Actress Rosario Dawson is a newly announced member of the LGBTQ community.
The 40-year-old spoke with Bustle about her interest in activism, including LGBTQ rights and revealed that a 2018 Instagram post meant to express her support for the community during Pride Month was interpreted as a "coming out." In the post, Dawson quoted the lyrics of a song to the tune of Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" by rapper Chika, who was featured in the accompanying video.
"I will not be ashamed. this is just who I am. and who I was meant to be. No mistakes. so right here I stand. I'm out on my own two feet. no you will not tear me down. no my heart will not be bound. sing it loud. sing it loud. I'm proud. I'm proud," the post read.
In an attempt to clarify her previous words, in the recent Bustle interview, she admitted that there is some truth behind the rumors.
“People kept saying that I [came out]… I didn’t do that,” she says. “I mean, it’s not inaccurate, but I never did come out come out. I mean, I guess I am now,” she said.
Dawson refrained from specifying exactly how she identifies with the community but said she'd "never had a relationship in that space, so it’s never felt like an authentic calling to [her].”
In addition to LGBTQ activism, Dawson has an extensive résumé with various organizations and causes she has dedicated her time to. Jokingly referred to by her friends as "Senator Dawson," the actress co-founded Voto Latino, an organization that encourages Latinos to vote. She also supports V-Day, a movement targeted at fighting violence against women, and multiple other causes.
The Briarpatch star went on to discuss her relationship with former presidential candidate Cory Booker who she's been dating since October 2018. She shared some of the challenges and revelations the relationship has brought upon her and her daughter, Isabella, who she adopted in 2014.
“It’s the first time I felt like I had to be responsible about my choice of love, which is a challenging thing to do,” she said. “If you fall in love, you fall in love. But there’s another aspect I had to consider: what this meant in [putting] a microscope on my family and particularly on my daughter.”
“But in each other, I think we found our person,” she added.
While she said she's equally bummed and thrilled about Booker bowing out of the 2020 presidential race, she is looking forward to a much-needed vacation and self-care time — an idea she initially brushed off as bougie.
“I’ve burnt out before and burning out is not pretty,” she said. “And it ends up degrading everything else you’re passionate about.”
“You can’t shoulder all of that burden all the time,” she said.
In October, the RENT actress and her family were accused of a transphobic attack on a former worker, as Blavity previously reported. Dawson made a public statement denying the allegations.
