Coming Out Colton

[Vidanjali]

Last night, my husband and I watched the first two episodes of Coming Out Colton, a series about Colton Underwood who is a former NFL football player and Bachelor contestant who came out as gay. It's an excellent show, so far. I feel the stories that are being told are important and will help many people who are struggling with living their truth. 

 

I found comments made by Colton's friend, professional freestyle skier, Gus Kenworthy to be striking. He explained to Colton that people who have lived in the closet for so long experience prolonged self-hatred that others do not and cannot understand. It takes a long time and a lot of effort to learn how to let that go. Further, he said that one thing that often bonds people in the LGBT+ community is that common experience, and that having experienced that, folks are consequently more empathetic and compassionate because they know so well the depths of human despair. This resonated strongly with me (I feel emotional just writing about it). It gave me the opportunity to share more about myself with my husband. I told him that I felt that innate unacceptability ever since early childhood and hated myself so intensely for most of my life. He knows that I struggle to love myself, but Gus' comments on this show provided more context for us to be able to talk more about what I've experienced. I'm so grateful for people who are visible and who share their stories.