Colton Haynes is proud of his sexuality, and your opinion doesn’t matter

Colton Haynes‘ sexuality has been questioned ever since he responded to a fan’s comment on Tumblr in January about his “secret gay past” — he questioned whether it was even a secret — and now Haynes has a message that he wants everyone to hear.

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Speaking in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Haynes put the rumors to rest with a powerful response.

“It was a complete shock,” Haynes explained of the rumors that surfaced after his Tumblr comment, “I wasn’t ready to be back in the headlines.”

Fair enough, because no one should ever be made to feel pressured to talk about their sexuality, and we’re glad Haynes only did so when he felt comfortable. Haynes has never tried to hide who he was, but he didn’t want to publicly address it either. Until now.

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“I should have made a comment or a statement, but I just wasn’t ready,” he explained. “I didn’t feel like I owed anyone anything. I think in due time, everyone has to make those decisions when they’re ready, and I wasn’t yet. But I felt like I was letting people down by not coming forward with the rest of what I should have said.”

Living your life in the public eye can result in tremendous pressure, and this is something Haynes has experienced firsthand.

“People want you to be that GQ image that you put out, but people don’t realize what it’s like to act 24 hours a day,” he confessed. “I’d go home and I was still acting. People who are so judgmental about those who are gay or different don’t realize that acting 24 hours a day is the most exhausting thing in the world.”

Regardless of the difficult decisions and the judgement that Haynes faced in the past, he now finds himself in a great place, a place that has him feeling incredibly content.

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“I’m happier than I’ve ever been, and healthier than I’ve ever been,” he said, adding, “and that’s what I care about.”

Are you glad Colton Haynes is ready to open up about his sexuality, or is this a topic he should never have had to address publicly? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

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