Before the last month or so, Becca Tilley was known for her double stint on The Bachelor, both with Chris Soules, where she was the runner-up, and Ben Higgins.
However, recently, Becca has made headlines for another reason… coming out publicly as dating singer Hayley Kiyoko.
While Bachelor Nation knew Becca was in a private four-year relationship, the majority of people had no idea it was with another woman, and it came as a shock to most.
Becca made the decision to come out. It wasn’t an easy decision and was one that came with a lot of fear and anxiety.
Becca Tilley talks about how hard it was for her to come out publicly
When deciding to come out, Becca had some reservations, especially after an Australian newspaper bullied Rebel Wilson for it.
After seeing this, Becca stated that while she was happy for Rebel, it made her even more afraid because she hated that Rebel lived in fear and received threats for showing her true self.
Becca revealed that before she came out to the world, she had two scenarios playing through her head: the worst case and the best case.
The worst-case scenario involved being bullied online and facing horrible backlash and criticism. She had seen and read comments from other people who had come out publicly and was terrified that would happen to her.
But what happened, realistically, is that once Becca came out, her followers and fans were extremely happy for her. This exceeded Becca’s best-case scenario by far.
Why Becca came out when she did
Becca decided to come out publicly before Pride month, and it was definitely planned that way. She wanted to be a platform for others and do something with the news she put out there to the world.
Because of her decision to come out, Becca knew that some of her brand deals might go away, but she also was aware many more might come to the forefront.
After coming out, Becca wants to make sure that the brands she associates herself with from here on out support the LGBTQ+ community, both in June during Pride month but also the other eleven months out of the year.
While it was difficult for Becca to announce her relationship with her girlfriend, Hayley, and the fact that she is a lesbian, it may have been the best thing Becca ever does.
Now she can be her true self each and every day, and she definitely has the support of Bachelor Nation behind her.
The Bachelorette premieres Monday, July 11, on ABC.