Buckle up, folks, because we have a story that’s bound to twist and turn like your favorite reality TV drama. Josh Seiter, a former contestant on the hot mess express that is ‘The Bachelorette,’ has recently come out as transgender, and let’s just say the reception hasn’t exactly been a Hollywood ending.
If you thought the far left and the LGBTQ community would be rolling out the rainbow-colored welcome mats, think again. According to Seiter, his announcement has been met with a torrent of, well, not-so-nice comments. ‘The far left and the LGBTQ community have been some of the most vitriolic and mean towards me throughout all of this,’ Seiter told ‘The Daily Mail.’
So, what about those ‘open arms’ and ‘tolerance’ we’ve heard so much about? Seiter claims it’s been more like open season on him. ‘I haven’t been met with acceptance, tolerance, and open arms like the left loves to preach about,’ he added. Talk about irony.
Before we dive deeper, let’s rewind a bit. Long before transitioning, Seiter was showing off his tattoos on the first night of ‘The Bachelorette’ Season 11. Remember him? Yeah, that guy. (Rick Rowell)
Seiter isn’t asking for much, just some thoughts, prayers, and a whole lot of patience. ‘I ask for your thoughts and prayers—and patience—as I transition. I know it will take time for everyone, including myself, to adjust. I simply ask that you accept me now, just as you did before,’ he said.
Well, some folks are having a hard time with that. Among Seiter’s more controversial choices are keeping facial hair while transitioning and his desire to use women’s restrooms. Oh, and he’s been vocal about his dating values, which are rooted in traditionalism.
‘Dates can be so cheap. The last couple of dates that I’ve gone on, I’ve expected the guy to pay because I feel like the man should pay for the first date, and they just don’t want to,’ Seiter said in an Instagram video last month. Imagine the dinner table discussion when his date suggested he should pay, to which, he cheekily replied, ‘In that case, you should pay.’
Not exactly the picture of a modern-day feminist icon, huh?
If you thought the trolls were done, think again. The online comments came in hot, and let’s just say folks didn’t hold back. ‘Being a woman is a lot more than make-up and a tube top,’ one comment with over 47K likes read. Ouch!
‘You’re a MAN!’ another user bluntly commented, amidst a sea of remarks questioning Seiter’s courage and sanity.
Despite all the criticism, Seiter maintains that freedom of speech is essential in a democracy. ‘We live in a democracy in America where you have freedom of speech, and it’s okay to disagree with people. I’m always going to encourage it,’ the former ‘Bachelorette’ contestant told ‘The Daily Mail.’
With that said, let’s hope Josh finds some much-needed peace and acceptance as he continues his journey. And if there’s one thing to take away from this saga, it’s that life, much like a season of ‘The Bachelorette,’ is full of surprising plot twists.
