TL;DR
- Frankie Grande shares his journey to self-acceptance in his memoir Supergay.
- He draws parallels between superheroes and LGBTQ identities.
- Grande discusses his glam rock influences, particularly David Bowie.
- His experiences highlight the struggle of hiding one’s true self.
- The memoir is a celebration of authenticity and flamboyance.
How Superman inspired Frankie Grande to be Supergay! In this exclusive excerpt from his new memoir, Supergay!, Frankie Grande, the star of Titanique and Big Brother, takes us on a fabulous journey of self-discovery. He traces his evolution from hiding parts of himself, much like Clark Kent, to embracing every colorful side of who he truly is.
From Broadway to beauty routines and Bowie-inspired glam, Frankie is ready to spill the tea. In Supergay!, he revisits the many versions of himself he tried on over the years—from frat brother to Broadway performer to the unapologetically flamboyant star we all adore today. And honey, he uses superheroes and secret identities to explain how he got there.
My Secret Identity: How to Just Be Really Fucking Gay
To be your best superhero, you must have an alter ego to hide behind so people can’t figure out who you are. Think Bruce Wayne, Peter Parker, King T’Challa, and the rest of the gang. Clark Kent isn’t gay (that we know of), but his secret identity is about as well-hidden as a flaming homo. Seriously, all he does is restyle his hair and throw on grandpa glasses, and nobody has a clue who he is? Please. We all know that Clark Kent is just a disguise for Superman!
This Clark Kent phenomenon happens to gay people a lot. Even if you’re obviously gay, people just pretend you’re straight because they don’t want to be rude by assuming you’re gay (but guess what, it’s not an insult!). Or they might not want to out you, or they simply don’t give a flying f**k. Or maybe they’re just super religious and praying the gay away in their heads. Sound familiar?
Grande points out that many in the LGBTQ+ community can relate to the idea of secret identities. Many of us have spent substantial parts of our lives hiding behind fake personas just to get by or, in some cases, to stay safe. It’s a struggle to figure out who we truly are when we’re not allowed to be our authentic selves.
Reflecting on his own journey, Frankie admits, “I wasn’t that flamboyant in my younger years. I was being myself, but it was the only me that I knew how to be.” He recalls being inspired by David Bowie’s glam rock persona at a young age, watching Labyrinth on repeat. “What the f**k is that?!” he thought, captivated by Bowie’s boldness.
As he grew older, Frankie began to explore his identity more fully. “I didn’t know there was such a thing as gender expression or gender identity when I was young,” he shares. Once he discovered he could be a “flaming faggot,” he embraced it wholeheartedly. “It wasn’t a fast or seamless transition,” he admits, but it was a necessary one.
His journey took a turn in college and exploded on Broadway. With the help of his best friend’s husband, a renowned makeup artist, Frankie learned how transformative makeup could be. “I became obsessed with the way my long, beautiful lashes look coated in Chanel mascara,” he reveals. “I think it’s so beautiful that I represent both sexes in my face.”
Makeup became a form of self-expression for Frankie, a way to communicate his identity. He emphasizes, “Makeup is performative, makeup is expression. Makeup makes me feel confident. Strong. Fierce.” After his time on Big Brother, he realized he had toned it down too much and decided to fully embrace his glam side. “I wore it every day,” he says, and the rest is history.
Frankie Grande’s Supergay! is not just a memoir; it’s a celebration of authenticity, flamboyance, and the journey of embracing who you truly are. So, if you’re ready to dive into a world of glitter, glam, and self-acceptance, grab your copy today and join Frankie on this fabulous adventure!
Continue Frankie Grande’s story in Supergay!, available now from Sourcebooks and wherever books are sold. Excerpted from Supergay! by Frankie Grande, run with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks, ©Frankie Grande 2026.