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Niecy Nash Calls Marrying Wife Jessica Betts 'Going Into Myself'

Niecy Nash
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The Claws star says the announcement of her marriage to a woman wasn't simply a coming out. 

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Claws star Niecy Nash spread some joy last week when she surprised the world via her social media with the news of her marriage to singer Jessica Betts. Several media outlets referred to Nash's announcement as a "coming out" of sorts, but the actress refutes the characterization, calling it a "going into myself."

"I don't feel like my marriage is my coming out of anywhere, but rather a going into myself and being honest about who I love," Nash told People. "And I'm not limiting myself on what that love is supposed to look like."

"I was not suppressing my sexuality my whole life. I love who I love. At one point in my life, I married twice and I love those people. And today I love this person," Nash said. "I've done everything I wanted to do on my own terms and my own way. So my choice now in a partner has nothing to do with who I've always been. It's a matter of who I am in this moment."

Last week, The actress, who starred in Reno 911, Scream Queens, and recently, Mrs. America, wrote on Twitter and Instagram last week that she is "Mrs. Carol Denise Betts" with the hashtag "Love Wins," which was used widely on the day marriage equality became the law of the land in 2015.

Meanwhile, sharing their wedding photo on Instagram, Betts wrote, "I got a whole wife."

The women have known each other for several years. An older post on Betts's Instagram page features her playing guitar while Nash sings Betts's "Catch Me" on the set of Claws. In the caption for that post, Betts honored her friend by referring to her as "this woman of God."

"I loved her before I was in love with her because she is such a special human being," Nash told People. "But we began to see each other in a way we never had before. Sometimes you get so broken by love, you run from it. But I've learned that you should always hold space for magic because it can happen at any time."

Nash has continued the celebration of her wedding online since her initial announcement by sharing photos of the happy couple.

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Tracy E. Gilchrist

Tracy E. Gilchrist is the VP of Editorial and Special Projects at equalpride. A media veteran, she writes about the intersections of LGBTQ+ equality and pop culture. Previously, she was the editor-in-chief of The Advocate and the first feminism editor for the 55-year-old brand. In 2017, she launched the company's first podcast, The Advocates. She is an experienced broadcast interviewer, panel moderator, and public speaker who has delivered her talk, "Pandora's Box to Pose: Game-changing Visibility in Film and TV," at universities throughout the country.
Tracy E. Gilchrist is the VP of Editorial and Special Projects at equalpride. A media veteran, she writes about the intersections of LGBTQ+ equality and pop culture. Previously, she was the editor-in-chief of The Advocate and the first feminism editor for the 55-year-old brand. In 2017, she launched the company's first podcast, The Advocates. She is an experienced broadcast interviewer, panel moderator, and public speaker who has delivered her talk, "Pandora's Box to Pose: Game-changing Visibility in Film and TV," at universities throughout the country.