'Stranger Things' star comes out as bisexual after a heated spat with 'Riverdale' fans
Shannon Purser has come out as bisexual in a statement triggered by a heated discussion on Twitter this week. Fans of The CW's Riverdale voiced their frustrations after a scene showed a same-sex kiss between two love interests of Archie Andrews.
It was a moment that upset many viewers because the show portrayed an imitative relationship for shock value rather than developing characters with queer relationships. So when the Riverdale actress (and beloved "Barb" on Stranger Things) tweeted a comment that called out those fans as "angry Beronica stans," many responded with frustration -- causing Purser to ultimately explain her own sexuality to fans.
"I've only just recently come out as bisexual to my family and friends," Purser wrote in a post shared on Twitter. "It's something I am still processing and trying to understand and I don't like talking about it too much," she explained.
While Purser deleted her initial comments, she explained to fans that she understood the importance of representation but the cast had no say on script content.
"I'm very very new to the LGBT community. I have never heard the term 'queer baiting' in my life until today," she said, before apologizing to those who had been hurt by her tweet.
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Last week, Purser explained how she was coming to terms with her sexuality without explicitly coming out to fans. "Getting comfortable with your sexuality is a process," she tweeted. "It's going to be ok. I wish I'd known that sooner."
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"Another thing I wish I'd known about sexuality is to take it slow. It can define you as much as you want it to," she wrote.
"Either way, I know what it's like to have anxiety about it. Especially trying to come to terms with it and my faith. It can be really scary. But it's gonna be ok," she continued. "You're going to be ok. No, you're going to be great."
UPDATE: April 19, 2017, 2:40 p.m. EDT An earlier version of this post mistakenly identified the Archie Andrews character as asexual.
