Amber Portwood came out as bisexual on last week’s episode of Teen Mom OG and has since taken criticism from some fans who accused her of choosing to come out on the show just so she’d have a storyline.
Amber– who admitted to having “been bisexual” earlier in her life and to even having an eight-month-long relationship with a woman when she was around 20 years old— took to Instagram Live over the weekend. However, instead of unleashing one of her infamous rants, the ‘Teen Mom OG’ star calmly addressed the claims that she was using her sexuality for a storyline and/or sympathy. She insisted that the confession was very real, and that she has had feelings for women since she was a kid.
“I just wanted to come on here and say thank you to everyone who has been supportive since the last show, even though there’s been just a little bit of hate that’s came my way,” Amber began, telling her followers it’s “still kind of scary to say [I’m bisexual] in front of people.”
“I’ve been dealing with being bisexual since I was 12, but not really acting on it until I was older, obviously,” Amber said. “Coming out at the age of 31 after so many years, it really took a lot…thank you guys for accepting me for who I am.”
“This wasn’t fake, guys,” Amber said. “It was not for the show.”
Amber mentioned that a lot of the ‘Teen Mom ‘ producers and crew did not know she was bisexual, despite her having worked with some of them for 13 years. On the show, Amber worried that her baby daddy Gary Shirley and their 12-year-old daughter Leah would be “embarrassed” about Amber coming out. Still, she decided she had to reveal her secret.
“I just felt it was time, because I’m always talking about being authentic and things like that,” she said on Instagram Live. “If I keep on saying that I’m honest and authentic and I don’t give you guys everything then I won’t feel that way.”
On the show, Amber told her producer that she had never planned to tell anyone about her relations with women, but she wanted to show her kids that there’s nothing wrong with being bisexual.
“Leah and [my son] James are actually a really, really big factor [in my coming out],” she said. “I don’t ever want them to think it’s bad, and I don’t want them to look at other people who are like this, like, bad. Who am I to hide forever, which is actually what I was planning on doing anyways. I was going to go to the grave with this.”
Anyway, this Instagram Live had a much more-positive vibe than Amber’s last one. As The Ashley previously reported, Amber took to Live on World Mental Health Day to rant at followers she felt were trolling her, bragging about how much money she makes and calling those who bully people ‘murderers,’ among other things. You can watch that rant here!
27 Responses
I wonder if she beats them too while all drugged out? Face like a pitbull and about as much brains, I would hope women can find other women that are infinitely more beautiful inside than this angry garbagecan.
Why don’t you try being a mom? No one cares about your sexuality ?Wish MTV would be done with her.
She’s attention seeking and is using this as a story line, since she isn’t parenting, why is she still on this show…. Bi Felica.
Out of all the things that Leah and James would be ashamed of, this doesn’t even make the top 1000.
Amber has always been out, but why is she talking about it like it was a big surprise. She made out with her cellie at her birthday party and that was like 8 years ago.
I hope that this is not just an attention grab…that hurts so many that truly fear coming out or being judged for the very way they were born!
As a mother of a transgender and queer child, I fully support anyone struggling with fear, judgement, homelessness, and worse for just trying to be who they were born to be.
Amber should just stop all the BS…find her real truth, then step away from the cameras and share her authentic self – whatever that may be – with those that actually matter! Her children deserve privacy and they deserve a chance to know who their mother really is. Trust & love will matter to her babies. Only this MAY save their relationship!
Lol lol. I’m sure the hate she gets is for being ridiculous. No one cares if you’re bisexual. Do you boo. People do care about your ridiculous IG rants, lack of self awareness (“I was there, I was self medicating, but there”), and domestic abuse. Stfu already, get your mail order degree, and hope you get swallowed by your couch.
Amber is “gay for pay.” She’s desperate for a storyline to keep those MTV checks rolling in. Completely failing her children is not enough of a storyline, apparently.
amber, biological mother of 2 might already be in a relationship with another woman or hoping some desperate woman take the bait, so she can be woke and blame the rest of the world for her failures, she sure spins this story with her coming out (pun intended) the heroine (pun intended), can’t she just fall asleep on her couch and snore as a story line, people might even find her endearing lol.
There are so many things you would not do if you truly were concerned about Leah feeling embarrassed.
Why would Leah and James hate you for being bisexual? Of all the reason to be ashamed of their egg donor/mother (and she certainly has given them a whole lot of reasons to be ashamed and not want to acknowledge Amber), her sexuality should not be a factor.
“I’ve been dealing with being bisexual since I was 12”? “I don’t want my kids to think people who do this are bad”? These are really bizarre statements. Sexuality is not shameful.
I really hope that some day Amber can develop some self-awareness and try to build an actual, healthy, loving, respectful relationship with each of her kids. I would expect there would need to be some serious acknowledgment and atonement for the hurtful things she has done over the years. Having watched the show from 16 & Pregnant all the way through, Amber, it’s clear as day that Leah’s issues with you have little to nothing to do with your decision to go to prison and EVERYTHING to do with your behavior since your release. You have picked men over Leah repeatedly, you have chosen not to be present in countless way (drugs, failing to work on your mental illnesses, canceling plans with Leah and just failing to show up), and worst of all……You speak HORRIBLY, publicly, about her true parents—Gary and Kristina.
Please stop blaming Gary for your lack of relationship with Leah. He isn’t “in her ear” trying to keep you apart. We consistently see Gary (and Saint Kristina) encourage Leah to engage with Amber. I truly believe the relationship between Amber and Leah will not improve until Amber takes MASSIVE steps to repair her relationship with Kristina. Sending a video message, or an Edible Arrangement, or buying Kristina a pony isn’t going to fix anything. Leah needs to see Amber acknowledge Kristina’s role in Leah’s life and truly fix the relationship with Kristina.
And for the love of cheese and crackers—please please please stop the IG Live sessions. Not a single good thing can/ever has come from these sessions. Just stop. Please. Please please please
If she doesn’t want Leah to ever think it’s bad she should have kept herself out of it!
Sure, Jan.
When I was 12 I was into playing with my EZ Bake Oven.
When I was 12, A Goofy Movie was LIFE ✊?
When I was 12 I had my first threesome.
stay lit
That soundtrack *chef kiss*
You were DEALING WITH playing with your EZ Bake Oven.
She might have been “dealing with” realizing she was bisexual at 12, but if she’s still “dealing with” it nearly 20 years later, it’s be better for her not to come out publicly until she’s DEALT WITh it and can speak without shame and negativity.
There must be something on it’s your sex life dot org that can point her in the direction of accepting her sexuality.
Ironic, really, that she seems incapable of feeling ashamed of the actually shameful things she’s been and she does publicly, but she speaks with such shame over “having been” freaking bisexual, which she “has been dealing with” for two decades.
Fuck her. Coming out publicly before one is ready, let alone DEALS WITH and displays so much internalized homo/biphobia, is helpful to no one.
“She wanted to show her kids that nothing was wrong with being bisexual.”
Who said there was in the first place?!
Amber, if you are finally stepping up to the plate to do some teaching of life lessons to your kids, I think you have a lot of nerve to be starting with this bullshit.
Start with the things that you’ve been through and have first hand knowledge of…
Drug use.
Domestic Abuse
Child Neglect
Internet Abuse
Machete Ridiculousness
Headscarf Debasement
Couch Mismanagement
C’mon Amber, You get all that time on that show, and what have you done on there the past few years? Seriously? You dont GO anywhere except Garys. You don’t change. There is no growth.
Not couch mismanagement! ?? I’m fucking dyyyyingg??
She definitely seems to have some internalized homophobia going on. Wants to prove “people who are like this” aren’t bad people; she’s been “dealing with” being bisexual since she was 12, wants to show her kids there’s nothing wrong with being bisexual, thinks everyone is going to be super “embarrassed” that she’s bisexual, etc. The way she’s wording all of this makes it seem like bisexuality is some embarrassing sexual transmitted disease she has, or has had in the past (“I’ve been bisexual”), and that this is a big scary confession that is going to rock the world of everyone who hears it.
It’s also funny that she says she’s been getting “hate” about being bisexual, when I’m pretty sure most of the people giving negative feedback aren’t saying it’s wrong to be bisexual, they’re just questioning why she chose to share it now, on tv, and are criticizing how she’s going about sharing it: in this trolling for sympathy and comfort sort of way. Everyone, including her own daughter and Gary and Kristina, were currently pissed at her for her bad behavior and rants, her video to Leah didn’t achieve the result she wanted it to, so now she’s coming out in this “boo hoo, I think everyone is going to be so embarrassed and mad about my sexuality” way so that she can get a bunch of reassurance from them that they’re actually fine with her being bisexual, it’s totally normal, no one is mad at her, and she’s so brave for finally “speaking her truth.”
She’s manipulative. This is a manipulative tactic to get her family to come out publicly and reassure the world that they love Amber because she’s framed it in such a screwed up way that makes everyone look like they’re homophobic and are going to be mad that she’s bisexual. So now, if they don’t want to look homophobic, they’re going to have to come out and talk about how she’s so brave and how much they still love her and accept her.
Headscarf debasement ???
Struggle-buns…
??????
Couch management.
GOOD ONE!!!!
Amber did this for her upcoming book and 100% for the show, IMO. Her being bisexual is not an issue. Her being a domestic abuser and shitty mother are the issue. She doesn’t care that Leah is embarrassed by Amber calling the only mother she has ever known, Kristina a “home wrecking whore” among other vile things are her IG lives.
Definitely! It reminds me of those Steve Wilkos lie detector shows, where someone would admit to a lesser indiscretion in the hope that it will either negate the need for a polygraph, or throw people off the scent, only to be outed for doing much worse. It seems a common tactic among those with shame. Like diversion.
So did Amber decide to come out like this because men have worked her out and she’s having trouble picking up online dates? Orrrrr…..