A former Bachelorette star has shocked fans of the franchise by coming out as transgender.
Josh Seiter, who now uses she/her pronouns, announced her plans to transition to a woman back in May.
While fans were initially supportive of the 37-year-old’s decision, some have now questioned her intentions and accused the reality star of ‘trolling’ for attention.
Seiter, who was caught up in a death hoax last year, raised eyebrows in her gender journey by refusing to shave her body hair and claiming that she felt ‘more feminine’ when she wasn’t wearing a wig.
Speaking to DailyMail.com about the backlash, Seiter insisted that her transition was the real deal – and said that her haters were just jealous of her gorgeous good looks.
Former Bachelorette star Josh Seiter has sparked backlash after coming out as a transgender woman
Seiter briefly appeared on Kaitlyn Bristowe’s season of The Bachelorette back in 2015
‘I am getting lots of hate from the LGBTQ community and people that fancy themselves gatekeepers — despite them preaching about love, tolerance and acceptance,’ the Chicago native said.
‘I find it ironic that a movement that values freedom and charting our own unique path is also one of the most judgmental. I’ve actually found a lot more support from my conservative friends than my so-called liberal friends.’
Seiter said that she was largely unfazed by the backlash and rampant speculation around her gender identity.
‘I think most are just jealous that I am a beautiful trans woman. I noticed I look better than most of the trans women hating on me in my DMs and comments, so I think the hate is just jealousy disguised as concern,’ Seiter sniped.
‘It’s sad my transition has so many people up in arms.’
Seiter first announced her intention to transition on May 20 in an open letter to her 960,000 Instagram followers.
‘I have struggled with my gender identity – and resulting feelings of guilt and shame – for as long as I can remember,’ she wrote at the time.
‘I spent the last three decades trying to keep this side of me private. I felt I had no choice, given my upbringing in a strictly religious, conservative family.’
Seiter raised eyebrows about her gender journey by refusing to shave her body hair and claiming that she felt ‘more feminine’ when she wasn’t wearing a wig
Before and after: Compared to her traditionally masculine appearance before, Seiter now wears women’s clothing and makeup
She went on to share that she had ‘projected the image of a strong, masculine son and brother’ to the world, but no longer wanted to hide her true self.
While Seiter received an outpouring of support from fans at the time, the tide has shifted in recent weeks, with many accusing the Bachelorette alum of ‘faking’ her transition for clout.
‘He’s (sic) doing it for attention!’ one follower raged, while another wrote, ‘This has to be a social experiment to see our reactions.’
Another commented, ‘If you are no longer a man, start shaving your face. The makeup and beard is not matching at all.’
Since starting her transition, Seiter has not removed her body hair or shaved her face.
‘I think most are just jealous that I am a beautiful trans woman,’ Seiter told DailyMail.com
‘I’m gonna keep it,’ she said in a recent video.
‘I like my facial and body hair. It makes me feel comforted. It makes me feel soothed. It makes me feel safe. And I like the way it looks.’
In a follow-up video titled ‘stop policing women’s body hair,’ Seiter lashed out at criticism she’d received for sporting a 5 o’clock shadow.
‘It’s hair. I decide what I wanna do with it. Newsflash – [cisgender] women have body hair. Trans women have body hair. It’s just a matter of what we’re gonna do with it and it’s nobody’s business.’
In another Instagram video, Seiter complained about women’s clothing sizes after her muscular, 6ft frame was unable to squeeze into a large woman’s blouse.
She also said that it was unfair that she, as a transgender woman, had been forced to pay for dinner while on a date.
‘I just want to go on a date and have the man be a gentleman and treat me like a woman,’ she said.
Seiter later claimed that she was the victim of transphobic abuse after she used a women’s public restroom.
Since starting her transition, Seiter has not removed her body hair or shaved her face
Seiter also said that she was the victim of transphobic abuse after she used a women’s restroom
Last year, fans were alarmed when a message from Seiter’s purported family falsely confirmed that she had died.
‘It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share the tragic news of Joshua’s unexpected passing,’ the statement read.
‘As all who knew him can attest, Joshua was an incredibly bright light in an increasingly dim world. His fearless voice and indomitable spirit helped thousands of people in their darkest moments feel just a little less alone.
‘Although our heartache at Joshua’s passing pains us beyond measure, we find comfort knowing that he is finally at peace.’
The following day, Seiter reemerged online to reveal that she was the victim of a death hoax.
Taking to her page with a video, she clarified: ‘Hey guys, as you can see, I am alive and well. My account was hacked. For the last 24 hours I have been trying desperately to get into it.
‘Somebody was playing a cruel joke, mocking my mental illness and the struggles I’ve gone through with depression and suicide attempts. I’m sorry for all the pain they caused when they made that post.’
When asked why it took so long to prove she was actually alive, she told TMZ that she had prioritized getting her Instagram account back first.
Seiter has been working as an OnlyFans model since coming out as bisexual
The former reality star was also caught up in a shocking death hoax last year
Months before the death hoax, Seiter made headlines after coming out as bisexual.
‘I guess the timing of me coming out as bisexual is pretty providential, since I’m making this announcement during Pride Month,’ Seiter told Instinct magazine, noting that she had a religious upbringing.
‘Unlike some people, my awareness of my bisexuality manifested later in life.’
She added: ‘Now, with hindsight, I can see clearly that I’ve been starkly aware of my bisexuality and attraction to men and women since at least college.’
Seiter also said that she was going to be ‘starring in a series of adult films’ after starting an OnlyFans account.
‘Coming out was the most liberating experience of my life, and it has opened up so many great opportunities for growth,’ she gushed.
‘This is just one rung in the ladder of the bisexual experience I intend to climb, and I couldn’t be more excited for the future.’
