Actresses Lupita Nyong'o, left, and Janelle Monáe took their relationship public this week. The couple's touchy feely display of affection raised eyebrows at a Met Gala after party on Monday.
According to Rhymeswithsnitch.com, "In a video posted [on] Instagram Live Janelle can be seen in the background standing close to Lupita gently caressing her face while Danai Gurira stands next to them oblivious."
We've known for years that Janelle prefers her back rubs with soft hands. In fact, your auntie told you way back in the day that the pop singer-turned-actress was a card carrying member of the LGBT tribe.
But the reports were dismissed as speculation - until Janelle, 33, confirmed the rumors by coming out as "queer" and "Pansexual" last year.
"Being a queer black woman in America, someone who has been in relationships with both men and women - I consider myself to be a free-(love proponent)" she said in an interview with Rolling Stone. "But then later I read about pansexuality and was like, 'Oh, these are things that I identify with too.' I'm open to learning more about who I am."
This week at the Met Gala, noted “free-ass motherfucker” Janelle Monáe and Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o were, according to various websites and gossip blogs, seen engaging in a “touchy feely display” and positioned in an “affectionate stance toward one another” and “cozying up… on an Instagram Live video” looking “rather chummy.” All of which has led gay Twitter to conclude that they are either in love or dating or boning or trying to make Tessa Thompson jealous — she and Janelle apparently unfollowed each other on social media???? — or they’re just friends who like to stand close enough for their bodies to be pressed together while gently caressing each other’s angelic faces.
Lupita’s Instagram from the Met Gala did nothing to squash the rumors.
View this post on Instagram
#MetGala Look 2.
A post shared by Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on May 7, 2019 at 1:47pm PDT
Nor did other gala attendees’ photos and Instagram stories.
why Danai looking like when u at the gay function n ur homie starts hooking up w someone then ur like oh okay time to dip the vibe hath shifted pic.twitter.com/UJ73eP05rL
— muna mire (@Muna_Mire) May 9, 2019
👀
Or should I say
//www.instagram.com/p/BxMuYY5gVoq/
Autostraddle’s Vapid Fluff coven seems split on whether or not this is a romance situation or a friend situation or just the angle of the camera at the time of night. “I think it’s likely that Janelle was making Tessa jealous, since Tessa was at that same party,” said one Autostraddle editor.
“I too have been slutty and loving and wholesome with a hot friend post breakup,” said another. “Could be petty, could be sincere, could be both!”
“Hahahaha god why are we all like this?” an Autostraddle editor wondered.
“It’s beautiful,” an Autostraddle staff writer concluded. “Art mimicking life.”
It’s funny: Picasso, who designed Janelle’s dress, said the same thing. Maybe this was all just an elaborate Picasso performance piece?!?? Janelle does love a theme. When investigating these photos, only one thing’s certain: Danai Gurira was ready to get the heck out of there.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: (L-R) Yara Shahidi, Janelle Monae, and Lupita Nyong'o attend The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Tachman/MG19/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
By Sam Manzella
May 10, 2019 / 11:40 AM
Gay Twitter™ is currently ablaze with rumors that Us star Lupita Nyong'o and Dirty Computer mastermind Janelle Monáe are dating.
Though the pair has been friendly for years, the speculation started after Monáe stans noted that the singer-songwriter wasn't attending the 2019 Met Gala with her rumored GF, actress (and "Pynk" music video co-star) Tessa Thompson.
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In fact, Monáe and Thompson seemed to be avoiding each other—and Monáe reportedly unfollowed Thompson's Avengers co-star, Brie Larson, on Instagram. Dyke drama!
Instead, keen-eyed fans noticed that Monáe was cozying up to Nyong'o in an Instagram Live video from another Met Gala attendee:
They were filmed dancing together at the after party, too:
Needless to say, queer women on Twitter were not prepared:
So, are Monáe and Nyong'o an item? The jury's still out. Though Nyong'o has never publicly identified as LGBTQ, Monáe famously came out as queer or pansexual in a Rolling Stone interview from 2018.
Never say never! And, for the record? These two queens would make a badass black queer power couple. #Janita, anyone?