Paris Jackson opened up about the challenges she faced coming out to her “very religious” family in an interview with Willow Smith on Red Table Talk.
In a conversation that ranged from embarking on her music career to what it was like growing up as Michael Jackson’s only daughter, she also shared the difficulty and pushback she faced when disclosing her sexual identity to her family.
The response from those outside her immediate family was to brush it all under the rug, she said. “My family is very religious and a lot of, like homosexuality, is very taboo, so we don't talk about it, and it's not really accepted. I’ve gotten to a point where I respect them and I have love for them. I respect their beliefs. I respect their religion,” said Jackson.
As Jackson explained, she's figuring out how to be at peace with the reality that they may never be able to understand or acknowledge her identity. “Right now, I'm at a point where I don't expect them to put aside their culture and their religion ... like, expectations lead to resentments. What people think about me isn't my business,” she said, adding that it hasn't always been easy. “There were moments where it was really hard. You feel alone. You feel excluded.”
The folk singer, who eschews labels, described her sexual identity to People in an August 2020 interview as one that defies categorization. “I don’t feel like there is a label for my sexuality that fits. Labels in general, not just for sexuality but for everything, I think, are just ways for humans to make sense of the world, to be able to compartmentalize... We're getting past the need for labels. It’s beautiful,” she explained.
Not everyone in Jackson’s family takes issue with her sexuality, as she told Smith she does have the support of her closest family members, her brothers Prince and Bibi. While they also initially didn't understand it, Jackson said they now support her fully. “Prince joined a GSA in high school to learn about it because he wanted to support me. Like, not a lot of people can say they have siblings that support them like that,” she shared.
It has ultimately been a journey of self-acceptance for Jackson, who explained that her “sheltered” upbringing made it challenging to find her authentic self. Instead, she leaned on what she perceived to be the persona of a female who's attracted to other females. Over time, Jackson said she's come to realize that she can “dress however and act however, it doesn't change how I feel on the inside. As long as I'm me, I can be more feminine, I can be more tomboy; I can do whatever as long as it feels like me.”
Watch the full Red Table Talk interview below:
