What is Niecy Nash’s sexuality?

When Niecy Nash married musician Jessica Betts in August 2020, she became a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. However, Nash prefers not to use specific labels to describe her sexuality. The way she sees it, she fell in love with someone who happened to be a woman. It happened organically in a way that was beyond her control. In fact, Nash’s relationship with her wife began as a friendship several years before their marriage.

The “Claws” star has been raving about Betts’ musical talents since 2016, when Betts shared a clip of Nash promoting her music on Instagram. “Jessica Betts is an artist who feeds your soul. Get involved with it. I love you, Jessica!” Nash said. Betts also made a guest appearance on “Claws” in 2018. Nash once again showed her appreciation for her talents and acknowledged their friendship. “When you’re allowed to hang out with your homegirl on set,” she shared in an Instagram video from Betts.

Their relationship turned romantic in 2019, the same year Nash announced her divorce from Jay Tucker. Previously, the “Reno 911” star had only had relationships with men – a point that came up when Nash came out to her children. “[My youngest daughter] was like, ‘Wait a minute, mom, are you the same mom who was like a girl, I’m really fat?'” she said on Red Table Talk in 2021. But Nash fell in love with Betts for reasons that went beyond her gender.

Niecy Nash understands why fans were surprised by her relationship with Jessica Betts. She was also surprised when she realized she had feelings for Betts while the two were eating crab in New Jersey in 2019. “I was nervous at dinner because I felt something,” she told Essence in 2021. They spent the night together, but Nash got cold feet the next day. “It [was] “It was a challenge for me to realize that I have feelings for a woman that I normally have for a man,” she said.

Nash eventually accepted that she was in love with a woman, but doesn’t believe the realization amounts to coming out. “A lot of people say, ‘Oh, you got out.’ And I say, “Well, where from?” “I had no way out,” she said on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” in 2021. In her view, the concept had the wrong connotation for her previous experiences. “I didn’t lead a sexually repressed life back then.” “I was married to men,” she said. “I just loved her when I loved her.” And now I love her.

That doesn’t mean Nash denies being a member of the LGBTQ+ community, an acronym she proudly states in her Instagram bio. In many ways, she’s still exploring this new side of her sexuality – and loving the journey. “I’m a grown woman, but living this part of my life is still very new,” she told USA Today in 2023.