Supergirl star Chyler Leigh has shared a post on Creating Change, an organisation she's the co-founder and chief creative officer of, in which she's chosen to come out to fans. While she decides not to label her sexuality, she does make it clear she's not simply straight, and has chosen Pride Month to make her announcement.
Pride Month sees members of the LGBTQ+ community talk about both themselves and those who paved the way for them to live their true lives, which is why Leigh has chosen now to share her story.
"When I was told that my character was to come out in season 2, a flurry of thoughts and emotions flew through and around me because of the responsibility I personally felt to authentically represent Alex’s journey," the actress explains. "What I didn’t realize was how the scene where she finally confessed her truth would leap off the pages of the script and genuinely become a variation of my own. IRL. My heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest each take we filmed, every time presenting another opportunity to get those honest words out of my mouth."
"Though they don’t exactly match my personal dialogue, the heart behind it surely did. From the director, the press, the media, the cast, and the fans, I’m still told that it was the most realistic coming out scene they’d ever witnessed. And to steal from Alex’s words, that’s because there’s some truth to what she said about me. The scene is in season 2, episode 6 if you wanna see for yourself."
"Here’s the kicker though. Since that episode aired, I was told from dear friends (and even avid watchers of Supergirl) that they would no longer watch the show because of the fact that Alex’s journey took a turn from their less than acceptable beliefs. Soon after, they began to distance themselves and eventually my family and I were outcast, marking the loss of many folks we loved. However, after the initial sting, I don’t hold a grudge towards the negative response, because as I said, we all have had a hard time in one way or another with acceptance (whatever the subject may be) whether towards ourselves or others."
It’s been a long and lonely road for both my husband and myself but I can whole-heartedly say that after all these years, he and I are still discovering the depths of ourselves and each other, but throughout our journey we’ve learned to be proud of who we are, no matter the cost," Leigh concludes.
Her Supergirl character, Alex Danvers, also came out during season two of The CW series. She would later embark on a romantic relationship with Floriana Lima's Maggie Sawyer, and many fans were unhappy when that came to an end. Since then, the fact the D.E.O. agent is a lesbian has been a well-explored part of the show, and one which has inspired many viewers.
You can read Leigh's full statement by heading over to her website.