A Rose By Any Other Name Would Be as Gay, Colton Underwood Comes Out

The 23^rd time’s a charm. The casting department of The Bachelor cast 22 hetero dudes in their leading-man role before finally getting it right. Season 23’s Colton Underwood just came out as gay and we are swooning at the possibilities.

During a heart-to-heart with Good Morning America, Underwood tells Robin Roberts, “I’ve ran from myself for a long time. I’ve hated myself for a long time.”

The inability to come to terms with his sexual orientation prompted The Bachelor to seek the guidance of God, recounting, “I used to wake up in the morning and pray for him to take the gay away. I used to pray for him to change me.”

Forlorn, Underwood veered toward darker feelings, which included “suicidal thoughts and, y’know, driving my car close to a cliff like, ‘Oh, if this goes off the cliff, it’s not that big of a deal.’ I don’t feel that anymore.”

We are thrilled to share that he emerged from the cloud of shame to emerge to a brighter, bolder truth.

“I’m gay. And I came to terms with that earlier this year and have been processing it. And the next step in all of this was sort of letting people know.”

When GMA’s Roberts presses Underwood about his past deception regarding the many, many, (repeated for emphasis) many women who lusted after him on the show and in The Bachelor audience, the sensitive stud admits, “I do think I could’ve handled it better, I’ll say that.”

Underwood elaborates, “I just wish I wouldn’t have dragged people into my own mess of figuring out who I was. I genuinely mean that.”

His voice breaks several times during the emotional exchange. “I wish that I would’ve been courageous enough to fix myself before I broke anybody else.”

In addition to being a former Bachelor, Underwood is also a former NFL star, but now he embarks on the game of a lifetime. Who will be the lucky man who joins his team?

“I’m looking for someone who can push me and challenge me in all the great ways,” explains Underwood.

But for the moment, he is joyful in his singlehood. “I’m the happiest and healthiest I’ve ever been in my life… And I am proud of that, you know? I am proud to be gay.”

And we’re proud to welcome you to the proverbial rose ceremony, Colton. It may be thorny at times, but it is eternally beautiful.