," she began. "I’ve referred to the community as ‘my fellow LGBTQ+’ on stage before. I’ve talked about having a crush on girls when I was 8 in my 'Rolling Stone' article. There are pictures of me kissing girls online. Why are people just now saying this is news?"

She also clarified: "And I'm not bisexual. I just love people for people. I don't label myself so please don't label me. Thank you!"

She reiterated her stance on Twitter in reply to people welcoming her into the LGBTQ+ community. "How many times have I publicly referred to the community as 'my fellow LGBTQ+'? Like even on stage," she wrote. "I’ve been apart of the community for years. I even mentioned having crushes on girls when I was 8 in a magazine before. I’ve been caught kissing girls in public. This is not news."

RELATED TOPICS PARIS JACKSON JANET JACKSON MICHAEL JACKSON

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