Below Deck Stars Who Are Part Of The LGBTQIA Community
For the unacquainted, "Below Deck" is a reality show on Bravo, and has been on the air since 2013. It follows the exploits of a yacht crew as they navigate life while sailing the seven seas, per TV Insider. The crew was originally led by Captain Lee Rosbach; though he's taken a break from the show, Captain Lee addressed his "Below Deck" future in an exclusive interview with The List, hinting at a possible return.
From "The Real World: New York" showcasing one of the first out gay people on TV, to "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy's" whole existence, reality TV has continuously broken ground in terms of LGBTQ+ representation. "Below Deck" is no exception, with several out and proud crew members. David Bradberry first paved the way back in season one, when he came out as gay to his crewmates, and Captain Sandy Yawn, leader of the "Below Deck Mediterranean" crew, doesn't discriminate when it comes to love, openly dating both men and women. Cast members like these two set the precedent for LGBTQ+ acceptance on "Below Deck," and plenty of yachties have come out since then.
Tyler Walker, who joined the crew in season 10, broke barriers when he came out on camera, saying in a confessional, "My sexuality is fluid...moving into yachting, I could just explore myself. It's been amazing.". Just two seasons prior, Izzy Wouters, out and proud lesbian, graced our screens. She came out as a lesbian in 2020, though her journey took place off-camera. Both stars admitted to facing difficulty in their coming out processes because of their reality TV star status.
Izzy Wouters came out on Instagram
The previously untold truth about Izzy Wouters is now out in the open, and we couldn't be happier for her. According to People, she decided to come out in an Instagram post, rather than on camera, though the post has since been deleted. Though she's proud of her decision, she nearly didn't come out. In an interview with E! News, Wouters shared her fear of being called "attention seeking" in the wake of her Instagram post. Luckily, she's received an outpouring of support: "People now in my community...reach out to me and chat to me...it's been really fun."
Since coming out, she has not been in any committed, public-facing relationships. Though she told E! News that she was exploring her options via online dating apps, she hasn't gone any further than that. She admitted to being emotionally sensitive and needing to toughen up after "Below Deck" thrust her into the spotlight, so it's not a stretch to assume that she'd want to keep any potential relationships private.
Tyler Walker's mother is still coming to terms with her son's sexuality
Tyler Walker was 24 years old when he joined the crew of the St. Davis. Hailing from a small town in South Africa, yachting gave him the outlet he needed to explore the world and his sexuality. On "Watch What Happens: Live" with Andy Cohen, Walker said that he grew up primarily among straight people, and had no LGBTQ+ role models, adding an extra layer of difficulty. He opened up about the process to E! News in an exclusive interview, admitting that the process was less than ideal, especially when it came to his conservative mother, who had trouble understanding Walker's perspective.
Thankfully, his sister has stuck by his side. As the very first person he came out to (even before he came out on TV), she has helped him navigate those tough conversations. Even though his mother still doesn't quite understand her son's sexual orientation, the two remain close. Walker said that they still speak every day and that her gradual willingness to hear his point of view has given him hope for the future.