People love a label. They really do. Especially when it involves a massive star like Julianne Hough, who spent years as the "all-American sweetheart" on Dancing with the Stars. When she dropped that bombshell in 2019 about not being straight, the internet basically caught fire. Suddenly, everyone was searching for "Julianne Hough lesbian" or trying to figure out if she was officially coming out as queer or bisexual.
But the truth is way more nuanced than a single word.
It wasn't a "scandal." It was a transformation. Honestly, if you've followed her journey from a Mormon upbringing in Utah to the global stage, you know she’s always been about "the work"—the internal, messy, soul-searching kind of work. When she sat down with Women's Health for that famous "Naked Strength" issue, she wasn't looking for a new box to sit in. She was trying to get out of the boxes she’d been stuck in for twenty-five years.
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The 2019 Revelation That Changed Everything
So, what actually happened?
Julianne was married to NHL player Brooks Laich at the time. They were the "it" couple. Picturesque. Perfect. Then, she told him: "You know I'm not straight, right?"
His response was a classic "I'm sorry, what?" moment. But Julianne’s follow-up is what really defines her perspective on sexuality. She told him, "I’m not. But I choose to be with you."
That’s the core of the Julianne Hough lesbian speculation. People heard "not straight" and immediately jumped to the furthest end of the spectrum. But for Julianne, it was about energy. She described a "massive transformation" where she stopped being the little girl who needed protection and started being a woman who didn't need anything. By dropping the "straight" label, she felt she became more intimate with her husband. Ironically, being honest about her fluid attractions actually made her feel more connected to her marriage at that specific time.
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Why "Not Straight" Doesn't Mean "Lesbian"
Labels are tricky. For a lot of people, if you aren't 100% heterosexual, you must be gay or bi. Julianne has resisted those specific tags.
In 2024, she went on The Jamie Kern Lima Show and got even deeper into it. She said it’s not really about being gay, straight, bi, or queer. It’s about the fact that she loves people. She’s attracted to hearts and essences.
"I don't know if it's a sexual attraction or a 'this' attraction, but I'm just seeing people," she explained.
That’s a very modern, fluid way of looking at identity. It’s about the soul of the person rather than their gender. If you’re looking for a definitive "I am a lesbian" quote, you won't find it because that’s not how she views herself. She views herself as an evolving human who happened to realize that the "straight" label she was handed as a kid didn't fit the reality of her heart.
Life After the Split from Brooks Laich
Of course, the marriage didn't last. They split in 2020 and finalized the divorce in 2022.
Naturally, the rumor mill went into overdrive. Was it because of her sexuality? Did she leave him for a woman? Not really.
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Julianne has been pretty open about the fact that they just grew apart. On the Armchair Expert podcast with Dax Shepard, she talked about how she was "expanding" while Brooks was "contracting." They were in different phases of life. She was exploring her freedom, her "Kinrgy" dance method, and her own independence. He was in a different headspace. It wasn't some dramatic "secret life" reveal; it was two people who realized they weren't the right partners for the long haul.
- The Mormon Influence: Growing up in the LDS church, there are very specific expectations for women.
- The "Girl Next Door" Image: Being a judge and dancer on DWTS meant maintaining a brand that felt safe and traditional.
- The Shift: Breaking those patterns meant admitting things that felt "vulnerable and empowering."
What We Can Learn from Her Journey
The obsession with Julianne's sexuality says more about us than it does about her. We want to categorize her so we can understand her. But Julianne is teaching us that you can be "not straight" and still not have a perfect, one-word answer for what you are.
It’s about "unbound" living.
She’s mentioned before that she spent years suppressing parts of herself to be the "sweetheart" everyone wanted. When she finally spoke up, she felt like she could finally breathe. Whether she dates men, women, or remains single, the point is the honesty.
Actionable Insights for Your Own Path
If you’re navigating your own questions about identity or just feeling stuck in a label that doesn't fit, here is what Julianne's story actually offers:
- Be honest with your partner. Even if it’s scary. Julianne’s marriage actually got better for a while after she came out to Brooks because the secret wasn't sitting between them anymore.
- Prioritize your evolution. Don't stay small just to keep someone else comfortable. If you are "expanding" and they are "contracting," it’s okay to acknowledge that gap.
- Reject the "Box" Culture. You don't have to pick a label today. You can just be "not that" and see where life takes you.
- Focus on the "Essence." Try looking at people the way she does—for their heart and beauty rather than just their category.
Julianne Hough isn't a mystery to be solved. She’s a woman who decided that being "straight" wasn't her whole truth, and she had the guts to say it out loud while the whole world was watching. That’s not a scandal; it’s just growth.
Next time you see a headline about her personal life, remember that she’s probably still figuring it out, just like the rest of us. The only difference is she’s doing it under a spotlight, and she’s doing it with a lot more grace than most would. Stop looking for the label and start looking at the courage it takes to live without one.