‘YOU’RE NOT ALONE’

‘American Idol’ Star David Archuleta Comes Out

Raised in the Mormon faith, Archuleta said he hoped his coming out would help others in religious communities.

American Idol runner-up David Archuleta came out as part of the LGBTQ community in an Instagram post Saturday. The singer wrote that, while he came out as gay to his family in 2014, he later began to have feelings for both men and women, leading him to assume some sense of bisexuality. But since he didn’t have strong sexual desires—something he said he’s grateful for, as he wants to wait until marriage—he said he believed he was more asexual, a term he identifies as today. Raised in the Mormon faith, Archuleta said he hopes his coming out will provide some solace to those in religious communities who aren’t sure how to feel about themselves. “I’ve tried for almost 20 years to try and change myself until I realized God made me how I am for a purpose,” he wrote. “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.”

Archuleta shot to fame during his appearance on season seven of American Idol, where he placed second to winner David Cook. He's a prominent member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.