Keke Palmer Comments on Her Sexuality and Gender Identity While Receiving Vanguard Award

Keke Palmer is reflecting on navigating her sexuality and gender identity. 

The Nope star candidly spoke about those aspects of her life while accepting a Vanguard Award during the Los Angeles LGBT Center's The Center Gala on April 22.

"Sexuality and identity for me has always been confusion," Keke said onstage, per Variety. "I never felt straight enough. I never felt gay enough. And I never felt woman enough. I never felt man enough. You know, I always felt like I was a little bit of everything."

The event took place two months after Keke welcomed her first baby, a boy, with partner Darius Jackson. Elsewhere in her speech, Keke shared she has sometimes shifted the way she carries herself in pursuit of positive feedback.

"So often, I lead with masculinity. And as a woman, I've always been met with so much disdain," Keke added. "I think so much of that came from who I thought I had to be to get respect, admiration and love. I've always really wanted to be like my father…to want to be taken seriously and not diminish because I was a woman. That's always been a source of pain and resentment."

As seen in an Instagram Stories video posted by the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the 29-year-old became emotional as she asked the questions, "Why did my gender have to define the power I have in the world? And why does my gender get to decide my sexuality?"

Keke noted that questioning those very topics is something she has done since a young age.

"I always questioned the boxes I was forced to be in and it starts with who you're supposed to be as a child," she recalled. "You're supposed to be as a Black person or whatever the background you are from. Then those walls just try to cave you in from every damn angle, who you are as a creative, who you are as a friend."

Addressing those in the room at the Los Angeles LGBT Center, Keke noted, "I'm so grateful to be here today to be embraced by a community that I've always felt accepted by and a part of." 

Following the event, Keke took to her Instagram with a few photos from the night, including two of herself and Queer Eye star Karamo Brown, who presented her with the award. Keke paired the carousel of images with further reflection on the honor. 

"It was such a gift to be in a room, being celebrated for being exactly who I am," Keke wrote under her April 23 post. "I am so grateful you guys to be living in this time, where yes there is still so much work to do, but dammit we doing it!"