Living her truth. During a new episode of Teen Mom OG, Amber Portwood revealed to producers that while writing her second memoir, she decided to be honest about an important aspect of her life — her sexuality.
“People are going to be a bit shocked that I am bisexual,” Amber, 31, explained on Tuesday, October 12. “That I have had a relationship with a woman for 8 months before.”
Amber, who has plans to explore some “real s–t” in her upcoming book, shared that she was 20 years old when she dated a woman, which made her realize she identifies as bisexual.
“I’m really scared right now,” the reality star said, adding that ex Gary Shirley is aware of her sexuality but that she doesn’t think he is “very open” to it.
“I think he’s going to think it’s going to be bad for Leah,” the 16 and Pregnant alum said. She and Gary, 34, welcomed Leah, now 12, in 2008.
Amber, who called it quits with the police officer in 2011, admitted that her ex presumably wouldn’t be thrilled with how her coming out affects him and his family.
“He doesn’t even like the thought of going to therapy to help our relationship so this is just another embarrassment to them,” she noted.
Although Amber isn’t sure how those around her will react to her bisexuality, for the Indiana native it is all about being authentic for her children. Amber also shares son James, 3, with ex Andrew Glennon.
“[They] are a really big factor of why,” the MTV personality told cameras on Tuesday. “I don’t want them to ever think it’s bad. I don’t want them to look at other people who are like this and think it’s bad. Who am I to sit here and hide forever? Which is actually what I was planning on doing anyways. I was going to go to the grave with this.”
Later on in the episode, Amber opened up to her mother, Tonya, about being part of the LGBTQIA+ community.
“I’m shaking right now, honestly. I have been bisexual,” Amber told her mom. “I’m very attracted to men, but I’m also similarly very attracted to women as well.”
The Marriage Boot Camp alum mentioned that she didn’t say anything about being attracted to women in the past because she “didn’t want to put any more stuff on the family” at the time.
“I was ashamed at the time because [people weren’t] as open then,” Amber added. “My book that’s coming out, I don’t point blank say that I’m bisexual, but I do say that I’ve been with women.”