Paris Jackson is opening up. The 23-year-old singer and model is reflecting on how her family’s deeply held religious beliefs impacted her self-acceptance and her decision to come out when she was younger.
Jackson joined Willow Smith on a new episode of Red Table Talk, and Smith asked about her journey toward figuring out her sexuality and attraction to men and women.
“I’m still kind of figuring it out,” shared Jackson, the daughter of the late King of Pop Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe. “My family’s very religious, and a lot, like homosexuality, is very taboo. So we don’t talk about it, and it’s not really accepted.”
She admitted that this made it hard for her to feel comfortable speaking and living her truth. However, over time, she’s come to learn how to navigate the challenges emotionally.
“I’ve gotten to a point where I respect them and I have love for them, I respect their beliefs, I respect their religion,” she shared. “Right now, I’m at a point where, to expect them to put aside their culture and their religion, like, expectations lead to resentments.”
Jackson concluded, “What people think about me isn’t my business.”
The young artist also got candid about living her life in the spotlight since she was a baby, and how it’s led to extreme emotional and mental stress. Jackson explained that her battle with social anxiety “has always been pretty gnarly.”
This includes her anxiety manifesting in truly concerning ways, including hearing things that aren’t there.
“I experience audio hallucinations sometimes, with camera clicks, and severe paranoia,” Jackson shared. “I’ve been going to therapy. For a lot of things, but that included.”