Andrew Gillum Comes Out As Bisexual After Fallout From Hotel Incident

Former Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum publicly opened up about his sexuality this week for the first time.

I dont identify as gay, but I do identify as bisexual, Gillum, 41, said in an interview on The Tamron Hall Show that aired Monday. And that is something that Ive never shared publicly before.

Words never shared publicly until this moment #TamronHallShow I identify as bisexual. - @AndrewGillum

Tamron Hall (@tamronhall) September 14, 2020","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Tamron Hall","author_url":"https://twitter.com/tamronhall","cache_age":86400,"description":"Words never shared publicly until this moment #TamronHallShow I identify as bisexual. - @AndrewGillum Tamron Hall (@tamronhall) September 14, 2020\n\n","options":{"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Tamron Hall on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/tamronhall/status/1305511849476141056","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5f5f9bf3c5b6fd3d052774d0","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/andrew-gillum-comes-out-as-bisexual_n_5f5f9bf3c5b6fd3d052774d0","entryTagsList":"politics,florida,lgbtq,andrew-gillum,@sponsor_fargo","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"black-voices,queer-voices,relationships","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":"huffpost_fargo"},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/fc763b4a-2ef4-4545-8c6e-4f9978c6f3f8/1_th.jpg?crop=480:270,smart&width=480&height=270&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":{"videoPlaylist":"5f5927b47697e00001811440","videoTag":"huffpost_fargo"},"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":15},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5f5f9bf3c5b6fd3d052774d0","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Politics","slug":"politics","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/politics","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/politics","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/politics"},"relegenceSubjectId":982065,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Politics News","slug":"politics-news","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/politics-news"},{"name":"Florida","slug":"florida","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/florida","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/florida","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/florida"},"relegenceId":6375775,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"U.S. News","slug":"us-news"},"topic":{"title":"Florida","slug":"florida","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/florida"},{"name":"LGBTQ","slug":"lgbtq","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/lgbtq","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/lgbtq","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/lgbtq"},"department":{"name":"Voices","slug":"voices"},"section":{"title":"Queer Voices","slug":"queer-voices"},"topic":{"title":"Queer Life","slug":"queer-life","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/voices/topic/queer-life"},{"name":"Andrew Gillum","slug":"andrew-gillum","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/andrew-gillum","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/andrew-gillum","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/andrew-gillum"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Andrew Gillum","slug":"andrew-gillum","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/andrew-gillum"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false}">

Words never shared publicly until this moment #TamronHallShow I identify as bisexual. - @AndrewGillum
Tamron Hall (@tamronhall) September 14, 2020

The former mayor of Tallahassee appeared on the show alongside his wife, R. Jai, who said her husband of 11 years has been upfront with her about his sexuality.

Many people just dont understand bisexuality, she said . They think they can wrap their heads around gay, but bisexuality is something different. ... All I care about is whats between us and what agreement we make.

Gillum, who ran for Florida governor in 2018, had been dogged by speculation surrounding his private life for months.

The father of three was found intoxicated in a Miami Beach hotel room with two men March 12. According to police reports, officers arrived on the scene in response to a possible drug overdose involving one of the men, Travis Dyson.

Here's the video of this moment: pic.twitter.com/prUW7NPk1C

The Recount (@therecount) September 14, 2020","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"The Recount","author_url":"https://twitter.com/therecount","cache_age":86400,"description":"Here's the video of this moment: pic.twitter.com/prUW7NPk1C The Recount (@therecount) September 14, 2020\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_hide_thread":{"label":"Hide previous Tweet in conversation thread","value":true},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":675,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eh4fut4WsAAQU1p.jpg","thumbnail_width":1200,"title":"The Recount on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1305525290400178177","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5f5f9bf3c5b6fd3d052774d0","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/andrew-gillum-comes-out-as-bisexual_n_5f5f9bf3c5b6fd3d052774d0","entryTagsList":"politics,florida,lgbtq,andrew-gillum,@sponsor_fargo","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"black-voices,queer-voices,relationships","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":"huffpost_fargo"},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/fc763b4a-2ef4-4545-8c6e-4f9978c6f3f8/1_th.jpg?crop=480:270,smart&width=480&height=270&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":{"videoPlaylist":"5f5927b47697e00001811440","videoTag":"huffpost_fargo"},"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":15},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5f5f9bf3c5b6fd3d052774d0","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Politics","slug":"politics","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/politics","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/politics","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/politics"},"relegenceSubjectId":982065,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Politics News","slug":"politics-news","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/politics-news"},{"name":"Florida","slug":"florida","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/florida","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/florida","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/florida"},"relegenceId":6375775,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"U.S. News","slug":"us-news"},"topic":{"title":"Florida","slug":"florida","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/florida"},{"name":"LGBTQ","slug":"lgbtq","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/lgbtq","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/lgbtq","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/lgbtq"},"department":{"name":"Voices","slug":"voices"},"section":{"title":"Queer Voices","slug":"queer-voices"},"topic":{"title":"Queer Life","slug":"queer-life","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/voices/topic/queer-life"},{"name":"Andrew Gillum","slug":"andrew-gillum","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/andrew-gillum","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/andrew-gillum","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/andrew-gillum"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Andrew Gillum","slug":"andrew-gillum","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/andrew-gillum"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false}">

Here's the video of this moment: pic.twitter.com/prUW7NPk1C
The Recount (@therecount) September 14, 2020

Police said they impounded three small plastic bags containing suspected crystal meth from the hotel room. Dyson, 30, reputedly worked as a male escort. The third man, 56-year-old Aldo Mejias, told The New York Times he and Dyson were longtime friends, but that he did not know Gillum personally.

At the time, Gillum who was Floridas first Black gubernatorial nominee before losing to Ron DeSantis (R) by about 32,000 votes said he was visiting Miami for a wedding, and denied using crystal meth.

Days later, he released a statement calling the incident a wake-up call, and said he was voluntarily checking himself into a rehab facility to seek help [and] guidance.

Since my race for governor ended, I fell into a depression that has led to alcohol abuse, he said . I witnessed my father suffer from alcoholism and I know the damaging effects it can have when untreated. I also know that alcoholism is often a symptom of deeper struggles.

In his Monday interview , Gillum steered clear of specifics regarding the hotel incident and did not clarify his relationship with Dyson or Mejias, stating only, I understand very well what people assume about that. Still, he emphasized that his bisexuality should not be linked with any presumed acts of infidelity.

There are men who are in marriages with women who just because theyre married to a woman doesnt mean theyre not attracted to other women, and at any point can slip up, make a mistake, do something, and that is what it is, he said. The same thing in bisexual relationships.

Among those to applaud Gillums decision to come out as bisexual was the National Black Justice Coalitions executive director , David Johns.

Gillums reflections demonstrate that there must be space in our country for people to be themselves without shame and fear, Johns said in an email statement sent to HuffPost. When we are forced by harmful societal expectations to operate in black and white, with no room to express the many gray areas of ourselves that make us who we are, we get hurt.

He added, These conversations and the healing they may provide for so many members of our community are required for all Black people to be free healthy, happy, and whole.