David Archuleta has not felt ostracized by his religious community since coming out as a member of the LGTBQIA+ community, he revealed during a June 23 appearance on Good Morning America.
The 30-year-old American Idol alum, who is a devout Mormon, said "he hasn't felt rejected" after sharing his sexual orientation with church leaders.
While Archuleta previously did not claim a label in his coming out post, he now says he identifies as "some form of being bisexual." He also shared that he has not dated a man and does not plan to have sex until marriage.
Accepting his identity has been a journey in self-love for Archuleta.
"I've had to learn how to love myself, even when I don't understand why I am the way that I am," Archuleta continued. "To learn that that's how God has created me. And I have to discover that, and there's so many millions of other people who have gone through the same thing as me—they've tried to change who they are."
Accepting his identity has been a journey in self-love for Archuleta.
"I've had to learn how to love myself, even when I don't understand why I am the way that I am," Archuleta continued. "To learn that that's how God has created me. And I have to discover that, and there's so many millions of other people who have gone through the same thing as me—they've tried to change who they are."
He also admitted he was "scared" before coming out.
"Because I always felt there was something that I had to keep to myself," he expressed. "There's so much relief to not feel like you have to hide a part of yourself, like a secret."
Archuleta, who said he struggled early on with reconciling his feelings for men and women, offered advice to those who might not understand or accept him in his coming out post on Instagram on June 12.
The "Crush" singer wrote in his caption, "For people who don't really understand how feelings outside of just being heterosexual can be possible and okay I just plead that you be more understanding to people who experience and struggle with things that you may not experience or understand yourself."
The American Idol star continued, "I just invite you to please consider making room to be more understanding and compassionate to those who are LGBTQIA+, and those who are part of that community and trying to find that balance with their faith which also is a huge part of their identity like myself."
He also noted that he shouldn't have to push out one part of his identity—being in the LGBTQIA+ community—to make room for his faith, concluding, "For me to find peace the reality has been to accept both are real things I experience and make [me] who I am."