Bachelor Colton Underwood ‘thought he was gay’ after he was ‘bullied’ as teen in new interview amid coronavirus battle
THE BACHELOR's Colton Underwood revealed he 'thought he was gay' after he was bullied as a teenager in his new book 'The First Time.'
The 28-year-old recently tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently in quarantine with his girlfriend, Cassie Randolph.
reported that in his book - of which the title is a nod to his religious beliefs and being dubbed as the "virgin " - he talked about a particular experience in high school that he battled with throughout his life.
He grew up in a small town in Illinois and explained: "I was called fatso, four eyes and four lips, because I used to lick my lips, so I would constantly have a red ring around them.
"I was a little heavy, and that, combined with being socially awkward, led to a really hard time. I didn’t believe in myself. And I was super insecure."
But it was when he hit high school that people targeted because of his faith and his abstinence from sex.
Because of it, people thought he was gay.
He revealed: "It was one of those things where you hear something so often, you start believing it.
"I thought, maybe I am gay. The captain of the football team should be having sex and drinking, right? But I wasn’t."
By high school, the taunting became even more personal as a rumor circulated that Underwood, who credits his faith and values for why he chose to abstain from sex, was gay.
He continued: "I didn’t know who I was. And I come from an athletic family, so it was always, 'Move on, you’re good.'
"So that threw me off. In high school, when I was struggling with my sexuality, I’m not going to talk to my parents about it. So I internalized it."
Colton explained he was able to become secure with who he was when he started a relationship with Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman.
It was the bullying through high school that got him through the backlash he got as "virgin" The Bachelor.
He explained: "Even while my season was airing, I battled the gay [rumors]. They’d say, 'he’s gay, he’s hiding it.' No. But I’ve been there, done that now."
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He finished his season by picking Cassie and the two are still going strong.
He said: "I want my life to be with Cassie. I know who I am. And that’s really all that matters."
She's currently taking care of him as he recovers from the coronavirus - which has made him l.
The First Time comes out on March 31.
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