Groundbreaking Revelations: Bachelor Nation's LGBTQ+ Allies Step Into the Spotlight

Gabby Windey and Colton Underwood, along with other alumni from Bachelor Nation, are thriving after their time on the franchise.

In August 2023, Windey made a surprising revelation by announcing that she is exploring a relationship with a woman. After her public engagement and subsequent breakup with Erich Schwer in 2022, the season 19 Bachelorette has found love with comedian Robby Hoffman.

"I was unaware of the need to pay attention to it," Windey shared on The View when discussing her realization of her attraction towards women. "There is undoubtedly a sense of shame that surrounds such discoveries, so I had to navigate through it to some extent. I pondered over its meaning and origin. However, at the end of the day, I always prioritize being true to myself, doing what I want, and figuring it out along the way."

She further reflected, "During that time, I appeared on dating shows, dated men, and was a Broncos cheerleader, so my entire world revolved around the male perspective. ... While it is undoubtedly about sexuality, it also revolves around the person I met. She holds a special place in my heart and makes me feel safe and loved."

Find out below which other members of Bachelor Nation proudly celebrate their LGBTQ+ identity as we share their inspiring stories of self-discovery and coming out.

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Bachelor Nation Stars Who Came Out As Members of the LGBTQ+ Community 

Gabby Windey, Colton Underwood and more Bachelor Nation alums are living their best lives under the rainbow after appearing on the franchise.

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In August 2023, Windey made a surprising announcement that she is dating a woman for the first time. The former Bachelorette of season 19, who ended her engagement with Erich Schwer in 2022 after a public proposal, has now embarked on a romantic relationship with comedian Robby Hoffman.

During an appearance on The View, Windey shared her journey of discovering her attraction to women. She admitted that initially, she didn't fully grasp the significance of it. Coming to terms with her feelings was a process that involved some shame, and she had to navigate through it. She questioned why there was shame and its origins. However, Windey's ultimate focus was on being true to herself, following her own desires, and figuring things out along the way.

She continued, "My experience on dating shows was predominantly focused on men and being objectified by the male gaze. However, when I met her, everything changed. She is an extraordinary person who makes me feel incredibly safe and loved."

On the other hand, Underwood, publicly revealed his homosexuality in April 2021, one year after ending his relationship with Cassie Randolph, whom he met during his time as the season 23 Bachelor. Following his self-discovery, the former football player found love with Jordan C. Brown, and they got married in May 2023.

Scroll down to find out which other members of Bachelor Nation are proudly waving rainbow flags — and read their coming out stories:

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Gabby Windey

Windey, a contestant who topped season 19 of The Bachelorette with Rachel Recchia, has refrained from categorizing her sexuality. Nevertheless, during an appearance on The View in August 2023, she expressed her inclination towards exclusively dating women in the future, citing Hoffman as "my girl" and "the best."

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Colton Underwood

Underwood chronicled his journey of coming out, which involved disclosing the news to his close ones, through a Netflix docuseries titled Coming Out Colton.

During the show, he expressed the rationale behind his decision to come out, attributing it to his feelings of shame and embarrassment about the circumstances that led him to this point. He also reflected on his past, where he grappled with reconciling his religious beliefs and being an openly gay athlete in the realm of football.

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Becca Tilley

In May 2022, Tilley, known for her appearances on The Bachelor with Chris Soules and Ben Higgins, revealed that she had been in a discreet relationship with singer Hayley Kiyoko for four years. Despite openly expressing affection and referring to Kiyoko as her girlfriend, Tilley does not label herself as a lesbian.

"Leading up to this point, I was thinking to myself, 'Wow, I'm going to have to address my sexuality, my label. It's something I've never really connected with.' And I feel like my experience is unique from others," she shared on an episode of her "Scrubbing In" podcast in May. "It's not something that I personally dealt with my entire life. Looking back, I remember being captivated by Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic, and I was a fan of Joey and Pacey's relationship in Dawson's Creek, you know? ... But when I met Hayley, that was the first time I truly felt that connection with a woman."

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Demi Burnett

Following her appearance on Underwood’s season, Burnett went on to star in season 6 of Bachelor in Paradise. It was during her time on this beach spinoff that she made a revelation - she is bisexual. Adding to the dramatic storyline, Burnett's former partner, Kristian Haggerty, who was new to the Bachelor Nation, made a surprise entrance on the show a few episodes later in an attempt to rekindle their relationship.

"I don't care who witnesses this. I am certain of my love for this woman," Burnett passionately expressed during the show. "I am overjoyed to have found her, and I can easily envision a lifetime together."

Haggerty proposed during the BiP finale, but they split in October 2019.

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Elizabeth Corrigan

“It’s difficult to determine the appropriate manner or moment to express these sentiments. However, today appears to encompass both and neither,” remarked Corrigan, a former contestant of Clayton Echard, via Instagram in June 2022. “Upon awakening this morning to embrace my first Pride celebration in NYC, I was brimming with excitement. I eagerly jumped out of bed, grabbed a cup of coffee — purchased a flag — yet swiftly began to feel a sense of unease. Overwhelmingly so. Am I prepared? No. Am I afraid? Yes. Will 'the right time' present itself? Ambiguous. Today, it is of utmost importance to me to disclose that I am queer to all of you. More specifically, I am, always have been, and always will be bisexual.”

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Kaitlyn Bristowe

Bristowe had already revealed that she was bisexual to her loved ones years before joining Soules' season of The Bachelor. However, she chose not to disclose this information to the producers while filling out the questionnaires for the show. Bristowe believes that the producers may have already known about her sexuality, but she was instructed by the show's psychologist not to reveal her interest in women to the producers, as they might manipulate the information.

Bristowe became the Bachelorette lead in 2015, getting engaged to Shawn Booth. After their eventual split, she moved on with Jason Tartick.

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Alexa Caves

After Peter Weber eliminated Caves from the show, she took to Instagram to reveal that she had received an overwhelming number of direct messages inquiring about her sexual orientation. In a January 2020 Instagram Story, she confidently expressed, "I identify as fluid and have had experiences with both women and men. It's not a significant issue for me, as those close to me are already aware of my identity. However, I wanted to share this with those who are curious because I have no shame in embracing who I am."

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Josh Seiter

Seiter, who was eliminated on the first night of Bristowe’s season, came out as bisexual several years after his brief reality TV appearance.

In an interview with Instinct magazine in June 2023, he shared that his awareness of being bisexual developed later in life. Growing up, he was homeschooled in a Christian community where strict rules dictated their actions, words, and thoughts. He believes that this upbringing had a lasting impact on him, both consciously and unconsciously, even after leaving home for college.

Reflecting on his early teenage years, he always felt sexually different but lacked the vocabulary to express it. Looking back now, he realizes that he has been fully aware of his bisexuality and attraction to both men and women since at least college. He strongly believes that a significant part of his identity was suppressed during his childhood.