A mother-of-two who organized a threesome for her husband's birthday said the experience made her realize that she was a lesbian.
Theresa Rose, 36, from Portland, Oregon - who likes to go by her middle name, Rose - said she was always unhappy in her marriage but she couldn't quite understand why.
It wasn't until 2020 when she decided to surprise her husband with a new sexual adventure that involved her and another woman that she discovered what she was missing.
The threesome ultimately backfired as just a few weeks later, Rose left her partner and filed for divorce. Three weeks later, she began dating a woman named Jacqui Mettle.
Speaking to The New York Post, Rose shared that she realized how different her relationship was with her husband, compared to the instant "connection" she felt with the woman.
"After being with that woman, I said to myself, 'This is why I’ve been so unhappy in my marriage,'" Rose said. "My relationship with my husband, emotionally, felt so shallow and lonely compared to my connection with the woman."
"Experiencing that intimate interaction with a woman for the first time, the physical and emotional depth was [so intense], I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is what’s been missing,'" she added.
Rose was raised in a very Catholic family in Orange County, California, and told the publication that from a young age, she was taught that "all gays go to hell."
Her strict upbringing forced her to downplay her crushes towards women like singer P!nk and actresses Megan Fox, Carmen Electra, and Jessica Alba as innocent affection until she couldn't deny her true feelings any longer.
According to sexual fluidity researcher Lisa Diamond, Rose's postponed awakening to her same-sex preference is not unusual, stating: "Many women have a broader capacity for diverse forms of sexual desire - for multiple partners, for same-gender partners, etc. - than they might be aware."
The researcher added that societal pressures on women to conform to a more traditional lifestyle play a massive part: "As women, we are raised to assume that we are heterosexual, and [are taught to] focus on finding the right male partner."
The mom-of-two shared that her ex-husband - who has not been named for privacy reasons - was not supportive when she told him about her realization.
Rose claimed that he "got really nasty" and exposed her sexuality to her "very conservative" parents, as well as their mutual friends and Bible study group. This led her down a very dark path, as purchased a gun and almost contemplated suicide.
However, in the midst of all the horror, Rose met Jacqui - a woman she credits with saving her life. They’ve been going strong for over a year and moved from California to Oregon to raise Rose's six and eight years old sons together.
In addition to this, Rose no longer speaks to either of her parents - who have removed her from their will - and now identifies as an atheist.
She now lives happily with her children and partner and set up a TikTok page under the handle @Raising2Activists - which is not currently available on the social media platform.
Per the outlet, Rose said she uses her social media to give support and encouragement to late-in-life or "late-blooming" lesbians, urging them to "live authentically".