Coral Smith has come out of the closet. The former reality television star who first appeared on MTV’s
The Real World: Back to New York in 2001 and also competed on
Road Rules Challenge, has finally dealt with her inner battles and has come to terms with her true identity.
In an interview with
Outlook Magazine, the 28-year-old native of San Francisco, California, who was known to date men during her stint on
The Real World, has opened up about her struggle to come out.
"I'm definitely venturing toward my lesbian qualities. It's been a long time coming," Carol Smith said during a recent interview with
Outlook Magazine. "At that time, I was really unsure. That was not the proper venue, the proper platform. To come out to your parents on a…reality show, I think that's just mean, so I didn't."
The former
Real World star, who recently appeared at "Gay Day" for San Francisco's Great America amusement park, admits to being a little nervous about her decision to reveal her sexuality. Nevertheless, she remains to be supportive of the gay and lesbian community.
"Just saying it is a little... It's a little surreal," she told
Outlook. "I'm not scared. I walk around holding hands. It's not a problem for me, but I do fear backlash to some degree. Everyone has something negative to say, and I don't really want to deal with it. Other than that, I don't care. Hell, I'm old. I'm 28!"
"I just felt it was something I belonged to and had to show up for. I love doing this kind of thing," she added. "It's really positive... If you want to go out with somebody in L.A., they have businesses and money and depth. Gay men are coming up and are very under-estimated."
Furthermore, she reasons that the decision to explore her “lesbian tendencies” is all about the proper timing.
"I can't live my life like that anymore. I felt I was shorting myself," she revealed. "At the time I came out, I was dating someone really special. I wanted to introduce them. That was my thing: If I'm dating someone really, really, really special, that was the time to come out. I wanted to introduce them to the woman I love."
-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Outlook Magazine, RealityTV World
(Image courtesy of TVgasm)
