Gillian Anderson has identified herself as pansexual and spoken openly about her past relationships with women, saying she has never viewed attraction as something limited by gender.
The 58-year-old actress said she is attracted to people regardless of their gender identity. She also confirmed that she had romantic relationships with women when she was younger, including a relationship with an older girl during her high school years.
Anderson has previously described that relationship as something she kept private at the time. She said she did not have the language or confidence to fully understand or explain her sexuality, which made the relationship something she felt had to remain secret.
Her attraction to men did not change the importance of her relationships with women. Anderson said the person she considers her life partner happens to be a man, but she believes she could have developed the same feelings for a woman.
The actress also spoke about how conversations with other women have influenced the way she thinks about sexuality, desire and relationships. She said women around her age are increasingly exploring their sexuality and discovering new experiences through dating.
Her role in the Netflix series “Sex Education” also played a part in making her more comfortable with conversations about sex and desire. The experience later contributed to her books “Want” and “More”, which bring together anonymous letters from women discussing their sexual fantasies and personal experiences.
Anderson first publicly spoke about having relationships with women in 2012. Since then, she has continued to discuss her sexuality openly and has said she does not believe emotional or romantic connection should be restricted by gender.
The actress has been married twice, first to Clyde Klotz and later to Julian Ozanne. She was also in a long-term relationship with Peter Morgan, the creator of “The Crown”. Anderson and Morgan reportedly separated in 2020, although their relationship later led to speculation that they had reunited.
