Janelle Monae is on the cover of them‘s first-ever cover story, out now.

The interview was conducted by Lizzo.

Here’s what the 33-year-old artist had to say…

On advice for coming out: “Don’t allow yourself to feel any pressure other than the pressure you put on you. And I think there’s so much power in not labeling yourself. That said, there’s also power in saying
This is how I identify,’ and having community with the folks you identify with. Everyone is on a journey of self-discovery, and those of us who may not understand others’ journeys should be more empathetic and tolerant and supportive. A big thing for me is just being patient with myself, and not allowing myself to make decisions based in fear, or a fear of people not understanding me. And it’s hard. You go through experiences where you feel fearful, and you end up being depressed, or having anxiety, and not taking care of you. But that fear should not get in the way of how you love or who you love.

On queer acceptance in 2019: “To be young, queer, and black in America means that you can be misunderstood. You can be hated. It also means that you can be celebrated and loved. And I think there’s a lot at stake when you’re living out loud in that way. One thing I’ve realized even more was that when you walk in your truth, you can inspire and encourage people to walk in theirs.”

On representation in the media: “I think the entertainment industry has not caught up. We’re making some waves, but we can do better. And again, it’s about normalizing and telling more stories, and inviting more LGBTQIA+ folks into the conversation on the front end, and giving us a seat at the table early on. Because we can’t afford to see things in a binary way. That’s not how the world works.”

For more from Janelle, head to them.us.

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UglyDolls premiere on Saturday afternoon (April 27) at the Regal Cinemas L.A. Live in Los Angeles.

 

Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2019/2020 in Paris, France

gettyimages

 leaving The Mark Hotel on Saturday afternoon (May 4) in New York City.

“Uglydolls” Portrait Session in Los Angeles, April 2019

arriving for pre-Met Gala fitting at the Mark Hotel

 

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2019 Met Gala

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Leaving The Mark Hotel in New York City 05/04/2019

 Cabo 06/19/2019

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Janelle Monae stuns in monochrome coat dress as she celebrates her Belvedere Vodka limited edition bottle

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 “A Beautiful Future” Limited Edition Bottle Launch in New York City 06/24/2019

2019 Wimbledon Tennis Championships, London

Nathaniel Irvin and Janelle Monáe.

 

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 A Beautiful Future event at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago 

 

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Harper's BAZAAR celebrates "ICONS By Carine Roitfeld" at The Plaza Hotel presented by Cartier - Arrivals on September 06, 2019 in New York City.

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Ralph Lauren's runway show during NYFW

Global Citizen press conference in New York.

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Janelle Monae loses her head in a chilling costume at Beyonce and Jay-Z's Halloween party dressed as decapitated 'doll face bride' Annie Bellum

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 "Queen & Slim" Premiere at AFI FEST 2019 presented by Audi at the TCL Chinese Theatre on November 14, 2019 in Hollywood, California.