‘I thought about ending my life’: Cara Delevingne says documentary Planet Sex changed her after bisexual and gender fluid model’s internalized homophobia led her to commit suicide
- Cara Delevingne says making her documentary Planet Sex has changed her life after coping with her sexuality
- The model, 30, who is gender fluid and bisexual, says she is more comfortable with herself than ever after battling internalized homophobia and crippling self-shame
- Actress Cara, who has been in relationships with women for longer than men, hopes the film will help others suffering from similar experiences
- On her sexuality, she said: ‘I couldn’t talk to anyone about it. I had a lot of homophobia and shame… I thought about ending my life’
- For confidential 24/7 support in the UK, call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details
Cara Delevingne says the making of her documentary Planet Sex has changed her life after she became suicidal over her sexuality.
The model, 30, who is gender fluid and bisexual, insists she is more comfortable with herself than ever after battling internalized homophobia and crippling self-shame.
Actress Cara, who has had relationships with women for longer than men, hopes the film will help others who suffer from similar experiences.
Life-changing: Cara Delevingne, 30, says her documentary Planet Sex has changed her life after coming to terms with her sexuality
She told the Mirror: ‘It has changed my life a lot. Now I am happier than ever. I feel really, really proud of what we have created.
On her sexuality, she said: ‘I couldn’t talk to anyone about it. I had a lot of internalized homosexuality and shame. I thought I was abnormal.
‘I thought about ending my life, as I did many times, and I’m so glad I didn’t because if I can help another child that means the world to me. It meant the world to the quirky little kid that I was. Or I am.’
Difficulties: The model, who is gender fluid and bisexual, says she’s more comfortable than ever after battling internalized homophobia and crippling self-shame
Cara rose to fame after signing to modeling agency Storm as a teenager and has starred in several films including Suicide Squad and Paper Towns.
The star’s documentary is about desire and attraction and she said it ‘made me want to stand up for something I believe in’. It’s time to stop hiding.’
Cara admits she’s never been to Pride before and says most of her friends identify as straight, but making the documentary has made her feel more connected to the LGBTQ+ community: ‘I have a lot to do now. Have more queer friends,’ he said.
On screen: Kara is seen sticking out her tongue while visiting a temple in Tokyo with Japanese LGBTQ+ advocate Kodo Nishimura, a Buddhist monk and makeup artist.
While filming the programme, the supermodel gave researchers a sample of her blood before and after experiencing an orgasm so they could study its effects on her body chemistry.
She agreed to the research as part of an investigation into the ‘gender climax gap’, a term used to describe why men are more likely to orgasm during sex than women.
Speaking outside a hospital in Germany, Cara told viewers of her new six-part series: ‘I’m here to have an orgasm and donate it to science.
Searching: Cara tours the world to explore her sexuality in Planet Sex, the £10million show coming to BBC Three
‘I think the female sexual desire is definitely suppressed. I know from my own love life how sexual women can be, so you would think that men and women should have equally satisfying sex lives in the 21st century, right?
‘Okay, get ready for a shock. There is a definite gender difference when it comes to orgasm.
‘Scientists say that 95 percent of straight men orgasm during intercourse, but only 65 percent of straight women do so.
TEST: Cara takes part in research to find out more about the ‘gender climax gap’, a term used to describe why men are more likely to climax during sex than women
‘To be honest I think it sounds like a lot, most of my straight female friends say it’s probably 15 or 20 percent more.
‘Lesbian and queer women definitely like it better.’
The experiment measured the levels of endocannabinoids in her system before and after intercourse.
Similar to the active molecule in cannabis, the chemical reduces anxiety, increases euphoria and enhances the pleasurable response to sex.
Planet Sex with Cara Delevingne is on BBC3 this Thursday at 10pm.
For confidential 24/7 support in the UK, call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.
Prosper: Cara says documentary made her feel more connected to LGBTQ+ community: ‘I have a lot more queer friends now’
