Former Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum has come out as bisexual.
In an interview with Tamron Hall, Gillum, who was also the mayor of Tallahassee from 2014-2018, said:
“I don’t identify as gay, but I do identify as bisexual. And that is something that I have never shared publicly before.”
Former Florida governor candidate Andrew Gillum tells Tamron Hall he's bisexual: "That is something I have never shared publicly before" pic.twitter.com/prUW7NPk1C
— The Recount (@therecount) September 14, 2020
The interview is Gillum’s first since checking himself into rehab after being found by police in a Miami hotel room with a male escort who appeared to have OD’ed on crystal meth.
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Gillum denied using meth himself, but said the incident was “a wake-up call for me,” adding:
“Since my race for governor ended, I fell into a depression that has led to alcohol abuse. I witnessed my father suffer from alcoholism and I know the damaging effects it can have when untreated.
“I also know that alcoholism is often a symptom of deeper struggles. I am committed to doing the personal work to heal fully and show up in the world as a more complete person.”
He gave an even more candid account of the struggles he faced following the election in a video released in July:
“I didn’t want to talk emotionally or really deeply about what had happened in the race for governor because it was a constant reminder of failure and my own personal failures. It was a reminder that I had let so many people down. All the things I wanted to suppress and numb and forget about, that depression around what I was experiencing there became far too much for me to keep down. And that’s the real crazy thing about depression. A lot of time we think we’re dealing with it, we’re strong and we’ll put on a brave face and it bubbles up on the inside but eventually what bubbles up on the inside is going to come out.”
He added: “Don’t be like me. Don’t suffer in silence. Get access to the help that you need.”
Gillum lost the 2018 governor’s race to Republican Ron DeSantis by less than one percentage point.
Mister P
That’s awesome. His life is going to get much better by letting that out.
Good luck to him.
Cam
He seems to be feeding into that myth about bisexuals not being satisfied with whomever they’re with. The bisexuals I know are no more likely to cheat on their spouses than anybody else. However a closeted gay guy who is trapped in a marriage with a woman seems more likely to fall into the overly dangerous, risky stuff Gillum was caught for because of suppressing who he is.
Either way I hope he gets his act together for his sake. Hopefully this will help.
Donston
Ultimately, everyone is different, has their own dimensions, motivations, struggles, lifestyles and journeys and their own spot in the orientation spectrum. And it’s not really your place to give folks identities or try to shame them down a particular path.
He seems to be using losing the race as some trigger to deep depression, alcoholism and cheating. That makes me a bit uncomfortable, though that can push someone over the edge if other things are already going on. And of course, his words and explanation are very prepped and wouldn’t exist if he wasn’t exposed.
All I can do is wish him and his family good luck. Whatever his issues are hopefully he continues to confront them, and however his life goes hopefully he uses sense and isn’t driven by sociology, ego or other people’s expectations.
Kangol2
I thought Andrew Gillum might try to avoid the topic altogether, so this was a huge step, as was his wife’s statement that she essentially knew about and accepted his bisexuality and that whatever agreements they had were between them. The scandal clearly was a wake up call, or to mix metaphors, a fall off the high wire of trying to maintain a respectable, perfect family image that he’d tried to stay on even after losing to DeSantis. I hope he keeps getting the help he needs, stays as far away from meth as possible, and that as he takes his family’s needs into account, he doesn’t place his own happiness and inner peace in a box.
Black Pegasus
I was still getting over the shock that Gillum was sitting down for an interview. Now I’m speechless by these new revelations. This is how you take control of the narrative and write your own way forward. By finding the courage to admit this publicly Gillum will get forgiveness by many people.
Jussie Smollett should take notes on how to handle a scandal. You admit your mistake, show contrition and move forward.
MISTERJETT
i believe Jussie is telling the truth.
Kangol2
Black Pegasus, I agree with you 100% here.
linniejr
Amen to that
dhmonarch89
Jeez- you attend one drug fueled gay orgy and end up in the ER…..We kind of knew.
jonasalden
Did anyone NOT know this was coming?
Donston
I mean, I’m not at all surprised. If he wanted to remain a public figure and clean his name to some degree he was gonna have to semi “come out” and explain his behaviors. Of course, he just threw an identity out there with no real insight and made it mostly about alcoholism, depression and losing the election. He had to know people wanted the tea on his feelings and history towards his sex and the apparent hard drug use. But he’s a politician. He was going to push the story the direction he wanted.
hotdogla
He’s bi okay but what does that have to do with lying to the wifey about where he was?
cuteguy
He’s the reason why Ron Disaster is the current governor of Florida. Charlie Crist should’ve won.
Mykey
So he still denies taking meth?!? Bye Felicia!
linniejr
Donston,
After reading your comments, I agree with them to a point. Let me explain. I don’t know how old you are, but when former Governor of Massachusetts, Michael Dukakis ran for President of the United States and lost he fell into a bit of depression and his wife fell into a deeper one, In 1989, Dukakis’ wife was briefly hospitalized after drinking rubbing alcohol. His bout and hers were attributed to his loss. Politics is a strange thing, it can take it’s toll on everyone, including the candidate. I’m speaking from experience, (I ran for office in my home town and lost) The loss got me down a bit, (no I didn’t use drugs and I wasn’t married.) However it affected my relationship. What I’m saying, we might think that Mr. Gillum was using his losing the election, alcoholism, and depression as an excuse for what he did, but if you’ve never experienced these things, you really can’t say.
hotdogla
You said, “He’s bi okay but what does that have to do with lying to the wifey about where he was?” Again let’s ask ourselves, did he lie? Don’t forget, she knew who she married.
Cuteguy, DeSantis won, because there were a number of people who didn’t vote. Hope you were not one of the non voters.
I don’t agree with the drug use, but now he’s dealing with it even if it is because he has no choice. Sometimes, taking away the choice is what’s needed to make us do what is necessary. And finally, none of us are angels either.