Colton Haynes (Photo: Shutterstock)
Actor Colton Haynes, 32, shared an old photo he spent years trying to erase from the internet.
Haynes says the image in question was taken when he was 15 and working as a model. The homoerotic pose shows him entangled with another model. Both are shirtless. The photo made the March 2006 cover of gay XY magazine.
Haynes says he’s posting the back image now to get it back and to stop feeling ashamed or embarrassed about it.
“I have never posted this photo before. In fact, I’ve spent a lot of my career trying to wipe it off the Internet while I was still in the closet, ”he said.
“Partly because so many people in Hollywood told me that I would never work as an openly gay actor, but partly because I was incredibly ashamed. It made me sad to see these photos that I I had taken at age 15. Former model… before I was placed with voice and movement coaches to sit up for the cameras… before I learned to see my homosexuality as a handicap. I was jealous of him. boy in these pictures was so open, so free, he had to be taught that it was wrong to be who he was.
“Being gay deserves to be celebrated. I wish I had understood it sooner, but I’m so happy to know it now. To all of the LGBTQIA + community, I hope you celebrate yourself this month and always, exactly as you are ❤️ “
Related: Will Colton Haynes Play Gay Iceman In The Upcoming ‘X-Men’ Reboot?
Haynes was born in Kansas. He spent his childhood there, in Arkansas, New Mexico, Florida and Texas. He has previously said he first revealed his homosexuality at the age of 14. However, he was bullied because of his sexuality. His mother reacted badly at first, and Haynes later said he tried to run away from home.
Haynes found greater fame first in MTV’s Teen Wolf and then in the Arrow series.
When Teen Wolf started airing in 2011, XY photos started showing up on Tumblr and other websites.
In January 2016, a fan posted on Tumblr: “When I found out Colton Haynes had a secret gay past, I was so excited even though I know it makes absolutely no difference in my life.” Haynes responded on his personal Tumblr, saying, “Was that a secret? Let’s all enjoy life and have no regrets 🙂 ”
Many took this as Haynes coming out publicly in a low-key way. He then did so more officially via an interview with Entertainment Weekly in May 2016.
Since that time, Haynes has been more open and outspoken about his life, including talking about his previous substance abuse and alcohol issues.
Related: Colton Haynes Mourns His Sister’s Death: ‘I Feel Absolutely Gutted’
Yesterday’s Instagram image garnered nearly half a million likes in less than 12 hours. Billy Eichner posted “❤️❤️❤️” in response, and Charlie Carver dropped “💕” as well. Actor Jonathan Bennett replied, “It’s so powerful. I can feel you mate. Love who you were then and love who you are now. “.
Singer Keke Palmer said, “Thank you for posting this and I hate what you’ve been through, but I’m so glad it made you a dark chasing vessel with truth and light !! 😍❤️ “, while Michelle Visage replied” STRONG AND PROUD, BABY “.
XY magazine made a name for itself when it first appeared in the late 1990s by highlighting stories of interest to young gay readers. When asked if the staff at XY knew Colton’s age when he presented the photos of him in 2006, its founder and publisher, Peter Ian Cummings, said in a statement to Queerty: “Colton does was not 15 when he posed for XY, he was 17. Colton’s photos have a model release signed by his parent, which is industry practice for minors who model. Her ex-boyfriend Gareth also signed a model release.
