David Archuleta is bravely opening up about his sexuality in an emotional message to fans.
On Saturday (June 12), the season seven American Idol runner-up shared a lengthy note on Instagram about his struggles with his sexual identity and religious beliefs, and encouraged people to have more “understanding and compassionate” for those facing similar experiences.
“I like to keep to myself but also thought this was important to share because I know so many other people from religious upbringings feel the same way,” Archuleta began his heartfelt message. “I’ve been open to myself and my close family for some years now that I am not sure about my own sexuality.”
The 30-year-old singer, who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, revealed that he came out as gay to his family in 2014, but that he also “had similar feelings for both genders so maybe a spectrum of bisexual.” He also learned that he doesn’t “have too much sexual desires and urges as most people,” which works for him since he’s saving himself for marriage.
“I just invite you to please consider making room to be more understanding and compassionate to those who are LGBTQIA+, and those who are a part of that community and trying to find that balance with their faith which also is a huge part of their identity like myself,” the Utah native wrote.
He added, “I think we can do better as people of faith and Christians, including Latter-day Saints, to listen more to the wrestle between being LGBTQIA+ and a person of faith… I don’t think it should come down to feeling you have to accept one or the other. For me to find peace the reality has been to accept both are real things I experience and make who I am… You can be part of the LGBTQIA+ community and still believe in God and His gospel plan.”
Archuleta, who placed second in the 2007 season of Idol at 16, scored a massive Billboard hit with his single “Crush,” which peaked at No. 2 in the Billboard Hot 100. His latest album, Therapy Sessions, was released 2020. The singer has been open about his Mormon beliefs over the years, and he spent time as a missionary in Chile following his run on Idol.
“I’ve tried for almost 20 years to try and change myself until I realized God made me how I am for a purpose. And instead of hating what I have considered wrong I need to see why God loved me for who I am and that it’s not just sexuality. So many other traits of who I am come from how I’ve been created,” he wrote.
See Archuleta’s full Instagram post here.
