Kate Moennig, who'll reprise her role as Shane McCutcheon on the upcoming The L Word sequel, says the original show helped her discover her identity.

The L Word ran for six seasons (2004-2009) on Showtime. The premium cable channel will debut the show's sequel, The L Word: Generation Q, on December 8.

(Related: First look: Showtime releases trailer for lesbian drama The L Word: Generation Q.)

In an interview for the podcast RuPaul: What's The Tee with Michelle Visage, Moennig talked about her sexuality.

“Did you always know you were a lesbian?” asked RuPaul, who co-hosts the podcast with Michelle Visage.

“Well, I grew up Catholic and I went to Catholic school for 13 years so I wasn’t really in an environment to explore that, especially at that time in the ‘80s and the ‘90s,” Moennig answered. “Now I believe if I was in high school now I would see it more. Back then you didn’t. That shit did not exist.”

“Oddly enough, when I got The L Word, that's where my wheels started turning.”

Moennig said she dated men and “appreciated their beauty” but wondered why she just didn't care.

“I didn't know what that was. I didn't have the vocabulary for it yet,” she said.

“[The L Word] was the first time I was in an environment when it was so welcomed and discussed. Everyone was open and proud and confident. I'd never seen that before,” she said.

Moennig added that her recent marriage to wife Anna was something that “happened organically.”

“I never really cared about getting married, to be honest,” Moennig said. “It never was important. It just happened organically. If I was to get married, it would be this one because it just makes sense. And it feels safe and it feels like I'm at home.”