Julianne Hough Reflects on Her ‘Vulnerable and Empowering’ Coming Out Journey

Julianne Hough, renowned dancer and actress known from “Dancing with the Stars,” has recently delved into her journey of self-reflection and her evolving understanding of sexuality. In a candid conversation on The Jamie Kern Lima Show podcast on Aug. 27, Hough spoke about coming out as “not straight” and how this self-discovery has influenced her views on love and relationships.

Hough, now 36, first publicly addressed her sexuality in a 2019 Women’s Health interview. She described the act of coming out as both “vulnerable and empowering.” She elaborated on the podcast about her perspective on attraction and love, emphasizing that it’s less about labels such as straight, gay, or bi, and more about understanding love itself. According to Hough, “it’s not about being straight or gay or bi or queer. It’s more about, ‘I’m just learning like what love is and I love people.'”

Her insights reveal a shift towards a more inclusive and broad view of love and attraction. Hough shared that she began to see people for their hearts and essence. “I was starting to see people and seeing their hearts and seeing their beauty and their essence coming through in a way that I was like, ‘Wow, I love people.’ And I don’t know if it’s a sexual attraction or a ‘this’ attraction, but I’m just seeing people. And that was such a beautiful revelation too,” she said.

Hough first publicly discussed her sexuality during a 2019 interview, where she was married to NHL player Brooks Laich. They had an intimate conversation where Hough revealed, “You know I’m not straight, right?” Laich responded with surprise, and she clarified, “I’m not. But I choose to be with you.”

This revelation brought a new level of intimacy and honesty to their relationship. Hough felt safer and more open with her husband. She explained in 2019, “I think there’s a safety with my husband now that I’m unpacking all of this, and there’s no fear of voicing things that I’ve been afraid to admit or that I’ve had shame or guilt about because of what I’ve been told or how I was raised.”

Despite the deepened bond, Hough and Laich eventually separated in 2020. They made attempts at reconciliation but finalized their divorce in February 2022.

Hough’s willingness to share her personal journey has touched many. Following her initial revelation, she praised the support she received from fans, friends, and family. In an August 2019 interview with Extra, Hough expressed her gratitude: “I feel really lucky, and a lot of people who don’t have the platform or the support that I have aren’t that lucky. So I just want to say I’m super grateful for my family, my friends, and the support from all my fans that I’ve had.”