Despite its heterosexual theme, there are a few LGBTQIA+ “Bachelor” contestants!
As you may know, television producer Mike Fleiss’s hit dating show, The Bachelor, premiered on ABC in 2002. Since its debut, the now-uber-successful production has seen a whopping 28 seasons, which spawned a list of spin-offs. A year after the network introduced “The Bachelor,” its sibling series, “The Bachelorette,” launched on our screens in 2003.
Season 21 of “The Bachelorette” kicked off in July 2024. As for “The Bachelor,” Season 29 of the phenomenon is scheduled for 2025. “The Bachelorette” star Grant Ellis will be featured as the lead. The program’s premise focuses on an attractive bachelor/bachelorette and a group of participants of the opposite sex who must compete for their hearts.
These Are LGBTQIA+ Bachelor Contestants You May (or May Not) Have Known About
1. Colton Brown-Underwood
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Colton Brown-Underwood led Season 23 of “The Bachelor” in 2019. Nearly a year after his split from winner Cassie Randolph, Underwood came out as gay during an interview with “Good Morning America.”
“I’ve ran from myself for a long time. I’ve hated myself for a long time,” the then-29-year-old told broadcast icon Robin Roberts in 2021. “I’m gay, and I came to terms with that earlier this year and have been processing it.”
In 2021, Underwood landed a Netflix docuseries titled “Coming Out Colton,” in which he shared his story. In 2023, he married political strategist Jordan Brown. In May 2024, Underwood announced they were expecting their first child together.
2. Gabby Windey
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Gabby Windey appeared on Season 26 of “The Bachelor” and historically co-starred in Season 19 of “The Bachelorette” alongside Rachel Recchia. Following a breakup with contestant Erich Schwer, Windey shared that she’d been in a committed relationship with a woman.
“I’ve been keeping it kind of private because it is a bigger story and a bigger conversation because I’m dating a girl,” she told “The View” in August 2023.
She and comedienne Robby Hoffman went public on Instagram after the on-air reveal.
“In just one year, you’ve given me the world and taught me all the ways which love can heal,” Windey wrote in an anniversary post in May 2024. “Now, I can’t imagine ever going a year without you.”
3. Elizabeth Corrigan
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Elizabeth Corrigan vied for “The Bachelor” star Clayton Echard in Season 26 but didn’t win. A few months after her run, she took to Instagram to open up about her bisexuality.
“It’s hard to know the right way to say these things or the right time. Today seems like both and neither,” Corrigan wrote as she spoke about her first experience attending NYC Pride. “It’s important to me today to share with you all that I am queer. More specifically, I am, always have been, and always will be bisexual.”
Further in the post, the realtor expressed how fearful she had always been when it came to discussing her sexuality with the public.
4. Jaimi King
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You may remember Jaimi King from Season 21 of “The Bachelor,” as a contender for lead Nick Viall and a contestant on “Bachelor in Paradise.” Even though King didn’t make headlines for a triumphant ending, her transparency regarding her sexual identity did, which was the first ever in “Bachelor” history.
Upon unveiling that she’d dated a woman in the past, many tagged King as bisexual, but she elaborated on that a little more with Refinery29.
“I think I am a homoromantic because I feel like I could fall in love with anyone, and I have,” the free spirit added. “I guess it basically is bisexual. But I don’t want to narrow myself down to two sexes or genders. ‘Fluid’ would be more open to everything–not just male or female.”
King is now married to a man named Geoff Parrish.
5. Becca Tilley
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Becca Tilley appeared on Seasons 19 (Chris Soules) and 20 (Ben Higgins) of “The Bachelor” from 2015 to 2016. After Tilley’s double loss, she kept a pretty low profile about her dating life until 2022, when she disclosed that she and singer-actress Hayley Kiyoko were an item.
“[It’s] hard to say if this is a hard or soft launch, but it is a launch,” she captioned under a video compilation of their special moments.
Kiyoko then commented, “The best four years ever. I love you, Becca.”
The two are still going strong in 2024.
Which of these LGBTQIA+ Bachelor contestants surprised you? Comment below!
