Actress-pop star Miley Cyrus recalled coming out to her mother, Tish, at the age of 14. At the time, in 2007, Cyrus was playing the titular character in Disney’s hit series “Hannah Montana.”
“I remember telling her I admire women in a different way. And she asked me what that meant. And I said, ‘I love them. I love them like I love boys,’” she told Paper Magazine in a cover story for which she posed nude.
“And it was so hard for her to understand,” the star added. She didn’t want me to be judged and she didn’t want me to go to hell. But she believes in me more than she believes in any god. I just asked for her to accept me. And she has.”
Cyrus describes her sexuality and gender identification as fluid, an identity she’s maintained for years and hoped her mother would come to understand.
The 22-year-old Disney alum also shared that she’s had romantic relationships with women that were just as significant as the ones with men that have made headlines (Liam Hemsworth, Nick Jonas and Patrick Schwarzenegger). “But people never really looked at it,” she said, “and I never brought it into the spotlight.”
The outspoken performer said she’s open to dating anyone — within legal boundaries, of course.
“I am literally open to every single thing that is consenting and doesn’t involve an animal and everyone is of age. Everything that’s legal, I’m down with,” she said. “Yo, I’m down with any adult — anyone over the age of 18 who is down to love me.”
Cyrus added, “As long as you’re not hurting anyone, your choices are your choices.”
The issue hits newsstands on June 22.
