Katy Perry’s dating life has always been well documented. From her marriage to Russel Brand and her on-off relationship with John Mayer, to her long-term relationship with fiancé Orlando Bloom. And while she hasn't ever publicly dated a woman, there has always been speculation as to whether the singer – who became a breakout star with her single 'I Kissed A Girl' in 2018 – is bisexual.
Katy and Orlando have been in a relationship since 2016 (with a brief break in 2017, which they called 'loving space') and welcomed their first child, Daisy Dove, on 27 August 2020. Despite the singer being happily loved up, people still have their questions.
So, what actually is Katy Perry's sexual identity? Here's everything we know.
What has Katy Perry said about her sexuality?
In March 2017, Katy made an impassioned speech while accepting the National Equality Award at the Human Rights Campaign Gala, saying: ‘There’s no other community who has done more for me, to shape who I am today and there is no other community I believe in more than you - I stand with you.’
‘I speak my truths and I paint my fantasies into these little bite-sized pop songs,’ Katy continued. ‘For instanced; I Kissed a Girl – and I liked it. Truth be told I did more than that,’ she said, to a roar of cheers.
'I was curious,' Perry says. 'I knew that sexuality wasn’t as black and white as this dress.'
Speaking to France's Entrevue magazine via MTV UK in 2013, Katy Perry also admitted that her first love was a girl. She said, 'When I was 15, I fell in love with a female friend. I thought she was beautiful and wanted to be like her. She had such a huge impact on my life, but I never told her how I felt.'
She also said she'd 'dump' her then-boyfriend John Mayer if Scarlett Johansson showed an interest in her. 'I’ve told my boyfriend that if Scarlett Johansson wanted to go out with me, I’d ditch him immediately. Female beauty can be incredibly powerful. Actually, I’m obsessed with beautiful women and their elegance. I like the paradox of appearing innocent and sexy all at once.'
Why do people think Katy Perry is bisexual?
Although Katy has admitted to being bi-curious in the past, the reason a lot of fans wanted clarity on her sexuality was to ensure she wasn't queer-baiting and benefiting from a culture she isn't actually part of.
However, she has also been credited for helping a lot of her fans explore their own sexualities because of her lyrics. 'For me in that time, bisexuality kind of got its label of sorts,' Perry told Out. 'It was like, "Oh, so that is what this is," you know? This feeling or this experience or what have you. I was just writing about my own experience.'
In her speech at the 2017 National Equality Awards, the 38-year-old star also explained how her religious upbringing shaped her views(prior to her success in 2008, she released a collection of Christian gospel songs under the name Katy Hudson in her teens).
‘My first words were "mama" and "dada", "God" and "Satan"’, Perry revealed. ‘When I was growing up homosexuality was synonymous with the word "abomination" and "Hell," a place of gnashing of teeth, continuous burning of skin and probably Mike Pence’s ultimate guest list for a BBQ. So most of my unconscious adolescence, I prayed the gay away at my Jesus camps.
‘But then in the middle of it all, in a twist of events, I found my gift. And my gift introduced me to people outside my bubble, and my bubble started to burst.
‘These people were nothing like I’d been taught to fear. They were the most free, strong, kind and inclusive people I had ever met. ... Oh my goddess, what a revelation – and not the last chapter of the Bible.
‘Suffice to say, it’s been a long road for me and I’m sure a long road for many of you out there. I know it doesn’t always feel safe to live out who you are, but here’s the thing, though: I would not have chosen a different road.
‘You don’t get to choose your family, but you can choose your tribe.’