Meet the 16 out gay and bi players NFL history - Outsports

Contents:

• COLTON UNRWOOD, ‘BACHELOR’ STAR, COM OUT AS GAY
• FORMER 'BACHELOR' STAR AND NFL PLAYER COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY ON 'GOOD MORNG AMERI,' SAYS HE'S 'THE HAPPIT AND HEALTHIT' HE'S EVER BEEN
• FORMER BACHELOR COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY
• COLTON UNRWOOD'S FORMER LLEGE FOOTBALL ACH, TEAMMAT AFTER HE ME OUT PUBLICLY AS GAY: 'TOOK AMAZG URAGE'
• FORMER "BACHELOR" STAR COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY
• COLTON UNRWOOD, FORMER 'BACHELOR' STAR, OUT AS GAY
• FORMER WASHGTON FOOTBALL PLAYER, 'BACHELOR' STAR COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY
• FORMER ‘BACHELOR’ STAR REVEALS HE’S GAY
• 'THE BACHELOR' STAR COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY
• COLTON UNRWOOD, THE FIRST GAY ‘BACHELOR,’ CONONTS HIS CONTROVERSIAL COMG OUT
• MEET THE 16 OUT GAY AND BI FOOTBALL PLAYERS THE NFL’S 103-YEAR HISTORY
• SHOP SKILLETS, UTENSILS AND MORE OKWARE!OPEN MENUVIOSHOPCULTUREFAYWELLNSFOODLIVGSTYLETRAVELNEWSBOOK CLUBGMA3: WYNTKNEWSLETTERPRIVACY POLICYYOUR US STATE PRIVACY RIGHTSCHILDREN'S ONLE PRIVACY POLICYINTERT-BASED ADSTERMS OF USEDO NOT SELL MY INFOCONTACT USCOPYRIGHT © 2023 ABC NEWS INTER VENTUR. ALL RIGHTS RERVED.SEARCHCULTUREFORMER 'BACHELOR' STAR COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY13:36FORMER 'BACHELOR' COLTON UNRWOOD SPEAKS HIS TTH AND OUT AS BYCARSON BLACKWELR VIO BYJA ANRSON AND DANIELLE GEAPRIL 14, 2021, 7:33 AM•8 M READCOLTON UNRWOOD IS READY TO LIVE HIS TTH.THE FORMER "BACHELOR" STAR ME OUT AS GAY AN EXCLIVE TERVIEW WH ROB ROBERTS ON "GOOD MORNG AMERI" ON WEDNDAY."I'VE RAN OM MYSELF FOR A LONG TIME. I'VE HATED MYSELF FOR A LONG TIME," UNRWOOD TOLD ROBERTS A PRE-TAPED CHAT. "AND I'M GAY. AND I ME TO TERMS WH THAT EARLIER THIS YEAR AND HAVE BEEN PROCSG . AND THE NEXT STEP ALL OF THIS WAS SORT OF LETTG PEOPLE KNOW."MORE: COLTON UNRWOOD SETS 'EPLY PERSONAL' TERVIEW ON 'GMA' WH ROB ROBERTS"I'M STILL NERVO, BUT YEAH," HE NTUED. "IT'S BEEN A JOURNEY FOR SURE."ABC'S ROB ROBERTS WH COLTON UNRWOOD, THE LEAD OF THE 23RD SEASON OF "THE BACHELOR," DURG AN TERVIEW APRIL 2021.ABCUNRWOOD SAID HE FALLY GOT TO A PLACE WHERE HE ULD BE HONT WH HIMSELF AFTER 2020, THE YEAR THAT TURNED EVERYONE'S LIV UPSI DOWN, AND MA PEOPLE "LOOK AT THEMSELV THE MIRROR AND FIGURE OUT WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY'VE BEEN NNG OM OR WHAT THEY'VE BEEN PUTTG OFF THEIR LIV."WHEN ROBERTS, WHO IS ALSO OPENLY GAY, SAID SHE ULD "SEE THE JOY" AND "SEE THE RELIEF" UNRWOOD, HE SAID HE WAS "EMOTNAL , LIKE SUCH A GOOD, HAPPY, POSIVE WAY," AND IS "THE HAPPIT AND HEALTHIT" HE'S EVER BEEN.UNRWOOD SAID HE WENT THROUGH A "DARK AND BAD" TIME BEFORE FEELG LIKE HE ULD REVEAL THIS ABOUT HIMSELF AND HIS "WAKE UP LL" WAS FEELG LIKE HE "WOULD'VE RATHER DIED" THAN SAY HE'S GAY."THERE WAS A MOMENT L.A. THAT I WOKE UP AND I DIDN'T THK I WAS GONNA WAKE UP. I DIDN'T HAVE THE TENTNS OF WAKG UP. AND I DID," HE RELLED, NOTG THIS MOMENT -- AND OTHER "SUICIDAL THOUGHTS" -- LED HIM TO "TAKE BACK NTROL" OF HIS LIFE.WHEN ROBERTS ASKED ABOUT THE WOMEN OM HIS "BACHELOR" SEASON AND HOW THEY -- AMONG OTHERS -- MAY FEEL MISLED, UNRWOOD SAID HE "WOULD UNRSTAND WHY THEY THK THAT WAY.""I'VE THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT THIS TOO, OF, 'DO I REGRET BEG THE BACHELOR AND DO I REGRET HANDLG THE WAY THAT I DID?' I DO," HE SAID. "I DO THK I ULD'VE HANDLED BETTER, I'LL SAY THAT."UNRWOOD SAID HE "GENUELY" WISH HE HADN'T DRAGGED PEOPLE TO "MY OWN MS OF FIGURG OUT WHO I WAS." IN ADDN TO SAYG SORRY TO THOSE WOMEN, HE WOULD SAID THANK YOU BEE, ULTIMATELY, THEY AND THE ANCHISE HELPED HIM GET TO THIS PLACE.MORE: MATT JAM REFLECTS ON 'BACHELOR' SEASON, RACHAEL KIRKNNELL NTROVERSYWHEN HE WAS NAMED THE BACHELOR, UNRWOOD SAID HE REMEMBERED "PRAYG TO GOD" THE MORNG HE FOUND OUT AND "THANKG HIM FOR MAKG ME STRAIGHT,' THKG THIS WOULD LEAD TO HIM FALLY GETTG THE WIFE AND THEM HAVG KIDS.COLTON UNRWOOD AS "THE BACHELOR," FOR SEASON 23, 2019.CRAIG SJOD/ABCBUT UNRWOOD SAID HE HAD KNOWN THE TTH OF HIS SEXUALY SCE A YOUNG AGE, KNOWG HE "JT FELT DIFFERENT" OM THE AGE OF 6, WHEN HE ULDN'T PROCS . HE KNEW HE WAS "MORE EMOTNAL" THAN THE OTHER BOYS HIS CLASS. IT TOOK UNTIL HIGH SCHOOL FOR HIM TO REALIZE HE "WAS MORE ATTRACTED TO THE BOYS AND THE MEN" THAN HE WAS THE OPPOSE SEX.HAVG GROWN UP THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, HE REMEMBERED HE "LEARNED THE BIBLE THAT GAY IS A S" CATHOLIC GRA SCHOOL. AND DURG HIS TIME SPORTS, HE REMEMBERED PEOPLE G THE WORD "GAY" AS A TERM THAT HELD "A NNOTATN OF NEGATIVY.""I THK THERE'S A LOT OF THGS, WHEN I LOOK BACK, I'M LIKE, 'NO WONR I HELD ,'" HE SAID.UNRWOOD SAID HE HAS GROWN "CLOSER TO GOD" THIS REVELATN AND SAID HE KNOWS SOME PEOPLE WILL QUTN HOW THAT'S EVEN POSSIBLE FOR A GAY MAN TO SAY."I ED TO WAKE UP THE MORNG AND PRAY FOR HIM TO TAKE THE GAY AWAY. I ED TO PRAY FOR HIM TO CHANGE ME," HE SAID, ADDG THAT HIS RELATNSHIP WH GOD NOW ISN'T "NDNAL."UNRWOOD SAID HE'S HAD "A RANGE OF RPONS" TO HIS G OUT AND THE "UNRLYG, MOST MON ONE" HAS BEEN THEY WISH HE'D TOLD THEM SOONER, CLUDG HIS DAD."AND WHEN I HEAR THAT, I WISH I WOULD HAVE HAD FAH MY IENDS AND MY FAY A LTLE B MORE," HE SAID. "THE ONLY REASON I'M STG DOWN WH YOU TODAY IS BEE I HAVE THE LOVE AND THE SUPPORT OF MY IENDS AND MY FAY."MORE: KATIE THURSTON AND MICHELLE YOUNG EACH GIVEN THEIR OWN SEASONS OF 'THE BACHELORETTE'UNRWOOD SAID HE STILL HASN'T HAD AN "EMOTNAL NNECTN" WH SOMEONE OF THE SAME SEX, BUT HE IS LOOKG FORWARD TO FDG A PARTNER."I'VE NEVER ALLOWED MYSELF TO," HE NTUED. "AND IT'S NEVER BEEN SORT OF MY RDS TO LET MYSELF GET THERE, AND I WANT TO MORE THAN ANYTHG. I'M LOOKG FOR SOMEONE WHO N PH ME AND CHALLENGE ME ALL THE GREAT WAYS."WHEN ROBERTS ASKED IF HE HAD ANY ADVICE FOR SOMEONE STGGLG TO E OUT, UNRWOOD SAID HE STILL HAS A LONG WAY TO GO AND IS STILL LEARNG."BUT IF I HAD TO GO BACK AND GIVE ANYBODY ADVICE, I MEAN, YOU'RE GONNA GET THROUGH IS WHAT I WOULD TELL MYSELF. KEEP FIGHTG FOR YOU. KEEP CHOOSG YOU EVERY MORNG. AND WHEN THE TIME'S READY OR WHEN THE TIME'S RIGHT AND YOU'RE READY, DO ON YOUR OWN TIME."ABC'S ROB ROBERTS WH COLTON UNRWOOD, THE LEAD OF THE 23RD SEASON OF "THE BACHELOR," DURG AN TERVIEW APRIL 2021.ABC13:36UNRWOOD, WHO GAVE HIS FAL ROSE TO CASSIE RANDOLPH 2019, SAYS HE “ME TO TERMS” WH HIS SEXUALY EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND IS THE “HAPPIT AND HEALTHIT” HE’S EVER BEEN.BACHELOR NATN WAS FIRST TRODUCED TO UNRWOOD WHEN HE WAS A NTTANT ON BEC KU'S SEASON OF "THE BACHELORETTE," THE 14TH SEASON, 2018. HE MA TO KU'S FAL FOUR.THE FORMER FOOTBALL STAR FOLLOWED THIS UP WH A BRIEF STT ON SEASON 4 OF "BACHELOR PARADISE," ON WHICH HE HAD A FLG WH TIA BOOTH.UNRWOOD WAS THEN THE LEAD OF SEASON 23 OF "THE BACHELOR" 2019, WH HIS VIRGY BEG A EQUENT TOPIC OF NVERSATN AND HIS FAMO FENCE-JUMPG MOMENT BEG ONE OF THE ANCHISE'S MOST DRAMATIC MOMENTS. HE GAVE HIS FAL ROSE TO NTTANT CASSIE RANDOLPH BUT ULTIMATELY CHOSE TO NOT PROPOSE TO HER, THOUGH THEY LATER TOLD "GMA" THEY HAD DISCSED AN ENGAGEMENT.MORE: CHRIS HARRISON WON'T HOST NEXT SEASON OF 'THE BACHELORETTE'THE TWO DATED AFTER THE SHOW WRAPPED UNTIL ANNOUNCG THEIR BREAKUP EARLY 2020. THEY LATER MA HEADL WHEN RANDOLPH WAS GRANTED A RTRAG ORR AGAST UNRWOOD, ACCG HIM OF STALKG AND HARASSG HER. IN A POLICE REPORT, SHE ACCED HIM OF PUTTG A TRACKG VICE ON HER R. UNRWOOD LATER RELEASED A STATEMENT EXPLAG THAT HE AND RANDOLPH HAD ROLVED THEIR ISSU PRIVATE. SHE LATER DISMISSED THE RTRAG ORR AND REQUTED THE POLICE VTIGATN BE DROPPED.IN HIS TERVIEW WH ROBERTS, UNRWOOD APOLOGIZED SPECIFILLY TO RANDOLPH FOR "ANY PA AND EMOTNAL STRS" HE ED HER AND SAID HE WISH HADN'T HAPPENED THE WAY DID."I WISH THAT I WOULD'VE BEEN URAGEO ENOUGH TO FIX MYSELF BEFORE I BROKE ANYBODY ELSE," HE SAID.HE SAID HE "LOVED EVERYTHG" ABOUT RANDOLPH, WHICH "ONLY MA HARR AND MORE NFG" FOR HIM AS HE WAS EXPERIENCG HIS OWN "TERNAL FIGHT."PRR TO HIS TIME ON REALY TV, UNRWOOD FAMOLY DATED OLYMPIC GYMNAST ALY RAISMAN. HE WROTE ABOUT THEIR RELATNSHIP -- AND MUCH MORE -- HIS 2020 BOOK, "THE FIRST TIME: FDG MYSELF AND LOOKG FOR LOVE ON REALY TV."THE DAYS, UNRWOOD IS JT "PROUD" OF HOW FAR HE HAS E."I'M STILL THE SAME COLTON EVERYBODY MET ON TV. I'M STILL THE SAME COLTON TO MY IENDS AND MY FAY, I JT HAPPEN TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WH PEOPLE NOW ALL OF ME," HE SAID. "AND I AM PROUD OF THAT, YOU KNOW? I AM PROUD TO BE GAY."IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS HELP OR SUPPORT, NTACT THE TREVOR PROJECT'S TREVORLIFELE 24/7 AT 1-866-488-7386. COUNSELG IS ALSO AVAILABLE 24/7 VIA CHAT AT , OR BY TEXTG 678-678.RELATED TOPICSTHE BACHELORUP NEXT CULTURE—TIM MCGRAW ATTENDS ACM HONORS WH WIFE FAH HILL, DGHTERS AUDREY, MAGGIE: SEE THE PHOTOSAUGT 24, 2023LADY GAGA SHAR PHOTOS OM REHEARSAL AHEAD OF LAS VEGAS RINCYAUGT 24, 2023KIM CATTRALL MAK MEO ON 'AND JT LIKE THAT...' SEASON 2 FALE: ALL THE TAILSAUGT 24, 2023ED SHEERAN ANNOUNC NEW ALBUM 'AUTUMN VARIATNS,' OUT SEPT. 29AUGT 24, 2023UP NEXT CULTURE—TIM MCGRAW ATTENDS ACM HONORS WH WIFE FAH HILL, DGHTERS AUDREY, MAGGIE: SEE THE PHOTOSAUGT 24, 2023LADY GAGA SHAR PHOTOS OM REHEARSAL AHEAD OF LAS VEGAS RINCYAUGT 24, 2023KIM CATTRALL MAK MEO ON 'AND JT LIKE THAT...' SEASON 2 FALE: ALL THE TAILSAUGT 24, 2023ED SHEERAN ANNOUNC NEW ALBUM 'AUTUMN VARIATNS,' OUT SEPT. 29AUGT 24, 2023
• COLTON UNRWOOD, FORMER NFL PROSPECT AND BACHELOR, NOW SAYS HE IS GAY AFTER SAYG LAST YEAR HE WASN’T
• COLTON UNRWOOD REGRETS NOT COMG OUT AFTER SEEG MICHAEL SAM BEE FIRST OPENLY GAY NFL PLAYER
• THERE ARE 7 OPENLY GAY OR BI LLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYERS THIS SEASON

COLTON UNRWOOD, ‘BACHELOR’ STAR, COM OUT AS GAY

AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTThe 29-year-old former football player had wrten about qutng his sexualy a memoir, published Shotwell/Invisn, via Richard Shotwell, via Invisn, via Associated PrsColton Unrwood, a star of “The Bachelor” and a former football player, me out as gay an terview wh Rob Roberts that aired Wednday on “Good Morng Ameri. “‘You know, Colt, we’d still love you and support you if you were gay, ’” he relled his mother tellg father was more nontatnal. “He’d pulled up the history of recent Google search, which clud gay porn s and a variety of qutns: ‘Am I gay?

No NFL player has played a regular-season game while publicly out as gay or bisexual, and only six former players have e out Unrwood appeared 3 stallments of the 'Bachelor' anchiseUnrwood, who is 29, appeared "The Bachelorette" and "Bachelor Paradise" 2018 before he beme the lead of the 23rd "Bachelor" season the followg year.

FORMER 'BACHELOR' STAR AND NFL PLAYER COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY ON 'GOOD MORNG AMERI,' SAYS HE'S 'THE HAPPIT AND HEALTHIT' HE'S EVER BEEN

In a Good Morng Ameri terview on Wednday, the former football player turned star of season 23 of The Bachelor told Rob Roberts that he is gay.

" In his 2020 memoir The First Time: Fdg Myself and Lookg for Love on Realy TV, Unrwood wrote about alg wh mors that he was gay durg his senr year high school. Former Bachelor Colton Unrwood is openg up much more about his ntroversial g out — and the upg Netflix realy show about , which is movg ahead spe lls for s 29-year-old realy star, who me out as gay on April 14, now adms that had sexual experienc wh men prr to jog The Bachelor anchise 2018 and then pickg 2019. Unrwood — who said he ed Grr, a well-known gay datg and hookup app, unr an alias 2016 or 2017 — clarified, “When I say ‘hookups, ’ not sex.

FORMER BACHELOR COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY

’” the former football player said of his sexual enunters wh men, prevly notg that growg up Catholic the Midwt ma him believe beg gay was a s. While 's unclear the exact timele, pre- or post-Randolph spl, he secretly vised a gay spa Los Angel last year “jt to look. ”Unrwood, who said he knew he was different at age 6 and gay durg his hman year high school, also spoke about how his nservative upbrgg sred him to his closeted life.

COLTON UNRWOOD'S FORMER LLEGE FOOTBALL ACH, TEAMMAT AFTER HE ME OUT PUBLICLY AS GAY: 'TOOK AMAZG URAGE'

When his father nonted him after disverg that he viewed gay porn on the puter as an eighth grar, he nied beg gay. Later, when 2005's Brokeback Mounta me out, he sneakily ed a iend's Blockbter rd to rent the film so his fay wouldn't acce him of beg gay.

“Growg up sports, I was tght that gay is wrong and gay is bad and football players are not gay, ” Unrwood said. It was easy for me to hi pla sight behd a football mask and huntg and fishg and the thgs that this world tells is ‘mascule’ and ‘manly, '" he said, addg, "I would have done anythg to see a gay football player.

FORMER "BACHELOR" STAR COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY

That weight lifted off Unrwood's shoulrs was the revelatn that he's gay – a tth Unrwood told the entire world on Wednday an emotnal terview on ABC's "Good Morng Ameri. " On GMA on Wednday, Unrwood scribed football beg his ma inty and that locker room homophobic language throughout his high school and llege reer played a part him stayg closeted. The 29-year-old revealed he was gay publicly for the first time durg an terview wh "Good Morng Ameri" anchor Rob Roberts that aired on Wednday.

He is now one of the few openly gay former NFL his book, "The First Time: Fdg Myself and Lookg for Love on Realy TV, " Unrwood opened up about his virgy and how he had once qutned whether or not he was gay. However, Unrwood said he knew he was "different" sce he was six, and realized as a hman high school that he was gay.

After Unrwood me out as gay on natnal televisn, Netflix announced a new seri lled "Comg Out Colton, " about his journey. He relled a particular experience high school that he battled wh throughout his life, which he was "super secure" and "thought he was gay. The realy star revealed his classmat thought he may be gay as they qutned his fah and abstence om sex, wrg: "It was one of those thgs where you hear somethg so often, you start believg .

COLTON UNRWOOD, FORMER 'BACHELOR' STAR, OUT AS GAY

Perkz/@rlnassib/@rkrelentls)When Kansas State offensive tackle and NFL hopeful Stt Frantz me out to the natn as gay, he shared that his teammat (to whom he'd e out earlier) had warmly received the news, a sign the most alpha of locker rooms may fally be ready for equaly. Roy "Sugar Bear" Simmons, an offensive leman for the New York Giants and Washgton Redsks, beme the send NFL player ever to publicly reveal he was gay.

So Coach Vce Lombardi knew McDonald was gay when he took over learship of the team 1969, but ma clear there would be no discrimatn his locker room, those close to the legend say. Cornerback Wa Davis, who played preason wh the Tennsee Tans, Seattle Seahawks and Washgton Redsks and spent two seasons wh NFL Europe teams Berl Thunr and Barcelona Dragons, me out as gay 2012, nearly a after his retirement. He would later nfirm his sexualy on CNN and s down wh ESPN to discs the challeng of growg up gay Jamai and playg football while closeted.

FORMER WASHGTON FOOTBALL PLAYER, 'BACHELOR' STAR COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY

He later cled to sign wh the Tennsee Tans and Dallas Cowboys before g out as gay at 24, he told Philalphia Magaze revealed to the magaze that he'd dated a male cheerlear at Purdue who had threatened to out him then.

FORMER ‘BACHELOR’ STAR REVEALS HE’S GAY

The Bachelor star and former football player (who was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted ee agent and was on the practice squad of the Oakland Rairs and the Philalphia Eagl) me out as gay April of 2021, sayg he had fally e to terms wh his sexualy and the "next step all of this was sort of lettg people know.

The Rairs leman ma NFL history durg Pri Month 2021 when he me out as gay a heartfelt Instagram post, beg the first active NFL player to e out as member of the LGBTQ+ muny. The Hampton Universy player ma history October of 2022 when he me out as gay an Instagram Story post, beg the first out gay football player at a Historilly Black College or Universy. Former "Bachelor" star Colton Unrwood revealed that he is gay a taped terview wh "Good Morng Ameri" anchor Rob Roberts that aired Wednday.

'THE BACHELOR' STAR COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY

And I’m gay, and I me to terms wh that earlier this year, and I’ve been procsg and the next step all of this was sort of lettg people know, " Unrwood, 29, told Roberts. In an terview wh Entertament Tonight last year, he said that "The Bachelor" helped him realize that he was not gay, after stgglg wh his sexualy. And a book he published 2020, "The First Time: Fdg Myself and Lookg for Love on Realy TV, " he revealed that growg up, people would qutn whether he was gay, sce he was a virg and a football player.

COLTON UNRWOOD, THE FIRST GAY ‘BACHELOR,’ CONONTS HIS CONTROVERSIAL COMG OUT

The tth is, I was a virg bachelor bee I was gay and I didn't know how to handle , " Unrwood told Roberts. "He said his Catholic upbrgg and athletic life ma him supprs his sexualy, even though he knew he was gay his hman year of high now, Unrwood said he is closer to God than ever before.

MEET THE 16 OUT GAY AND BI FOOTBALL PLAYERS THE NFL’S 103-YEAR HISTORY

The project is productn and foc on him livg publicly as a gay was no word on when Unrwood's Netflix program might but. Former “Bachelor” star Colton Unrwood revealed he’s gay an emotnal terview wh Rob RobertsUnrwood, who is also a former pro football playersaid that he was forced to nont his te self durg lockdownQUOTE: “Obvly this year’s been a lot for a lot of people, and ’s probably ma a lot of people look themselv the mirror and figure out who they are and what they’ve been nng om or what they’ve been puttg off their liv. Colton Unrwood, the former football player who found fame on “The Bachelor, ” has revealed that he is gay.

SHOP SKILLETS, UTENSILS AND MORE OKWARE!OPEN MENUVIOSHOPCULTUREFAYWELLNSFOODLIVGSTYLETRAVELNEWSBOOK CLUBGMA3: WYNTKNEWSLETTERPRIVACY POLICYYOUR US STATE PRIVACY RIGHTSCHILDREN'S ONLE PRIVACY POLICYINTERT-BASED ADSTERMS OF USEDO NOT SELL MY INFOCONTACT USCOPYRIGHT © 2023 ABC NEWS INTER VENTUR. ALL RIGHTS RERVED.SEARCHCULTUREFORMER 'BACHELOR' STAR COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY13:36FORMER 'BACHELOR' COLTON UNRWOOD SPEAKS HIS TTH AND OUT AS BYCARSON BLACKWELR VIO BYJA ANRSON AND DANIELLE GEAPRIL 14, 2021, 7:33 AM•8 M READCOLTON UNRWOOD IS READY TO LIVE HIS TTH.THE FORMER "BACHELOR" STAR ME OUT AS GAY AN EXCLIVE TERVIEW WH ROB ROBERTS ON "GOOD MORNG AMERI" ON WEDNDAY."I'VE RAN OM MYSELF FOR A LONG TIME. I'VE HATED MYSELF FOR A LONG TIME," UNRWOOD TOLD ROBERTS A PRE-TAPED CHAT. "AND I'M GAY. AND I ME TO TERMS WH THAT EARLIER THIS YEAR AND HAVE BEEN PROCSG . AND THE NEXT STEP ALL OF THIS WAS SORT OF LETTG PEOPLE KNOW."MORE: COLTON UNRWOOD SETS 'EPLY PERSONAL' TERVIEW ON 'GMA' WH ROB ROBERTS"I'M STILL NERVO, BUT YEAH," HE NTUED. "IT'S BEEN A JOURNEY FOR SURE."ABC'S ROB ROBERTS WH COLTON UNRWOOD, THE LEAD OF THE 23RD SEASON OF "THE BACHELOR," DURG AN TERVIEW APRIL 2021.ABCUNRWOOD SAID HE FALLY GOT TO A PLACE WHERE HE ULD BE HONT WH HIMSELF AFTER 2020, THE YEAR THAT TURNED EVERYONE'S LIV UPSI DOWN, AND MA PEOPLE "LOOK AT THEMSELV THE MIRROR AND FIGURE OUT WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY'VE BEEN NNG OM OR WHAT THEY'VE BEEN PUTTG OFF THEIR LIV."WHEN ROBERTS, WHO IS ALSO OPENLY GAY, SAID SHE ULD "SEE THE JOY" AND "SEE THE RELIEF" UNRWOOD, HE SAID HE WAS "EMOTNAL , LIKE SUCH A GOOD, HAPPY, POSIVE WAY," AND IS "THE HAPPIT AND HEALTHIT" HE'S EVER BEEN.UNRWOOD SAID HE WENT THROUGH A "DARK AND BAD" TIME BEFORE FEELG LIKE HE ULD REVEAL THIS ABOUT HIMSELF AND HIS "WAKE UP LL" WAS FEELG LIKE HE "WOULD'VE RATHER DIED" THAN SAY HE'S GAY."THERE WAS A MOMENT L.A. THAT I WOKE UP AND I DIDN'T THK I WAS GONNA WAKE UP. I DIDN'T HAVE THE TENTNS OF WAKG UP. AND I DID," HE RELLED, NOTG THIS MOMENT -- AND OTHER "SUICIDAL THOUGHTS" -- LED HIM TO "TAKE BACK NTROL" OF HIS LIFE.WHEN ROBERTS ASKED ABOUT THE WOMEN OM HIS "BACHELOR" SEASON AND HOW THEY -- AMONG OTHERS -- MAY FEEL MISLED, UNRWOOD SAID HE "WOULD UNRSTAND WHY THEY THK THAT WAY.""I'VE THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT THIS TOO, OF, 'DO I REGRET BEG THE BACHELOR AND DO I REGRET HANDLG THE WAY THAT I DID?' I DO," HE SAID. "I DO THK I ULD'VE HANDLED BETTER, I'LL SAY THAT."UNRWOOD SAID HE "GENUELY" WISH HE HADN'T DRAGGED PEOPLE TO "MY OWN MS OF FIGURG OUT WHO I WAS." IN ADDN TO SAYG SORRY TO THOSE WOMEN, HE WOULD SAID THANK YOU BEE, ULTIMATELY, THEY AND THE ANCHISE HELPED HIM GET TO THIS PLACE.MORE: MATT JAM REFLECTS ON 'BACHELOR' SEASON, RACHAEL KIRKNNELL NTROVERSYWHEN HE WAS NAMED THE BACHELOR, UNRWOOD SAID HE REMEMBERED "PRAYG TO GOD" THE MORNG HE FOUND OUT AND "THANKG HIM FOR MAKG ME STRAIGHT,' THKG THIS WOULD LEAD TO HIM FALLY GETTG THE WIFE AND THEM HAVG KIDS.COLTON UNRWOOD AS "THE BACHELOR," FOR SEASON 23, 2019.CRAIG SJOD/ABCBUT UNRWOOD SAID HE HAD KNOWN THE TTH OF HIS SEXUALY SCE A YOUNG AGE, KNOWG HE "JT FELT DIFFERENT" OM THE AGE OF 6, WHEN HE ULDN'T PROCS . HE KNEW HE WAS "MORE EMOTNAL" THAN THE OTHER BOYS HIS CLASS. IT TOOK UNTIL HIGH SCHOOL FOR HIM TO REALIZE HE "WAS MORE ATTRACTED TO THE BOYS AND THE MEN" THAN HE WAS THE OPPOSE SEX.HAVG GROWN UP THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, HE REMEMBERED HE "LEARNED THE BIBLE THAT GAY IS A S" CATHOLIC GRA SCHOOL. AND DURG HIS TIME SPORTS, HE REMEMBERED PEOPLE G THE WORD "GAY" AS A TERM THAT HELD "A NNOTATN OF NEGATIVY.""I THK THERE'S A LOT OF THGS, WHEN I LOOK BACK, I'M LIKE, 'NO WONR I HELD ,'" HE SAID.UNRWOOD SAID HE HAS GROWN "CLOSER TO GOD" THIS REVELATN AND SAID HE KNOWS SOME PEOPLE WILL QUTN HOW THAT'S EVEN POSSIBLE FOR A GAY MAN TO SAY."I ED TO WAKE UP THE MORNG AND PRAY FOR HIM TO TAKE THE GAY AWAY. I ED TO PRAY FOR HIM TO CHANGE ME," HE SAID, ADDG THAT HIS RELATNSHIP WH GOD NOW ISN'T "NDNAL."UNRWOOD SAID HE'S HAD "A RANGE OF RPONS" TO HIS G OUT AND THE "UNRLYG, MOST MON ONE" HAS BEEN THEY WISH HE'D TOLD THEM SOONER, CLUDG HIS DAD."AND WHEN I HEAR THAT, I WISH I WOULD HAVE HAD FAH MY IENDS AND MY FAY A LTLE B MORE," HE SAID. "THE ONLY REASON I'M STG DOWN WH YOU TODAY IS BEE I HAVE THE LOVE AND THE SUPPORT OF MY IENDS AND MY FAY."MORE: KATIE THURSTON AND MICHELLE YOUNG EACH GIVEN THEIR OWN SEASONS OF 'THE BACHELORETTE'UNRWOOD SAID HE STILL HASN'T HAD AN "EMOTNAL NNECTN" WH SOMEONE OF THE SAME SEX, BUT HE IS LOOKG FORWARD TO FDG A PARTNER."I'VE NEVER ALLOWED MYSELF TO," HE NTUED. "AND IT'S NEVER BEEN SORT OF MY RDS TO LET MYSELF GET THERE, AND I WANT TO MORE THAN ANYTHG. I'M LOOKG FOR SOMEONE WHO N PH ME AND CHALLENGE ME ALL THE GREAT WAYS."WHEN ROBERTS ASKED IF HE HAD ANY ADVICE FOR SOMEONE STGGLG TO E OUT, UNRWOOD SAID HE STILL HAS A LONG WAY TO GO AND IS STILL LEARNG."BUT IF I HAD TO GO BACK AND GIVE ANYBODY ADVICE, I MEAN, YOU'RE GONNA GET THROUGH IS WHAT I WOULD TELL MYSELF. KEEP FIGHTG FOR YOU. KEEP CHOOSG YOU EVERY MORNG. AND WHEN THE TIME'S READY OR WHEN THE TIME'S RIGHT AND YOU'RE READY, DO ON YOUR OWN TIME."ABC'S ROB ROBERTS WH COLTON UNRWOOD, THE LEAD OF THE 23RD SEASON OF "THE BACHELOR," DURG AN TERVIEW APRIL 2021.ABC13:36UNRWOOD, WHO GAVE HIS FAL ROSE TO CASSIE RANDOLPH 2019, SAYS HE “ME TO TERMS” WH HIS SEXUALY EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND IS THE “HAPPIT AND HEALTHIT” HE’S EVER BEEN.BACHELOR NATN WAS FIRST TRODUCED TO UNRWOOD WHEN HE WAS A NTTANT ON BEC KU'S SEASON OF "THE BACHELORETTE," THE 14TH SEASON, 2018. HE MA TO KU'S FAL FOUR.THE FORMER FOOTBALL STAR FOLLOWED THIS UP WH A BRIEF STT ON SEASON 4 OF "BACHELOR PARADISE," ON WHICH HE HAD A FLG WH TIA BOOTH.UNRWOOD WAS THEN THE LEAD OF SEASON 23 OF "THE BACHELOR" 2019, WH HIS VIRGY BEG A EQUENT TOPIC OF NVERSATN AND HIS FAMO FENCE-JUMPG MOMENT BEG ONE OF THE ANCHISE'S MOST DRAMATIC MOMENTS. HE GAVE HIS FAL ROSE TO NTTANT CASSIE RANDOLPH BUT ULTIMATELY CHOSE TO NOT PROPOSE TO HER, THOUGH THEY LATER TOLD "GMA" THEY HAD DISCSED AN ENGAGEMENT.MORE: CHRIS HARRISON WON'T HOST NEXT SEASON OF 'THE BACHELORETTE'THE TWO DATED AFTER THE SHOW WRAPPED UNTIL ANNOUNCG THEIR BREAKUP EARLY 2020. THEY LATER MA HEADL WHEN RANDOLPH WAS GRANTED A RTRAG ORR AGAST UNRWOOD, ACCG HIM OF STALKG AND HARASSG HER. IN A POLICE REPORT, SHE ACCED HIM OF PUTTG A TRACKG VICE ON HER R. UNRWOOD LATER RELEASED A STATEMENT EXPLAG THAT HE AND RANDOLPH HAD ROLVED THEIR ISSU PRIVATE. SHE LATER DISMISSED THE RTRAG ORR AND REQUTED THE POLICE VTIGATN BE DROPPED.IN HIS TERVIEW WH ROBERTS, UNRWOOD APOLOGIZED SPECIFILLY TO RANDOLPH FOR "ANY PA AND EMOTNAL STRS" HE ED HER AND SAID HE WISH HADN'T HAPPENED THE WAY DID."I WISH THAT I WOULD'VE BEEN URAGEO ENOUGH TO FIX MYSELF BEFORE I BROKE ANYBODY ELSE," HE SAID.HE SAID HE "LOVED EVERYTHG" ABOUT RANDOLPH, WHICH "ONLY MA HARR AND MORE NFG" FOR HIM AS HE WAS EXPERIENCG HIS OWN "TERNAL FIGHT."PRR TO HIS TIME ON REALY TV, UNRWOOD FAMOLY DATED OLYMPIC GYMNAST ALY RAISMAN. HE WROTE ABOUT THEIR RELATNSHIP -- AND MUCH MORE -- HIS 2020 BOOK, "THE FIRST TIME: FDG MYSELF AND LOOKG FOR LOVE ON REALY TV."THE DAYS, UNRWOOD IS JT "PROUD" OF HOW FAR HE HAS E."I'M STILL THE SAME COLTON EVERYBODY MET ON TV. I'M STILL THE SAME COLTON TO MY IENDS AND MY FAY, I JT HAPPEN TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WH PEOPLE NOW ALL OF ME," HE SAID. "AND I AM PROUD OF THAT, YOU KNOW? I AM PROUD TO BE GAY."IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS HELP OR SUPPORT, NTACT THE TREVOR PROJECT'S TREVORLIFELE 24/7 AT 1-866-488-7386. COUNSELG IS ALSO AVAILABLE 24/7 VIA CHAT AT , OR BY TEXTG 678-678.RELATED TOPICSTHE BACHELORUP NEXT CULTURE—TIM MCGRAW ATTENDS ACM HONORS WH WIFE FAH HILL, DGHTERS AUDREY, MAGGIE: SEE THE PHOTOSAUGT 24, 2023LADY GAGA SHAR PHOTOS OM REHEARSAL AHEAD OF LAS VEGAS RINCYAUGT 24, 2023KIM CATTRALL MAK MEO ON 'AND JT LIKE THAT...' SEASON 2 FALE: ALL THE TAILSAUGT 24, 2023ED SHEERAN ANNOUNC NEW ALBUM 'AUTUMN VARIATNS,' OUT SEPT. 29AUGT 24, 2023UP NEXT CULTURE—TIM MCGRAW ATTENDS ACM HONORS WH WIFE FAH HILL, DGHTERS AUDREY, MAGGIE: SEE THE PHOTOSAUGT 24, 2023LADY GAGA SHAR PHOTOS OM REHEARSAL AHEAD OF LAS VEGAS RINCYAUGT 24, 2023KIM CATTRALL MAK MEO ON 'AND JT LIKE THAT...' SEASON 2 FALE: ALL THE TAILSAUGT 24, 2023ED SHEERAN ANNOUNC NEW ALBUM 'AUTUMN VARIATNS,' OUT SEPT. 29AUGT 24, 2023

“I’ll jt say , ” Unrwood reveals on a recent afternoon, still adjtg to his new life as an openly gay man. Acrdg to him, last year, while livg Los Angel, he secretly vised a spa known for terg to gay clientele.

At one time, g out of the closet was emed a reer killer, but shows like “The Real World, ” “Survivor” and the origal “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, ” now rebooted on Netflix, led to a profound, posive transformatn how gay people are perceived, and helped brg about progrsive chang to LGBTQ civil rights.

COLTON UNRWOOD, FORMER NFL PROSPECT AND BACHELOR, NOW SAYS HE IS GAY AFTER SAYG LAST YEAR HE WASN’T

As new generatns of lennials and Gen Zers have grown up wh LGBTQ iends and role mols, gay Amerins have attaed the right to marry, and queerns has bee more mastream media, as proven shows like HBO’s high school h “Euphoria” and sentially half of the characters the Ryan Murphy universe.

And others legimately argued that as a hunky whe gay man, he was benefg om privilege, takg a platform that other members of the queer muny served more than he did. “I’ve had hundreds of gay Christian men and women who are nfed their walk wh J say, ‘I felt closer to God when I me out. “I never want people to thk that I’m g out to change the narrative, or to bsh over and not take rponsibily for my actns, and now that I have this gay life that I don’t have to addrs my past as a straight man, ” Unrwood says.

Cled to ment for this story, or answer qutns about whether there have been discsns about velopg a gay season of “The Bachelor.

COLTON UNRWOOD REGRETS NOT COMG OUT AFTER SEEG MICHAEL SAM BEE FIRST OPENLY GAY NFL PLAYER

Realy TV has the power to change mds, showsg unrreprented muni to sectns of the untry who might not e across gay, bisexual or transgenr people their everyday liv. The number of high-profile gay love stori at the movi — among them, the Hulu romantic edy “Happit Season” and 2017 Sundance darlg “Call Me by Your Name” — remas small. Though he felt that he was different at the age of 6, Unrwood never got the chance to teract wh gay people.

THERE ARE 7 OPENLY GAY OR BI LLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYERS THIS SEASON

He remembers that when Michael Sam beme the first openly gay player drafted by the NFL 2014, no one the locker room supported the ia. “Growg up sports, I was tght that gay is wrong and gay is bad and football players are not gay, ” Unrwood says.