Former Bachelorette Gabby Windey reveals she is dating a woman: 'I want to live my truth and my story'

Former Bachelorette Gabby Windey appeared on The View on Wednesday to reveal that, less than a year after leading The Bachelorette season 19 alongside Rachel Reccia, Windey is dating a woman.

"I had such an amazing experience on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, dating all those men. That's how people know me," said Windey, who also scored second place on season 31 of Dancing With the Stars. "But I just want to live my truth and my story, so I have been seeing someone for a couple months. I've been keeping it a little more private because it is a bigger story and a bigger conversation, because I'm dating a girl."

Windey admitted that her new relationship came as a bit of a surprise even to her.

"I think there was always a whisper in me that just got louder and louder," she said. "I didn't really know to pay attention to it. I think when this happens, there's some shame surrounding it, so I had to navigate through the shame: What is it, where is it coming from? But I always want to do me, do what I want, figure it out later."

The View ladies made it clear that "there's nothing to be ashamed of," which is exactly why she wanted to make the announcement on the show — to have a discussion with other women. Windey said she did want to make a public announcement to be transparent with her fans, both from The Bachelorette and Dancing With the Stars.

"I think people know me and have kinda related to me on the previous shows I've been on, and I appreciate them," Windey said. "Literally, Dancing With the Stars is voting-based. Knowing how much people really care, I just want to be honest. I don't want to live and not be living my full truth. I don't want to do that to myself, I don't want to do it to my girlfriend, I don't want to do it to people who care about me and feel like they know me.

At the end of her season of The Bachelorette, Windey accepted a marriage proposal from contestant Erich Schwer, but they announced their breakup last November. The View ladies asked how he took the news.

"Oh, he doesn't know," Windey said. The hosts replied by asserting that he most certainly knows now.

Windey followed up her appearance on The View with an Instagram post featuring photos of herself and her girlfriend. Check that out below, and watch The View clip above.

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