Almost a year after being found in a Miami hotel with an alleged male sex worker and inebriated, the former mayor of Tallahassee and Florida Governor candidate, Andrew Gillum, and his wife R. Jai Gillum sat down with @gq Magazine to speak about how their marriage survived the well-publicized situation.
During the conversation, R. Jai revealed that she knew about Andrews’s sexual orientation before they were married.
After Andrew opened up to her about his sexual attraction, she admitted to having a lot of questions. “I had a lot of questions, some of which he could answer, some of which he couldn’t,” she said. “But I guess maybe it was that confidence in me really believing what he had to say about me and us [that] made it better.… It made me want to at least say, ‘Okay, let’s see. Let’s figure this thing out.’ ”
The mother of three also stated, “What mainly concerned me, it was for me: What does this mean for our relationship? How does this work?” she said. When he made it clear that it didn’t mean he wanted to be with anyone else, they moved on. “Once we got past all that, nothing has changed [from] the Andrew that I’ve dated on and off for about six years, Andrew that I’ve known as a friend for even longer,” she said of her thinking at the time. “So now I’m like, ‘We’re just a couple dealing with the same things that other people deal with.’ There is nothing different.”
Andrew also revealed that prior to running for governor, he wanted to share he was bisexual but was advised not to do so.
“I had a political adviser whom I’d spoken to who was not just ‘No,’ but like, ‘Hell no!’ And Jai said no too,” he recalled.
As for his wife, R. Jai admitted that she worried it would bring more scrutiny to Gillum.“A political person has his share of admirers, whether he’s married or not,” she expressed. “It’s like, well, in addition to having women who are sometimes disrespectful, you now also have men?”
R. Jai also stated, “I think that the pandemic probably saved our marriage.”
Good to see they were able to work through that time.
Medical Disclaimer:
The information provided in these blog posts is intended for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. The use of any information provided in these blog posts is solely at your own risk. The authors and the website do not recommend or endorse any specific products, treatments, or procedures mentioned. Reliance on any information in these blog posts is solely at your own discretion.
