Josh Seiter, former ‘Bachelorette’ star, has revealed he’s facing abuse since coming out as a trans on social media.
Former ‘Bachelorette’ star Josh Seiter speaks on haters after coming out as trans
Josh Seiter recently opened up about the online abuse they have faced since coming out as transgender.
In a recent interview, Seiter opened up about the negative attention and online harassment he has faced since announcing his transition.
Josh Seiter’s struggles after coming out as transgender
The former reality TV star expressed his fear for personal safety and the emotional toll that this abuse has taken on him.
Seiter first gained fame as a contestant on “The Bachelorette,” where he made a significant impression.
However, his journey took a new turn when he came out as transgender, a decision that led to both support and criticism.
Josh, who was a contestant on the reality show in 2015, shared that they do not require surgery or hormone treatment.
They believe their identity as a woman is valid without these medical procedures.
He was scared of hateful comments after coming out as trans
Since publicly embracing their true self, Josh has faced a flood of cruel and hateful comments.
Josh said: “I fear for my safety all the time. If I am in a restaurant, a park or in downtown Chicago I get nervous.
“I am looking behind my back and wondering if someone is going to stab me or hurt me.
“The abuse I have been getting is pretty awful – I have been met with intolerance, bigotry and gatekeeping.”
This abuse has included disturbing death threats.
The abuse has come not just from strangers, but also from within the transgender community.
He reflects on early gender struggles and self-discovery
Reflecting on their upbringing in a conservative Christian environment, Josh recalled early struggles with their gender identity.
They mentioned finding comfort and self-expression by wearing their mother’s clothes and jewelry as a child.
Josh said: “I couldn’t articulate what I was going through but I knew I felt comfortable.
“I was homeschooled in a very conservative Christian family.
“It was during that time that I knew I was trans but 18 years ago there wasn’t that vocabulary.”
It wasn’t until college that Josh began to explore and understand their gender identity more deeply.
Josh eventually comes to terms with being transgender.
Josh Seiter receives support from family amidst backlash
Josh’s journey to self-discovery has been tough, with backlash and distance from some family members.
Despite this, their mother has been supportive and loving.
“Despite my mother being of a Christian faith she has been really understanding and open-minded.
“She is a supporter of mine and she loves me — she loves me regardless.”
Despite the online abuse and threats, Josh is firm in their decisions about surgeries and hormone treatments.
They stress the importance of living in the moment and not letting outside pressure or hate dictate their choices.
“All the hate I have been receiving made me focus on the now and the every day.
“The great thing about being trans is there is not one way to do it.
“I realised that I don’t need to take anything to be a trans woman.