80% of men in fashion industry and 15 Bachelor stars identify as LGBTQ+

Renowned fashion designer Maria B has sparked a conversation with her recent claim that 80% of men in Pakistan's fashion industry identify as LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or others).

This statement has gone viral on social media, reigniting a long-standing debate.

In a podcast interview, Maria B shared her thoughts on the fashion industry and her reasons for speaking out on this issue.

She expressed frustration with individuals who claim all sexual orientations are permissible in Islam, citing the Quran's references to the nation of Lut (27 times).

Maria B argued that dismissing this topic as small or unimportant is not acceptable.

Notably, Maria B claimed she had remained silent about LGBTQ individuals in the fashion industry until they began publicly claiming Islamic acceptance. She estimates that 80% of men in the industry identify as LGBTQ, a statistic that may surprise many.

This statement has sparked a mix of reactions, from support to criticism. Some appreciate Maria B's willingness to address a sensitive topic, while others disagree with her approach or dispute her claims.

The conversation highlights the complexities of discussing gender identity and sexual orienA recent comprehensive survey has shown that an unprecedented 28% of Generation Z identifies as LGBTQ, highlighting a significant cultural shift. This surge reflects broader changes in attitudes and acceptance, with young people today more open to expressing diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Let’s explore the implications of this finding with 10 key insights from the survey, which illuminate how Gen Z is reshaping conversations around identity and inclusivity.tation in Pakistan's cultural context.

Colton Underwood, a former "Bachelor" lead and ex-football player, announced on Tuesday that he and his husband, Jordan C. Brown, are expecting their first child together.

He came out three years ago, in April 2021, making him the first (out) gay man in the "Bachelor" franchise. Since coming out, Underwood has starred in his own Netflix docuseries, "Coming Out Colton," began hosting a podcast called "Daddyhood," and became a successful influencer with 1.8 million followers on Instagram.

Underwood is now part of a growing community of LGBTQ+ people who have appeared on "The Bachelor" and its related spinoffs around the world.

Here's who else has identified as LGBTQ+ from "The Bachelor."

Colton Underwood became the first out gay man in Bachelor Nation in April 2021. He's now expecting a baby with his husband.

Underwood originally appeared on Becca Kufrin's season of "The Bachelorette" in May 2018, before moving to "Bachelor in Paradise" and finally to his own season of "The Bachelor" in January 2019. At the time, he was marketed as the "virgin Bachelor."

He dated Cassie Randolph for around a year before the two split, with Randolph filing for a restraining order against Underwood in September 2020, People reported. The outlet reported that the restraining order was dropped that November.

Months later, in April 2021, Underwood came out as gay during an interview on "Good Morning America."

"I'm emotional, but I'm emotional in such a good, happy, positive way," Underwood told "Good Morning America's" Robin Roberts. "I'm the happiest and healthiest that I've ever been in my life, and that means the world to me."

It made him the first former lead to be part of the LGBTQ+ community and the first gay man involved with the show. His journey was documented on the Netflix series "Coming Out Colton."

In May 2023, Underwood married political strategist Jordan C. Brown, announcing the news via People.

One year later, the reality star announced he and Brown are expecting a baby using IVF and a surrogate.

Gabby Windey announced in August 2023 that she is dating comedian Robby Hoffman.

Windey appeared first on Clayton Echard's season of "The Bachelor" before becoming the "Bachelorette" herself alongside Rachel Recchia in 2022. After breaking off her engagement to Erich Schwer, Windey was publicly single until August 2023.

On August 2, 2023, the "Dancing with the Stars" star posted a carousel of photos on Instagram with Hoffman, along with the caption, "Told you I'm a girls girl." On the same day, she appeared on "The View" to talk about her new relationship.

"I don't want to live and not be living my full truth," she said on the show. "I don't want to do that to myself. I don't want to do it to my girlfriend."

Becca Tilley revealed she'd been dating musician Hayley Kiyoko for four years in May 2022.

Hayley Kiyoko and Becca Tilley during night two of the iHeartRadio Music Festival held at T-Mobile Arena on September 24, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Hayley Kiyoko and Becca Tilley in 2022.Christopher Polk/Variety/Getty Images

Tilley, who appeared on both Chris Soules' and Ben Higgins' seasons of "The Bachelor" in 2015 and 2016, respectively, kept her relationship status a secret for years.

In late 2018, she revealed she was dating someone on her podcast, "Scrubbing In," though she kept the details private.

Then, on May 20, 2022, Tilley starred in the music video for Kiyoko's song, "For the Girls," which spoofed "The Bachelorette." The same day, Tilley went public with the relationship, posting a video to Instagram.

"I didn't even give people a chance to be more open-minded than I thought. People were just rooting for me to find love. They just were rooting for my happiness," Tilley said, speaking of her fans to The Cut in July 2022.

"These people were also rooting for me to get engaged in eight weeks," she joked. "They may not have the best perspective in all cases."

Jasmine Goode has been dating her girlfriend, blogger Melissa Marie, for years

Goode, who originally appeared on Nick Viall's season of "The Bachelor" in January 2017, appears to have been dating blogger Melissa Marie since at least 2021.

Marie has called Goode "the woman who stole my heart" in an Instagram post celebrating the "Bachelor" star's birthday in June 2023. Goode also cheered her partner on as she appeared on "Squid Game: The Challenge."

Marie and Goode have since appeared together on the "Vanderpump Rules" spinoff "The Valley."

To celebrate Pride Month in June 2022, Corrigan, who appeared on Clayton Echard's season of "The Bachelor" earlier that year, wrote about her sexuality in an Instagram post.

"It's important to me today to share with you all that I am queer. More specifically I am, always have been, and always will be bisexual," she wrote in the caption of her post.

Brooke Blurton made "Bachelorette" history as the first bisexual lead in 2021 — her season featured men and women for the first time.

Blurton, who was also the first Indigenous lead in "Bachelorette Australia's" history, appeared on both "The Bachelor" and "Bachelor in Paradise" in Australia in 2019. On camera, she came out to Nick, a fellow contestant on "Paradise," and shared that she had been in previous relationships with women.

At the time, the show's casting call asked for both men and women to apply — a first for the entire franchise worldwide.

At the end of her season of "The Bachelorette," which concluded in November 2021, Blurton ended up choosing to date Darvid Garayeli.

However, in January 2022, Garayeli and Blurton confirmed on their respective Instagram stories that they had broken up, as Yahoo! Lifestyle reported at the time.

Demi Burnett came out as bisexual during "Bachelor in Paradise," and she later proposed to her then-girlfriend during the show.

Burnett was introduced to audiences during Colton Underwood's season in January 2019, becoming one of the most popular people from the franchise.

When she went on "Paradise" in August 2019, she initially began exploring a relationship with Derek Peth, before admitting she had been dating someone before the show who she was still interested in — a woman named Kristian Haggerty.

Haggerty eventually joined the cast of "Paradise" and the two remained together for the rest of the season, becoming the first same-sex couple in the show's history.

Burnett proposed at the end of the season, but they broke up a few months later in October 2019, confirming the end of their relationship with a statement on Instagram.

Caves appeared on Weber's season of "The Bachelor" in January 2020. After she was eliminated, she took to her Instagram stories to address her sexuality that month, Yahoo! reported.

"The amount of people that ask me about my sexuality in my DM's is crazy. Lol I've been getting it since the first episode," she wrote at the time. "I'm fluid. I've been with women and I've been with men. I'm open-minded. To me, this really isn't a big deal," she continued. "I just do my thang."

Jaimi King was the first woman in "Bachelor" history to be openly bisexual.

King was a contestant on Nick Viall's season in January 2017, and she was open about her bisexuality from the moment she appeared on the show. She reappeared on "Paradise" that summer and made it clear she was open to pursuing relationships with men or women.

When asked if she thought the show was too conservative in a September 2017 interview with Refinery29, King said: "I guess I would say they're less conservative. I wouldn't say they cared about my sexuality like that. They probably wanted to take advantage of it. Like, 'Hey, we should probably highlight this because we do want to move in a more progressive way.'"

She's now married to graphic designer Geoff Parrish.

Abbie Chatfield of the Australian "Bachelor" has spoken about her evolving sexuality on her podcast, "It's A Lot with Abbie Chatfield."

Chatfield appeared on Matt Agnew's season of the Australian "Bachelor" back in July 2019 and then on Australia's "Bachelor in Paradise."

In the caption of an Instagram post in which she shared a clip from an episode of her podcast in April 2023, she wrote that she wondered whether she was "a bisexual with ADHD that needs extra stimulus or just a lesbian who has compulsory heterosexual tendencies," after sharing that she was thinking about women while she was with men.

Kristian Haggerty came on the show to be with her then-girlfriend, Demi Burnett.

Kristian Haggerty in 2019.Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for iHeartMedia

Although Haggerty hadn't been on a "Bachelor" show before, when she showed up and joined the cast of "Bachelor in Paradise" in summer 2019, she became a member of "Bachelor Nation."

The two got engaged at the end of the season but broke up a few months later, in October, announcing their split in a joint statement on Instagram.

Haggerty is now engaged to influencer/lifestyle blogger Taylor Blake, according to her Instagram.

Minh Thu confessed her love for another contestant, Truc Nhu, during an episode of "The Bachelor: Vietnam."

Minh Thu on "The Bachelor."The Bachelor Vietnam

Thu's emotional declaration of love for her fellow contestant, Truc Nhu, instead of the lead of "The Bachelor," went viral in September 2018, as BuzzFeed News reported at the time.

On the show, Thu confessed that she had fallen in love with someone — just not the Bachelor — and then asked Nhu to leave with her.

While Nhu decided to stay, the two began dating once Nhu was eliminated from the show.

"Going the traditional way and having a husband and child doesn't necessarily mean that you will find happiness," Thu told BuzzFeed News in October 2018.

When Nhu was eliminated from the show, the two started dating.

Speaking to BuzzFeed News in October 2018, Nhu said she missed Thu immediately.

"The moment when Minh Thu left and I stayed behind, I had a lot of longing. I had a lot of memories of our time together," she said.

It's unclear whether the two are still dating, but, in April 2019, they appeared to be together, as The Pink News reported they had attended Hanoi Pride together.

Megan Marx appeared on the fourth season of the Australian "Bachelor," where she met her future girlfriend.

Megan Marx.Hanna Lassen/WireImage/Getty Images

Marx met Tiffany Scanlon in July 2016 while they were competing on Richie Strahan's season. Their close friendship sparked speculation at the time, as Elle Australia reported.

Marx seemingly confirmed their relationship on Instagram in October 2016.

"From that first cocktail party, it was like this instant calibration between souls, as if we had known each other once before. Friendship ripened into something bolder," she wrote in the caption of her post, which she signed off with: "Happy birthday Tiffany. I love you."

However, the relationship didn't last and they broke up in March 2017, according to a since-deleted Instagram comment, The Daily Mail reported. She confirmed the news during an interview with TheFIX later that month.

In January 2021, Marx spoke about the breakup on the "So Dramatic" podcast.

"Basically we ended up really not liking each other as human beings. It was just a disaster," she said on the podcast, according to the Australian outlet Now to Love. "There was all this pressure. The biggest thing was letting down the LGBTIQ community."

Her ex, Tiffany Scanlon, later appeared on "Bachelor: Winter Games" in February 2018.

Tiffany Scanlon.Edward Herrera/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images

Scanlon hasn't really spoken much about their breakup, though she did write about it on her blog in November 2017.

"I was finding it more and more difficult to enjoy myself now that we were more recognizable to the public," she wrote. "Strangers grabbing at us for pictures, not even introducing themselves or talking to us, men asking for threesomes, people accusing us of faking our relationship."



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