Dehenna Davison. (Christopher Furlong/Getty)
Conservative MP Dehenna Davison has come out as bisexual, making her the first ever female Tory to do so.
Davison opened up about her sexuality in an interview with GB News, which is due to be broadcast on Monday (11 October). The Bishop Auckland MP said she had known she was bisexual “for quite a lot of years”, according to The Telegraph.
“If anyone were to explicitly ask me, I certainly wouldn’t try and hide it because I don’t think it’s anything to be ashamed of,” Dehenna Davison told GB News.
“The reason I haven’t done a kind of, ‘by the way, guys’, is because I don’t want being bi to be considered a big deal.”
Davison went on to explain that she was reluctant to do a “a very public” coming out because she thought it would look like there’s “something unusual” about being bi.
“It’s just part of who I am,” Davison said.
Tory MP Dehenna Davison went on ‘a few nice dates’ with women
The 28-year-old – who is currently in the process of divorcing her husband – also opened up about her experiences on dating apps. She used a nickname to avoid attracting unwanted attention and she didn’t tell those she matched with that she was an MP.
“I went on a few nice dates, dates with a few nice girls and a few nice guys. And it was just, you know, fun,” Davison said.
She is now in a relationship with a man, which she said is “going really well”.
Davison was met with an outpouring of support on social media after she came out publicly as bisexual.
The LGBT+ Conservatives tweeted: “We’re so proud of our friend Dehenna Davison! We welcome her to our community with open arms and are so excited to continue with her as she enters this new chapter in her life.”
Conservative councillor Joe Porter added: “Very proud of Dehenna Davison for her bravery and being such a positive LGBT+ role model.”
Others rushed forward to heap praise on the Tory MP for opening up about her sexuality.
No, it’s not a “big deal”, but @DehennaDavison being open about it certainly is – it helps strip away stigma and encourages others to be authentic about who they are. https://t.co/ya7SB7YKJb
— Andrew Page 🔶🌈 (@scottishliberal) October 11, 2021
Good for @DehennaDavison. Spot on. It’s not a big deal but by saying this – in a wide ranging interview – will undoubtedly still help others 🏳️🌈 https://t.co/viVYEMmXCg
— Paul Bristow MP (@paulbristow79) October 10, 2021
💗💙💜 SO PROUD OF YOU @DehennaDavison 💗💙💜https://t.co/xcMubwl5kI
— Ellie Varley (@ellievarley13) October 10, 2021
Responding to the comments, Davison said: “Really overwhelmed by the outpouring of love this evening. Thank you so much for your support.”
Really overwhelmed by the outpouring of love this evening. Thank you so much for your support. 💖💜💙
— Dehenna Davison MP (@DehennaDavison) October 10, 2021