“Wynonna Earp” Star Kat Barrell Is Attracted to Both Men and Women, #20BiTeen Strikes Again!

In the year of our Sappho 20BiTeen, we’ve been given yet another glorious gift in the form of an actor coming out. In an interview for their August issue, Kat Barrell told Diva Magazine:

“I am attracted to both men and women and the person I fell in love with is a man. I wish it could just be about the human I am in love with, not their gender. This is why I am so passionate about advocating for equal acceptance across the spectrum of sexuality. Let’s just love who we love and leave each other alone. The world has bigger problems.”

It’s unfortunate that this line was nestled in a paragraph about how people who have a hard time separating fiction from reality gave her a hard time online because she was marrying a man. But it highlights an erasure issue a lot of bisexual and queer people in relationships face — whether it’s being assumed to be a lesbian/gay or straight because of who their partner is — even from members of their own community. It’s embarrassing we have to say it in this day and age, but some people still need to hear it: queer people are still queer even if they’re in opposite-sex relationships.

WayHaught flirt on the roof

Oops I dropped this.

What makes me happy, however, is that after playing a queer character for so long and talking about what Nicole Haught being queer means to people, Kat felt comfortable enough to say it in an interview. She knew it could possibly result in MORE backlash, because she probably gets plenty from people who don’t approve of her character, but she also seems to understand what it would mean for people for her to be comfortably and casually mention that she isn’t straight.

It makes me so happy to know that this is where we’re heading. Where high-profile people coming out doesn’t have to happen during an award show speech or an SNL monologue as a big announcement (though don’t get me wrong, I love those moments, too) or dramatically revealed in an op-ed. Just casually mentioned in a conversation, because even though it’s a big deal, it’s not really a big deal, you know?

Just like how one day on Wynonna Earp, Waverly was dating Champ, and then the next she had feelings for Nicole. One day we didn’t know Kat was also attracted to women, and now we do. Kat’s quote in the interview struck me because I realized it’s that kind of casual attitude around the spectrum of sexuality that will hopefully move us closer to a future where young people figuring out who they are will be more casual, too.

And, I’ve had the distinct pleasure of spending some time with Kat Barrell, and she’s a kind, bright person with a lot of light and creativity to share and plenty of drive to share it, so I, for one, am very happy to have her on our team.

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Valerie Anne

Just a TV-loving, Twitter-addicted nerd who loves reading, watching, and writing about stories. One part Kara Danvers, two parts Waverly Earp, a dash of Cosima and an extra helping of my own brand of weirdo.

Valerie has written 542 articles for us.

14 Comments

    • I miss WayHaught I love the storyline about the true love because it is hard to find in the real world when you find it the world plays for only  u to I think Wayhuaght is best ship best lgbtq couple just the best couple ever on TV I also love the characters that play  Waverley  and  Nicole they bring the love
      wynonna Earp  I love the other writers wrote the relationship Nicole and Waverly they did a great job on it and Dominique and Kat BARREL the characters very well and saw the true love between them and how happy they were I couldn’t see any other actresses to  play this role they did a great job that’s why we need to fight for Wynonna Earp for season 5 to see more of their relationship relationships grow
      This is why this show is so wonderful  they have such great actors and actresses on it  this show you can put any one of the actors or actresses together they have such wonderful chemistry throughout the whole family of Wynonna Earp love Wynonna Earp bring it back please Syfy Earp

    • And also people need to chill out and let her be. She clearly loves her fans and loves being apart of WayHaught, it’s pretty frustrating that she has to deal with this nonsense.

      • Yeah, it’s really embarrassing when people project their weird crap all over actors who are just awesome and do a lot for our community whether they are part of it or just allies.

        I mean, it’s just cringeworthy. Also, being humans, we tend to focus more on the negative than the positive, and for actors, they are also human and this stuff must really bring them down.

  1. I hope no one takes offense to this but this is why I don’t agree with the idea that only queer people should play queer characters. It assumes that just because a person isn’t out that they’re not a part of the community. Representation and visibility is, of course, important but judging people on their talent and ability should be the only criteria when casting a part. No one should be excluded because of their orientation or gender presentation.

  2. I had no idea people were giving her shit for anything and now I want to fight them (non-violently? still working that one out…).

    Her and her man and their dog are the cutest effing family and if anyone has a problem with that they need to sit down and look in a mirror and figure their own shit out.

    Also she’s hilarious in Working Moms. So different to her role on Wynonna Earp. Score one for 20-bi-teen.

    • Also, thanks Laneia for the newsletter! I damn near missed this until I finally caught up enough on my emails to read the last one.

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