Frankie: I came out when I was 21.
Victoria: Wow.
F: Late. I know.
Zach: Yeah, that is late. That’s very late.
V: Why so late?
F: Ummm.
V: Were you unsure at first?
F: No, I wasn’t— there isn’t much of like where I live— like there wasn’t much of a gay community, so I didn’t really know like what I was, you know? Like I didn’t know. I had no idea.
Derrick: *pointing at Frankie* Have you ever–if you don’t mind me asking–have you ever been with a–
F: Yeah, I have.
D: How was it?
F: It was good, I– You know, I–
D: You enjoyed yourself?
F: I did well.
D: *laughs*
F: I performed well.
D: *laughs*
F: Uh, yeah, up until like, uh, sophomore year of college, I was still hooking up with girls.
D: Really?!
F: Yeah.
D: Wowww.
F: I know.
Hayden: *laughs*
Z: But you knew you were gay?
F: mmm. I knew that I liked– (switches to Rhinestone voice) I knew I liked boys and girls. (switches back to his own voice) So basically–
D: When did you know that?
F: I think around 15.
D: All right, so it was– you knew–
F: I started figuring it out and then I didn’t hook up with a guy until I was 18.
D: Wow, but you still kept at it in college.
F: And I didn’t have sex with a guy until I was 21.
D: Wowww.
F: So, yep.
D: hmm.
F: So it was, uh, a long– it was like a, you know–
D: A gradual–
F: –a steady progression–
D: And now it’s like– *throws his arms open wide*
F: –towards figuring it out.
Z: *shakes his head* Dude, now it’s like–
F: I like boys! *throws arms in the air*
Z: *laughs*
F: I love boys! *shakes arms* Yeah, now I’m like just the poster child for happy gay life. Glitter and sparkles and rainbows. I love the gays.
Christine: “I love the gays.” *laughs*
F: I do.
Larry Flick: So when did you decide that it was ok to be publicly openly gay?
F: Um, actually, it was taken care of me– taken care for me– in an interview in J14 magazine where, um, they– my sister, they asked her a question, um, and they were like, “Have you ever been bullied?” and she was like, “Yeah, you know, people used to make fun of me because my brother was gay.“ And, like, J14 magazine ran a two-page spread article that was like ‘Ariana Grande Gets Bullied Over her Gay Brother’ which was pictures of me and Ariana, and I was like, “well, I guess I’m out now– *laughs* to the public.” *laughs*
L: Did that piss you off?
F: No. Again, it didn’t. It was actually really freeing because–
L: Well, I imagine it’s freeing but don’t you want to control when you say it or how it’s said?
F: Sure. Yeah, I mean–
L: I would’ve called her up and said, “Listen, you.”
F: No. Oh, we were in the room together. She was like 15. It was like, you know, it was– one line in an interview that was of course for, like, 40 minutes and that’s what they run ‘cause you can never control that.
L: Right.
F: But, um, no. For me, it was very liberating. You know, of course I wanted my cover of People. Lance Bass. But, um, I definitely was so relieved that like it was never a question because I never hid my sexuality from anyone.
L: Right, but there’s a difference between speaking on it–
F: Correct.
L: –and living it.
F: So the first time I– exactly. You know, like, exactly. So. And then, you know, it was a question of how public do I want to be about it, do I want to be like, “Yes! In-your-face-gay”? And I’m like, “no, I’m just Frankie. I’m Frankie. Frankie happens to be extremely gay.”
L: *laughs*
F: You know? But I’m Frankie.
