"This past July, I went on vacation with a female friend; the next thing I knew, I was in love with her," Carter began. "It wasn’t quite that simple, of course. But it also wasn’t very complicated, either."
"Until that trip, it had never crossed my mind that I was even capable of loving a woman the way I loved her," she continued. "But after reflecting on my romantic history, I realized that I’ve never really had a ‘type.'"
Kaitlynn goes on to explain how the trip was supposed to help she and Miley move on from their failed marriages with Liam Hemsworth and Brody Jenner, but she ended up falling for her friend, an experience she calls a 'first' time.
"As my friend and I spent that August traveling through Europe together and trying to move past our respective break-ups, my first and only romance with a woman was born."
Kaitlynn then admits that she may have always seen Miley as more than just a friend.
"Reflecting back on our three-year friendship, I realized I’d always been drawn to her in a way I wasn’t with other friends.
"But until that trip, it had never crossed my mind to think of her in a romantic sense."
After almost 2 months of dating, Miley moved on super quickly with Cody Simpson, something that caused people to dub Kaitlynn a 'rebound'.
"Although the relationship with my friend was often referenced in the media as merely a ‘summer fling’ or a ‘same-sex affair,’ it was so much more than that," she wrote.
"This was a profound journey of self-discovery. For the first time, I listened to myself, forgot about the ‘norm’, and lived."
Kaitlynn also reflected on her sexuality in her powerful essay, saying she has no desire to "put a label" on it.
"I still don’t feel like I’m in a place to label my sexuality one way or another, but I’m okay with that, it’s something I’m still exploring and figuring out."
"It’s been interesting to watch friends and strangers alike assume I’ll automatically revert to being attracted to men, as if they’re more familiar with my sexuality than I am," she added.
"Even I don’t entirely understand what my experience this summer means for me going forward — and it’s my experience."
This is an important piece, and we love it.
