Former The Bachelorette star Gabby Windey has found love — but it isn’t with any of the men who fought for her affections on the reality dating show.
In an update to social media on Wednesday, Windey — who last year co-starred in Season 19 of the show — revealed she is in a relationship with female comedian and writer Robby Hoffman.
Windey and Hoffman have been dating for three months. Hoffman was already out publicly when Windey made her announcement.
The 32-year-old reality star shared a series of photos of she and her new boo to Instagram with the caption, “Told you I’m a girls girl!!”
In the multiple photos, Windey and Hoffman are seen embracing and enjoying a sunny vacation. In the final photo, Windey is holding a drink and a red rose in front of a rainbow coloured U.S. flag, complete with stars formed in a heart shape.
On her Instagram story, Windey said dating Hoffman has been “truly, really the best experience over these last three months.”
Also on Wednesday, Windey appeared on The View to discuss her relationship.
She said she has been trying to “live my truth” away from The Bachelor franchise.
“I’ve been seeing someone for a couple months and I’ve been keeping it a little more private because it is a bigger story and a bigger conversation,” Windey prefaced. “I’m dating a girl.”
As The View audience cheered, Windey joined in to clap as well.
She joked that she didn’t think anyone saw this news coming, not even herself.
Windey described her attraction to women as a “whisper in me that just got louder and louder.”
“When this happens, there’s some shame obviously surrounding it, so I think I had to a little bit navigate through the shame,” she said. “I always just want to do me, do what I want, figure it out later.”
Windey said she chose to visit The View so that she could come out on her own terms.
“My story’s been told for me so many times, being on TV with editing and production,” she said. “They’re going to say what they want to say, but I want them to hear it come from my mouth.”
Hoffman shared her own series of photos after Windey’s announcement. She included pictures of she and Windey on the beach, a photo of Windey wearing an at-home LED face mask and a video of Windey running off the set of The View.
GLAAD, a non-profit LGBTQ2 advocacy organization, issued a statement from vice president of communications and talent Anthony Allen Ramos celebrating Windey’s coming out.
“As one of today’s most visible reality stars from The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, Gabby Windey’s decision to continue to share her private life with the public as a queer woman is a key reminder to people, including the many millions who watch the franchise, that there are no rules for coming out and that everyone’s journey is different,” said Ramos. “This should also be an important reminder to the industry that LGBTQ people have a place in mainstream dating and relationship shows and that we must be included.”
Windey was previously engaged to Erich Schwer, who she chose as the winner at the end of her season of The Bachelorette. The couple called it quits in November.
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