A former Bachelorette star has shocked fans of the franchise by coming out as transgender.
Josh Seiter, who now uses she/her pronouns, announced his plans to transition to female in May.
While fans initially supported 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 in a death hoax last year, raised eyebrows in her gender journey by refusing to shave her body hair and claiming she felt “more feminine” when she wasn’t wearing a wig.
Speaking to DailyMail.com about the backlash, Seiter insisted her transition was real and said her haters were simply jealous of her beautiful 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 in 2015.
“I’m getting a lot of hate from the LGBTQ community and people who think they’re gatekeepers, even though they preach about love, tolerance and acceptance,” the Chicago native said.
‘I find it ironic that a movement that values freedom and charts our own unique path is also one of the most critical. In fact, I have found much more support from my conservative friends than from my so-called liberal friends.’
Seiter said she was largely unfazed by the backlash and rampant speculation about her gender identity.
‘I think most are just jealous that she is a beautiful trans woman. “I realized that I look better than most of the trans women who hate me in my DMs and comments, so I think the hate is just jealousy disguised as concern,” Seiter criticized.
“It’s sad that my transition has so many people up in arms.”
Seiter first announced his intention to transition on May 20 in an open letter to his 960,000 Instagram followers.
“I have struggled with my gender identity, and the 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 conservative and strictly religious family.’
Seiter drew attention to her gender journey by refusing to shave her body hair and claiming she felt “more feminine” when she didn’t wear a wig.
Before and after: Compared to his previous traditionally masculine appearance, Seiter now wears women’s clothing and makeup.
He went on to share that he had “projected the image of a strong, masculine son and brother” to the world, but that he no longer wanted to hide his true self.
While Seiter received a lot of support from fans at the time, the tide has turned in recent weeks, with many accusing the Bachelorette alum of ‘faking’ her transition to gain clout.
‘He does it (sic) to get attention!’ one follower fumed, while another wrote: “This has to be a social experiment to see our reactions.”
Another commented: ‘If you’re not a man anymore, start shaving your face. The makeup and beard don’t match at all.’
Since beginning his transition, Seiter has not removed his body hair or shaved his face.
“I think most are just jealous that I’m a beautiful trans woman,” Seiter told DailyMail.com.
“I’ll keep it,” he said in a recent video.
‘I like my facial and body hair. It makes me feel comforted. It makes me feel calm. 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 had received for sporting a five o’clock shadow.
‘It’s hair. I decide what I want to do with it. Newsflash: (cisgender) women have body hair. Trans women have body hair. It’s just a question of what we’re going to do with it and it’s nobody’s business.’
In another Instagram video, Seiter complained about women’s clothing sizes after his muscular 6-foot frame couldn’t fit into a large women’s top.
She also said it was unfair that she, as a transgender woman, had been forced to pay for dinner during a date.
“I just want to go on a date and for the man to be a gentleman and treat me like a woman,” she said.
Seiter later claimed that she was a victim of transphobic abuse after using a public women’s bathroom.
Since beginning his transition, Seiter has not removed his body hair or shaved his face.
Seiter also said she was a victim of transphobic abuse after using a women’s bathroom.
Last year, fans were alarmed when a message from Seiter’s supposed family falsely confirmed that she had died.
“It is with great sadness that we share the tragic news of Joshua’s unexpected passing,” the statement read.
‘As everyone who knew him can attest, Joshua was an incredibly bright light in an increasingly dark world. His fearless voice and indomitable spirit helped thousands of people in their darkest moments feel a little less alone.
“While our grief over Joshua’s passing hurts us beyond measure, we find comfort in knowing that he is finally at peace.”
The next day, Seiter reappeared online to reveal that he was the victim of a death hoax.
On her page with a video, she clarified: ‘Hey guys, as you can see, I’m alive and well. My account was hacked. For the last 24 hours I have been desperately trying to get into it.
‘Someone was playing a cruel joke, making fun of my mental illness and the struggles I have gone through with depression and suicide attempts. I’m sorry for all the pain you caused when you made that post.’
When asked why it took her 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 involved in a shocking death hoax last year.
Months before the death hoax, Seiter made headlines after coming out as bisexual.
“I think the timing of me coming out as bisexual is quite providential, as I will be making this announcement during Pride Month,” Seiter told Instinct magazine, noting that he had a religious upbringing.
“Unlike some people, my awareness of my bisexuality manifested itself later in life.”
He added: “Now, in retrospect, I can clearly see that I have been fully aware of my bisexuality and my attraction to men and women since at least college.”
Seiter also said she was going to “star in a series of adult films” after opening an Onlyfans account.
“Coming out was the most liberating experience of my life and has opened up so many great opportunities for growth,” he gushed.
“This is just one rung on the ladder of bisexual experience that I intend to climb, and I couldn’t be more excited for the future.”