On the CW’s The Flash, Keiynan Lonsdale plays Wally West (aka Kid Flash), the younger brother of the titular Flash’s romantic interest, Iris West. Wally has super-speed powers akin to the Flash’s, and Lonsdale himself just made quite the leap of courage in real life — he came out as bisexual.
The 25-year-old Australian actor, who has also performed in ABC’s Dance Academy, The Divergent Series: Insurgent, and The Finest Hours, made the announcement via Instagram, writing, “I like to change my hair, I like to take risks with how I dress, I like girls, & I like guys (yes), I like growing, I like learning, I like who I am and I really like who I’m becoming.”
He added that he’s “spent way too many years hating myself, thinking I was less valuable because I was different,” and he’s tired “of being insecure, ashamed and scared.”
Here’s the full message via Instagram:
How about we take this to the next level?
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https://www.instagram.com/p/BUBaxprAm-F/
That post has received over 78,000 likes and 5,500 comments, and Lonsdale acknowledged the overwhelming love on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/KeiynanLonsdale/status/863482755102814208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newnownext.com%2Fkeiynan-lonsdale-bisexual%2F05%2F2017%2F
We’ll add this Mother’s Day post he made immediately after on Instagram, because she deserves major credit for raising such a thoughtful, honest and proud son:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUDV5n7AFvZ/?taken-by=keiynanlonsdale
Here’s some more from Lonsdale’s Insta just for good measure:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTnovx4gg09/?taken-by=keiynanlonsdale
https://www.instagram.com/p/BS0oy35A7O8/?taken-by=keiynanlonsdale
https://www.instagram.com/p/BSKaoxHgGMa/?taken-by=keiynanlonsdale
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRsE9E6Ansn/?taken-by=keiynanlonsdale
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOedh9gDN6z/?taken-by=keiynanlonsdale
hotshot70
What is with everyone “coming out” as bi? IMHO bi just means he dates women, but if there is no female around, he’d bang a guy.
Donston
As much shade as I get for throwing shade at “bi-guys” I have to defend them here. The situation you speak of is much more likely to be the case with men on the DL or men who identity as fluid, queer, flexible, etc than bisexual men. Though it still can be the case.
I keep trying to completely hop on the bi-bandwagon, but with so many of these men coming out as something other than homo I keep hearing “I’m open to loving any gender” or “I like men and women” or “I enjoy sex with different genders” (the latter is not what this particular dude said). Almost none of these guys just flat-out say they’re sexually attracted to men and women, which is what the conventional term for bi-sexual means.
I guess this is the generation of supporting “Identify as whatever you want” and “be who you want to be”. And I’m trying really hard to see that as progress rather than something that’s often driven by narcissism and/or obsession with retaining hetero-normalcy.
KaiserVonScheiss
I didn’t know he was Australian. I hope he’s not a republican. He’s totally cute though.
Jack Meoff
There are probably more Aussie actors on American TV than you think. They are just forced to adopt American accents.
tdh1980
Well, considering that they often times play characters born and raised in the United States, it makes sense for them not to sound like Crocodile Dundee.
Jack Meoff
@tdh1980 saying that all Australians sound like Crocadile Dundee is like saying all Americans sound like Texans
tdh1980
@Jack Meoff: Yes, because that’s the point which I was trying to make instead of the fact that people playing North Americans probably should sound like North Americans [insert eye-rolling emoji here].
KaiserVonScheiss
It looks like the CW really higher a lot of Aussies and New Zealanders for their shows.
PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID
Peep dat Rythm Nation 1814 realness. Püssy hound confirmed!
Alan down in Florida
So that means The Flash and Kid Flash are both bi in real life. Now that’s progress.
itsandre
grant gustin is bi?
Donston
Oh, and did he compare his sexual orientation with changing hairstyles? I’m just gonna move on from this one before I become…. pathological. Cute guy.
Kangol
Wonderful news about coming out as bi, Keiynan! You have my and many others’ support, and keep up the great work too!
Captain Obvious
Off-topic nitpick. Barry and Wally are technically brothers now since they were both raised by Joe at the same time thanks to Flashpoint. They said it on the show. I don’t get how Iris still isn’t Barry’s sister though.
Jack Meoff
God for him I hope he has a long and successful career ahead of him.
Richard 55
Message to all men: don’t let women or the GLBT folk force you into placing a label on yourself. They want to taint you so that you become a possession of Leftist identity politics.
No straight, no gay and no bi.
Tobi
… no Brian.
DCguy
In other words you want them to stay in the closet, be self hating, and kill themselves. Because of course, not being bigoted, or attacked is just so “Leftist”
Let me guess, a few decades ago you would have gone around to Japanese families telling them not to vote for politicians who wanted to bring them home from the internment camps because that would be labeling themselves as “Leftist”.
The problem with you bigots is that you aren’t smart enough to even SORT OF make your comments not sound idiotic.
Sluggo2007
Another actor comes out in hopes of getting attention for his career.
DCguy
As compared to the hundreds who say IN the closet for their careers because of bigotry?
ErikO
Congratulations to him.
DCguy
I’m SHOCKED! I thought people only got articles written about them if they came out as “Heteroflexible” or “GenderFluid” but were still dating people of the opposite sex. (Anderson Cooper sized Eyeroll)
Congrats to this guy for actually coming out!
oz1967
people are never happy either your a closet case who should come out or your a publicity whore if you do come out you can’t win. I commend this young man has come out not only for himself but as a role model for those who need someone to look up to. something I did not have the luxury of in the 80’s growing up
Doughosier
I’ve known many guys who came out as bi. A few years later they are totally gay. I remember Elton John coming out as bi.
inbama
These days you no longer have to be what you say you are to be what you say you are.
Bob LaBlah
Cute kid but I wish he had more butt back there filling that suit. Thats the only place he falls flat. He’s a good actor and I never notice an accent either.
maxinemcbride4587
My Uncle Jacob got gold Mazda MAZDA3 Sedan by working parttime from a home pc… more info here ???USA~JOB-START
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Kenney G
He better enjoy the limelight now because his career is over, You never hear of a famous Bisexual movie star or television star.
As if women are gonna swoon over some guy who also like guys, Nope ain’t gonna happen
BennyP
They are all like Katie Perry they kissed a boy and now act like it’s a big deal, Big Whoop .
Does it really matter? NO, I hope he find himself a nice girl