News Madonna may have come out as gay has been circulating the internet like wildfire following a video posted to her TikTok account in October 2022. The news didn’t reach everyone, however, including the Mistress of Darkness herself, Elvira. When she first learned of the news, she wasn’t the least bit surprised, which came as a surprise itself! It also begs the question: did Elvira know something the rest of the world didn’t?
Elvira revealed details of her sexuality in her recent memoir
Cassandra Peterson, the woman behind Elvira, released a memoir in 2021, titled Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of Darkness, in which she revealed secrets about her life.
“I pretty much told about my entire life, but a lot of things that fans over the years do not know about me,” she said in a video interview with Logo360. “So I exposed a lot of secrets, the biggest one probably being that I have a female partner of 20 years. That was kind of a shock and revelation to a lot of people.”
Peterson met her partner, Teresa “T” Wierson, at the gym. The two started off as friends, but their relationship blossomed into a romance that they kept a secret for two decades. It was shortly after she divorced singer and manager Mark Pierson in 2003 that the two began dating.
Officially coming out as gay at the age of 70, she knows what it’s like to come out later in life, and feels there shouldn’t be pressure for anyone to have to come out.
“Don’t feel pressure to do it. It’s good to come out, and I think you’ll feel better if you do, but it’s not always the right time for everybody to do it,” she told Logo TV. “I guarantee one thing when you do you’re going to feel so much better, it’s like a giant weight lifted off your chest.” The best time, she said, is when “it’s comfortable for you.”
Why did it take so long for Elvira to reveal this part of her life?
For Peterson, coming out was difficult because she was frightened that the news may affect her career. “I was scared that by coming out earlier, I could do some serious damage to my career,” she shared in an interview with Variety. She’d watched male friends reveal the truth about their sexuality, only for it to ruin their careers. She could only imagine what such a revelation would do to a woman in Hollywood.
Concealing her sexuality wasn’t the only thing she hid about her life. Peterson was so protective of the world she’d created with her Elvira character that she hid many other things she didn’t want associated with her alter ego.
“I did not want my personal life to encroach on the character,” she explained. “I never told people I was married. I never talked about having a child because nobody was thinking of Elvira being at home and changing dirty diapers.”
How was Peterson able to hide her relationship with Wierson for 20 years? She’d introduce her partner as her assistant, which was enough to keep suspicions at bay. She hated it, however, because people would overlook Wierson as a result. Having revealed the true nature of their relationship, she’s excited to be able to introduce the love of her life as her partner.
When news of Peterson’s sexuality was released, she lost 11,000 followers on social media, but wasn’t upset because other fans reached out to thank her for her honesty and for providing them with inspiration.
Madonna’s video suggested she, too, has come out
The video that has people wondering about Madonna‘s sexuality was uploaded to her TikTok account. In the clip, she’s holding a balled up pair of pink underwear while the screen reads, “If I miss, I’m gay.” She then tosses the underwear across the room, missing the trash can at which she was aiming. The video then cuts back to Madonna, who shrugs and walks away.
Fans have been debating whether this was an official coming out for the pop icon or a playful joke. Some have commented their surprise, while others expressed how they believe Madonna has been openly bisexual for decades. The latter may be in reference to a 1991 interview, where she’s quoted as saying, “I think everybody has a bisexual nature.”
Either way, many have said that, regardless of her sexuality, Madonna has been a vocal and headstrong advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, and no matter her sexuality will be respected and welcomed by them.
Elvira isn’t surprised
When Peterson was told of the video and debate surrounding Madonna’s sexuality, she wasn’t surprised because she’d an inkling about it all this time. “I can tell you something interesting,” she explained to TMZ. “Madonna hit on my girlfriend! She wanted to hire her as a trainer, but it was obvious she wanted more than training.”
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“I will just say that it was a long time ago,” Peterson continued. “I think Madonna has always said she’s pretty fluid, kissing Britney Spears… So I think Madonna is ‘anything goes.'”