In a post urging fans to attend a Black Lives Matter solidarity protest organized by the LGBTQ community, “Riverdale” star Lili Reinhart has come out as a “proud bisexual woman.”
Rallying her nearly 25 million followers to join her at a peaceful demonstration in West Hollywood, California, the 23-year-old actor posted to Instagram Stories on Wednesday, to stand against racial injustice and police brutality.
“Although I’ve never announced it publicly before, I am a proud bisexual woman,” Reinhart wrote under information about the rally. “And I will be joining this protest today. Come join.”
Later in the day, the “Hustlers” star shared videos from the demonstration.
Reinhart has been speaking out on social media to part information about anti-racism protests and to request justice for George Floyd, a Minneapolis man who died after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes, as well as others who have died in police custody.
“I want to say that I am ashamed of the racism that exists in this country. We are taught to look at our police officers as helpful and friendly when we learn about ‘leaders’ in elementary school. Our ‘leaders’ have failed us today,” she tweeted Monday. “I can’t begin to imagine the horror of worrying that you won’t be protected by your ‘leaders’ because of the color of your skin. I know that white privilege exists and I could never fully understand what it’s like to be oppressed because of my race. I don’t have all the right words, but I stand by you. #BlackLivesMatter.”
Reinhart also used her platform earlier this week to open up a dialogue about Black activism with Kenidra R. Woods, a 19-year-old activist and mental health advocate.
Reinhart was most recently romantically linked to co-star Cole Sprouse, with whom she’s had an on-again, off-again relationship for nearly three years.
Neither star has spoken publicly about splitting, but reports claim they went their separate ways earlier this year. The actors “have been quarantining separately,” an unnamed source told Page Six about the breakup, adding that they “remain good friends.”
Sprouse was arrested with other peaceful protesters during a rally against police brutality in Santa Monica, California, on Sunday.
The Disney Channel alum said he was zip-tied by police and detained, but made it clear in an Instagram post that attention shouldn’t be focused on him.
“Black Lives Matter,” Sprouse wrote. “Peace, riots, looting, are an absolutely legitimate form of protest.”
“It needs to be stated that as a straight white man, and a public figure, the institutional consequences of my detainment are nothing in comparison to others within the movement,” he added. “This is ABSOLUTELY not a narrative about me, and I hope the media doesn’t make it such.”
