OOn Wednesday morning, a former bachelor appeared Good morning America with a great announcement. “Obviously, this year has been a lot for a lot of people,” Colton Underwood told host Robin Roberts. “And it’s probably made a lot of people look in the mirror and find out who they are and what they’ve run away from or what they’ve put off in their lives.”
“I’m gay,” he said, “and I agreed earlier this year and I’ve been processing it.”
Underwood has been dealing with rumors about his sexuality for years, and it’s gratifying to see that the ex-bachelor has finally found a way to proudly live his truth. Several celebrities i Graduate students have already expressed their support for Underwood. But the way ABC handled the interview was weird and, at worst, deeply irresponsible. In his rush to validate Underwood, Roberts set aside the temporary restraining order a judge granted to Cassie Randolph, Underwood’s winning contestant, last year.
Last September, Randolph claimed that Underwood had harassed and harassed him, including a location device in the car and that he was hiding outside the window of his room at his parents ’home at 2 p.m. and in a statement at the time, Underwood wrote, in part, “I don’t think Cassie did anything wrong in presenting the restraining orders and I also think she acted in good faith.”
Roberts vaguely mentioned the temporary restraining order, after describing Randolph as “the woman [Underwood] he jumped the fence beforehand The Baccalaureate.“He mentioned that‘ Cassie filed and then withdrew a restraining order ’against Underwood, but did not provide details on the allegations.
Instead, it was Underwood who characterized the disappearance of the relationship and, depending on how he described it, everything seems like a standard breakup.
“I’d like to regret how things ended,” Underwood said. “I got my foot in the door. I made a lot of bad decisions.”
“Were you in love with Cassie?” Roberts asked.
“Yes,” Underwood replied. “I mean, and that just made it harder and more confusing for me. If I’m honest, I loved everything about her, and I find it very difficult to articulate exactly what my emotions were when I went through this relationship, because obviously I had an internal struggle going on. “
“I would just say I feel it from the bottom of my heart,” Underwood concluded, never offering information about how sorry he was. “I am sorry for the pain and emotional stress I have caused. I wish it hadn’t happened the same way. I wish I had been brave enough to fix myself before breaking anyone else. ”
“I don’t think Cassie did anything wrong in submitting the restraining orders and I also think she acted in good faith.”
It’s worth going into detail about the “emotional stress” that Underwood allegedly caused, because as much as we should empathize with the emotional turbulence that brought Underwood to this self-actualization, this also doesn’t negate the fact that the way he supposedly tried Randolph sounds really scary.
Randolph and Underwood separated in May last year. How Gent reported last September that Randolph’s request for a restraining order alleged that Underwood “had admitted a number of mutual friends and co-workers who placed the tracker in [her] expensive and used alias phone numbers to send anonymous text messages to [Randolph], himself and others “.
Randolph also alleged that Underwood sent her and himself a text message pretending to be an anonymous bully. He stated that he took “obsessive” walks to his Los Angeles apartment, where he would appear without warning, and that he also appeared without being invited to his parents’ house in Huntington Beach, Gent reports.
To minimize Underwood’s behavior or to explain it as the mere result of confronting his sexuality, he does a disservice to both women and queer people.
“Randolph also alleged that Underwood sent her and himself a text message pretending to be an anonymous bully. He claimed that he also took “obsessive” walks to his Los Angeles apartment, where he would appear without warning, and that he also appeared without being invited to his parents’ house in Huntington Beach …”
Women are already facing a tough battle to get the authorities to take harassment and harassment complaints seriously. Think of the tragic murder of Shana Grice, who reported her ex-boyfriend’s harassment several times to the police before her ex-boyfriend cut her throat and burned her body. (But only after police paid a £ 90 fine to Grice for “wasting time.”) Or when Anita Sarkeesian, during the Gamergate riot, had to cancel a talk at State University in Grice. Utah after the university received an email threatening an act “worse than the deadliest school shot,” because police refused to beat attendees or use metal detectors to ensure everyone’s safety.
Characterizing Underwood’s actions as just the result of emotional confusion is hugely irresponsible; many queer people struggle to accept their identity before leaving, but most of them find a way to do so without supposedly installing a tracking device in their ex’s car.
There is no doubt that Underwood’s personal journey has been difficult. Turned on GMA, described being in a “dark and bad” place.
“There was a time in Los Angeles when I woke up and I didn’t think I would wake up,” Underwood told Roberts. “I did not intend to wake up, and I did. And I think that, for me, this was my call to attention: “This is your life. Get back in control. ”He described“ suicidal thoughts ”and driving my car near a cliff as“ Oh, if that gets off the cliff, it’s not that big ”.
“I’m not sorry anymore,” Underwood concluded, his voice broken.
Underwood’s emotional process became more difficult, in a way, by positioning herself in the spotlight as “the single virgin.” While fans speculated about Undwood’s sexuality during his season, Billy Eichner offered his own theory during his appearance in Celebrity The Baccalaureate—Expose the possibility that Underwood was “the first gay bachelor.”
“She was a virgin before [The Bachelor]and I could never give anyone a good enough answer as to why I was a virgin, “Underwood said.” The truth is, I was a bachelor virgin because I was gay and didn’t know how to do it. “
Now, Underwood said, “I’m excited, but I’m excited in such a good, happy and positive way. I am the happiest and healthiest I have ever had in my life, and that means the world to me. “
But as wonderful as it is for any stranger to be able to accept himself, going out should not allow anyone to shirk responsibility. Just as Hollywood did not allow Kevin Spacey to use the exits to avoid addressing allegations of harassment, Underwood’s announcement should not protect him from responsibility for what happened to Randolph.
That’s what makes the Underwood interview so complicated. The candor with which he describes his journey is commendable and, as Roberts points out, will likely help young gay men like Underwood — in particular, perhaps, young athletes related to the former football player — adopt their own identities. Young gay Christians might also respond to Underwood’s candid description of how self-acceptance has helped him feel more connected to a god who once prayed would make him righteous. But praising Underwood as he simultaneously moves away from Randolph’s accusations doesn’t help anyone, especially since Underwood apparently takes advantage of that moment as a brand new opportunity.
Roberts scoffed that more of his interview with Underwood would be aired Night line“Perhaps then we will hear further details as to why things unfolded with Randolph in the same way they did, and whether Underwood has been able to correct them.” But in the meantime, Variety reports that Underwood would have a Netflix reality show that was already underway “focused on Underwood living his life publicly as a gay man.”
A Netflix representative declined to confirm or comment on the series. Underwood and Randolph’s representatives did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast’s request for comment.