Misha Collins Un-Says Gay

Misha Collins, one of the stars of television show Supernatural, apologized for falsely coming out as bisexual after “misspeaking” at a fan convention in New Jersey last weekend.

For those not entrenched in almost two decades’ worth of lore, Supernatural was one of the longest-running network television shows that gave rise to a fervent and dedicated fandom (it ended its 15-year run in 2020). The show, which centers on Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester, is not, as the internet may have you believe, about two brothers who are dating, but instead about two brothers who fight monsters and ghosts, and whatever you could label “supernatural.” Collins plays Castiel, an angel, and more importantly, the other half of the ship “Destiel” (Dean/Castiel).

But don’t label Collins! Or, at least, don’t let him label himself. During the convention last weekend, he polled the audience: “How many of you would consider yourselves introverts?” (Some hands raised.) “How many extraverts?” (Other hands raised.) “And how many bisexuals?” With a laugh, more hands go up. “I’m all three,” Collins says with a wave of his hand, a pretty funny joke, honestly, if he wasn’t a part of a fandom with more than 200,000 stories on fan-fiction site Archive of Our Own, 195,000 including his own character.

In light of events, Collins issued an apology, un-coming out as bisexual (though he is still both an introvert and an extrovert):

“I happen to be straight,” Collins specified, making it clear that this is out of his control, a network decision, and that with enough hard work, he could perhaps happen not to be straight?

Just kidding. It’s okay, Misha. We’ve all come out as bisexual on accident — as college sophomores, at overlong work happy hours, to our parents. It is fine not to be bisexual, maybe even better, as you will not have to come up against systematic oppression like “bi erasure” or “biphobia.” Better to stay true to yourself, true to who you love. To quote the great Tony Kushner in Angels in America: “Don’t be afraid; people are so afraid; don’t be afraid to live in the raw wind, naked, alone… Learn at least this: what you are capable of. Let nothing stand in your way.”