Sarah Jane Nader on Dancing with the Stars: “What We Did Was Bigger Than Any Score”

Sarah Jane Nader’s time on Dancing with the Stars was all too brief. The openly bisexual reality TV star, whose friendship with dance partner Hailey Bills became a fixture of our feeds, was eliminated during the second night of the two-part season 35 premiere. As only the third same-sex celeb pro duo to compete on the long-running competition show, we all wanted to see more — and so did Nader.“I wish Hailey and I had more time in the ballroom, but the messages I’ve gotten from people who felt seen by us have been incredibly emotional,” the Love Thy Nader star tells Them. I went into this wanting to celebrate queerness — not explain it or apologize for it, just celebrate it. And we did exactly that.”Fortunately, Nader already has her next move lined up: a co-created collection with fashion retailer Express launching with a focus on workwear and “after-hours style.” Nader tells Them that after growing up shopping at Express in Louisiana, working on the collection felt “surreal.”“I loved watching my ideas become real — from sketches and samples to changing a hem, fit or color, then deciding how it would be styled, shot and who would represent it,” she says. “I got to touch every part of the process. I’ve spent years expressing myself through other people’s clothes. This time, I got to make my own vision a reality.”Below, Nader catches up with Them about her time on DWTS — and shares why she loves a woman in a tie.How did you feel when you got the call from Dancing with the Stars?I was completely shocked and so excited, but what made it feel especially meaningful was knowing I’d have the opportunity to be part of an all-female partnership. As a queer woman, getting to represent my community on a stage as big as Dancing with the Stars felt like such anhonor. It made the opportunity feel bigger than just being on the show or competing. I knew there was a chance for someone watching at home to see us and feel seen and celebrated.I’