The Bachelor alum Colton Underwood has given Gabby Windey major props for coming out and going public with her first relationship with a woman.
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Colton, 31, praised Gabby, 32, for having announced to the world in August that she's gay and in serious relationship with comedian Robby Hoffman during an interview with E! News.
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"I'm super proud and excited for her," Colton told E! News at his inaugural Pickle! for Purpose Celebrity Pickleball Tournament on Saturday in Malibu, CA.
"I'm just extremely proud of anybody from that franchise or any of the TV and reality world that gets to live their truth."
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Colton starred on Season 23 of The Bachelor in 2019. After announcing his split from his The Bachelor winner, Cassie Randolph, in May 2020 after 18 months of dating, Colton came out as gay in April 2021.
Colton went on to date and political strategist Jordan C. Brown. The pair got engaged in February 2022, and then they wed in May 2023.
Given both Colton and Gabby appeared on multiple shows in The Bachelor franchise and are now out and proud, the Coming Out Colton star said he knows exactly what Gabby is "going through."
"I know it's challenging going through a show like that with just the pressures of America rooting for a relationship without being in it," Colton said, referring to Gabby's failed The Bachelorette Season 19 engagement to Erich Schwer.
Colton, who recently said he's about 75% gay, added that it's "really important" for queer people to be visible in the world.
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Prior to starring as the Bachelor, Colton competed for Becca Kufrin's heart on The Bachelorette's fourteenth season. And before she handed out roses, Gabby vied for Clayton Echard's affection on The Bachelor's 26th season.
Another member from Bachelor Nation, Becca Tilley -- who previously appeared on Ben Higgins and Chris Soules' seasons of The Bachelor -- is also in a romantic relationship with someone of the same sex.
Becca has been happily dating a woman, singer Hayley Kiyoko. Becca publicly confirmed their relationship in May 2022 after quietly dating for four years, and now Becca is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community.
"Having Colton and Gabby in the same place gives everyone a little more comfort, you know?" Becca told E! News at the same Pickle ball event.
"It makes me so happy -- outside of Bachelor Nation, in Bachelor Nation -- people feeling comfortable to be able to love who they love and let themselves have connections with people that maybe they didn't expect to have."
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The two-time The Bachelor alum added, "Being able to feel brave enough and safe enough to do it is so important. I'm so glad that we're part of that conversation."
Gabby first came out and revealed that she's in love with Robby on The View.
"When she came out, I did reach out to her and I said, 'I'm so happy for you. Congratulations,'" the "Scrubbing In podcast" host recalled. "And she said something along the lines of, 'You've paved the way, Becca. Thank you.'"
During a late August episode of the "Just B with Bethenny Frankel" podcast, Gabby shared how she'd eventually like to tie the knot with Robby.
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Gabby shared of her desire to wed a woman, "I think it's just another way that we get to commit to each other. Maybe my views will change; I don't really have political views on it."
The Dancing with the Stars Season 31 runner-up also shared how she feels she's able to be "a lot more softer and loving" with Robby than in her past relationships with men.
"She asked me to be her girlfriend with a Ring-Pop two weeks in... We celebrate [our anniversary] every month, but if a dude were to do that to me, disgusting! I'd be like, 'Do not act like that,'" Gabby said.
But when it comes to the idea of starting a family, the former The Bachelorette star confessed, "We don't want kids."
When asked if she and Robby had made that decision together, Gabby shared, "Both of us didn't want them separately."
While Gabby acknowledged that she'd "love to see little Robbys" running around, she's currently living her best life -- and she doesn't want to change that dynamic.
"We both had tumultuous childhoods and we both went through so much as kids, so we want to be kids now!" The Bachelor alum explained on the podcast.
"We are kids and we play so much. We want to be able to have room for ourselves and really treat our relationship like our child. That is our priority and we want to throw all of our resources into protecting it and growing it and nurturing it."
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Gabby, however, did bring a dog into the relationship, and Robby already had a cat.
"They don't [get along] right now, so we're reading lots of material... We're hoping for the best," The Bachelor alum noted at the time.
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Gabby admitted she had "a lot of shame" to work through after her time on The Bachelor franchise but now she loves being in a monogamous relationship with Robby and believes "real love transcends gender."
Gabby pointed out how she and Robby support each other and lift each other up. The former The Bachelorette star boasted about how their communication and sex life are both great, and she noted how she wants to protect her romance with Robby.
In terms of their finances, Gabby shared how they split the cost of things and both contribute.
Gabby is now totally moved on from Erich. She and Erich got engaged on The Bachelorette 19, which aired its finale in September 2022, but they split up, in an alleged amicable manner, less than two months later.
News of Gabby and Erich's split surfaced on November 4, and then Gabby confirmed she and Erich were over days later during an episode of Dancing with the Stars' 31st season. Gabby said she and her former fiance weren't "in sync" or "the best match" for each other.
"I haven't heard a peep. I haven't heard a word," Gabby said of Erich's reaction to her new relationship.
Erich, meanwhile, announced he was in a new relationship with model and social media influencer Elizabeth Turner in February, but they've apparently called it quits since then.
Gabby said she began questioning her sexuality at age 30 and then her desire to date women became stronger while on tour for Dancing with the Stars earlier this year. She then met Robby outside of a bar.
Gabby said Robby charmed her with her personality and sense of humor.
"She was like, 'I'm not going to lie, Gabby, I want your number'... and then we went on our first date and the rest was history," Gabby said.
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