Colton Underwood revealed he tattooed his entire wrist to make himself instantly recognizable, then concealed it when he hooked up with men.
“The Bachelor” star and former professional football player opened up about the great lengths he went to hide his homosexuality in the June 16 episode of “We Need To Talk” with Paul C. Brunson. He admitted he thought he could be straight by building a fake public image, but struggled while stifling his identity.
“It’s why I got my first tattoo, just so I could become identifiable. But then I ended up wrapping it when I would go hook up with guys and be like, I hurt my wrist,” Underwood said.
Brunson asked him if the tattoo was “specifically” for that reason, to which Underwood replied, “Yeah, I tatted my entire wrist. Just these levels that I was going to, to try to force myself to not be gay.”
Underwood admitted he was conflicted about his sexuality. On one hand, he was adamant about displaying the tattoo to be recognizable in an attempt to discourage himself from pursuing same-sex relationships, but on the other hand, he covered it up.
Initially, he got the tattoo thinking, “At least now people may be able to identify me, outside of just like – this dude,” he said.
Underwood said he felt he could live life as a straight man after gaining popularity on The Bachelor.
He recalled thinking, “I’m so publicly known now for being the Bachelor that I can never do gay things again.”
“So that was sort of what I was telling myself,” he said. (RELATED: Bunnie XO Says She’s Having A Baby With Jelly Roll Amid Divorce Drama)
Underwood ultimately publicly came out as gay in April 2021 during an interview with Robin Roberts on “Good Morning America,” and admitted someone blackmailed him by threatening to reveal his sexual identity.