June not only marks the beginning of summer but also serves as a moment to remember and honor those who were part of the Stonewall Riots decades ago. Pride Month, which takes place in June, is a period to recognize the impact of the LGBTQ+ community. To this day, many members of the community are still discriminated against and face harsh criticisms from society. As a result, many people, including Dove Cameron, have been hesitant to discuss their sexuality or gender identity with others. 

Over a year ago, Disney Channel star Dove Cameron published a lyric video titled “We Belong” that contained line drawings of couples of various orientations. Cameron’s fans then immediately assumed she was queerbaiting. Queerbating is a deceptive marketing technique in which creators hint at same sex relationships or LGBTQ+ representation to attract or “bait” audiences, but never actually show it. 

After she was accused of queerbaiting, the Disney star quickly went onto Instagram Live to explain stating, “Maybe I haven’t said it, but I’m super queer. This is something I want to represent through my music because it’s who I am.” 

“I’ve hinted about my sexuality for years while being afraid to spell it out for everybody,” the singer said in a Gay Times interview earlier this month. “I did a lyric video last year, for ‘We Belong.’ It had moving line drawings of people falling in love…It was all a man and a woman making out and it was a weird moment for me. It made me look at myself and question why I’m always with a boy in a music video or why I’m so uncomfortable in publicly expressing myself. This is something I have to go out of my way to state and that’s what made me come out. I wasn’t living the life that I thought I was.”

Cameron had previously voiced her concern that no one would believe her if she came out as queer, but this year she finally felt like she belonged in the LGBTQ+ community. “With the process of coming out, it was about who I am as a whole rather than who I choose to date or sleep with,” she said. “I’m choosing to love myself, to be who I am every day and not edit myself depending on the room that I’m in.”

By sharing her experiences as coming out as a queer woman, she noted how she gained unmatched support from the LGBTQ+ community. She mentioned how love and support from those around her helped her to really love herself. Cameron hopes that being open with her sexuality will also help others in learning to love and accept themselves.