Orange Is The New Black’s Samira Wiley Talks About Being Openly Gay In Hollywood

"I think that what comes along with my visibility is a responsibility, and I don't take that lightly."

That's what Orange Is The New Black star Samira Wiley has to say about being an openly gay actress in Hollywood. Wiley spoke to MIMI about accepting and embracing her herself, stressing that it's important for her to show the world that her sexuality is nothing to be ashamed of.

"I want to make sure that any young person or anyone really who is looking up to me—who sees a glimpse of who I am as a person—that they see no shame, that they see pride, and that I'm truly unabashed about the person that I am," she said.

Wiley, who was raised by two Baptist preachers, truly believes that self-confidence is crucial. In particular, she wants to advocate for young people who are uncomfortable with themselves or their sexuality due to societal constraints.

"I do love myself, and what we need to strive for is young people loving themselves [too]," she said. "Because you can't move forward—you can't have people love you, you can't look at other people and accept them for who they are—unless you completely love yourself."

Read the full interview here.

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