“This world is still extremely new to me and unbelievable,” Nyong’o recalled in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine. “[Janelle] came up to me and just gave me the realest hug,” Nyong’o said. “I think we may have swayed to the music. She was just like, ‘I’m so proud of you, and just thank you for being you.’”
Real Street Radio
In 2018, Monáe talked about identifying as pansexual. Later revealed that she is nonbinary and uses the pronouns she/her and they/them. That fueled the rumors more.