For the first time, Hayden Panettiere is bravely revealing her identity as bisexual. In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, the 36-year-old actress discussed her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," which will be released on May 19. The book delves into her attraction to women and the moment she felt comfortable enough to share this aspect of her identity with the world.
Panettiere admits that it took her two years to write the book and that she wasn't sure what she would feel comfortable discussing. However, when the topic of her sexuality came up, she thought, "Why not?" She chose to be brutally honest about it, something she had never been able to share with the world because it wasn't the right time.
Panettiere explains that she avoided revealing her attraction to women in the past because she felt like she was "forced to be perfect at all times" when she was younger. She adds that no one had ever encouraged her to just be herself. She also felt that coming out earlier would be seen as "jumping on the bandwagon" and feared what her team and the public would think.
Panettiere says that she was "much more into women" than men when growing up. However, she didn't have the courage to fully explore this aspect of herself because she didn't want to have to hide it if she fell in love. She admits that dating women was always scary due to the constant paparazzi attention and lack of privacy.
Despite these challenges, Panettiere is now comfortable with her identity and is proud to say that she is bisexual. Her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," hits shelves on Tuesday, May 19. The book is a personal account of her journey and a celebration of her authenticity.
