David Archuleta marks coming out anniversary, supports struggling LGBTQ+ members: 'Being queer is beautiful'
It has been a year since David Archuleta has come out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. To celebrate, the singer recalled "that day" he made the announcement, which he says, gave him inner peace. The American Idol alum also said that he's "not too worried" about labels as he identifies as gay, bisexual, and queer.
On Instagram, Archuleta posted the same 2021 photo he used in coming out, along with a new one where he's sporting a blonde hair. Looking back, he said he's "pulling weeds" and felt in his heart that he needed to open up about something "unthinkable" and "unimaginable."
"But that day I felt peace with myself," Archuleta noted. "I wasn’t afraid anymore of who all of me meant. Even if that meant I liked guys."
He bared that weeks before coming out, he ended his engagement to a "great and understanding" girl, as he "didn't want to hide anymore" and it's "causing a lot of turmoil inside."
That girl, Archuleta said, was among the three he "came close" to marrying, which he previously believed would "solve" things.
"Each time inside I knew something was wrong," he noted. "And I wasn’t being fully honest with myself or to the girls I was dating. They always thought it was them." He also hoped for his exes' understanding, saying he didn't want to pretend to have a "picture perfect life with a beautiful girl."
Archuleta also shared a story of a friend who married a man who's part of the LGBTQ+ community, but found out about it over a decade later.
"He tried to hide it too until he couldn’t anymore," Archuleta said, noting that the ex-husband felt "anger and hatred" with the situation, which he related to "so much."
"I felt that same anger and hatred and resentment building and growing inside of me already," he said. "I didn’t want to be that."
In the comments section, Archuleta threw his support for those struggling with who they really are, saying it's beautiful to be part of the LGBTQ+ community, "even if others don't understand."
"Dare to be you. If those around you still don’t understand, you will draw people to you who will love you for all of you!" he said.
"Not only for the parts they want to see and not just under conditions of you hiding your queerness because they don’t understand what that experience is like," he added.
Archuleta also said being queer is beautiful, noting that for Pride Month, he's learning to have "pride" in who all he is, including being gay or bisexual or queer.
While being queer is a "good broad term," he said he's "not too worried" about picking his identity labels, as he's letting himself figure out who he is "with time."
"I spent 30 years trying to disregard it. I imagine it’ll take time to fully understand myself," Archuleta said. "I never thought it was something to be proud of but rather ashamed and why I tried so hard to change."
"So I hope you strip that shame and hate you may feel for yourself and replace it with love," he concluded, as he wished everybody a happy Pride Month.
Archuleta became known to the public eye after coming as the first runner-up in the seventh season of American Idol. He is known for his hit songs Crush, A Little Too Not Over You, Touch My Hand, and Something ‘Bout Love.
He also starred opposite Jasmine Curtis-Smith in the 2012 teleserye Nandito Ako. That same year, he also released an OPM cover album featuring classic hits like Forevermore, Rainbow, and Nandito Ako.