Celebrity Stylist Chris Appleton Opens Up About His Coming Out Story After Fatherhood
Chris Appleton, celebrity hairstylist to stars like Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian, recently opened up about his journey of coming out later in life. During a candid conversation with Bethenny Frankel on her Just B podcast, he shared the deeply personal story of navigating his sexuality after becoming a father of two.
“I Thought I Had It All Figured Out”
Chris didn’t come out until he was 26. With two kids, a long-term partner, and a career that was taking off, it seemed like everything was in place. But, beneath the surface, Chris was struggling with something deeper.
“I had two kids, I had a partner I’d been with for nine years, I thought I had it all figured out,” Chris shared. However, coming out wasn’t just a personal shift for him – it also meant changing how others saw him. “Everybody else also thought I had it figured out,” he said, reflecting on how difficult it was to challenge their assumptions.
The pressure of living up to other people’s expectations can make self-discovery even harder. Chris acknowledged how people often ask, “Well, you must have always known,” but for him, the realisation wasn’t as clear-cut. It took time to understand his own identity fully, and that journey wasn’t without its challenges.
Growing Up With Labels: Hair and Bullying
Chris also opened up about his teen years and the bullying he faced at school. As a young man interested in hairstyling, he was often targeted. “I was bullied quite a bit at school, and people used to say I was gay because I did hair,” he revealed.
At that age, sexuality wasn’t something he focused on, but being dyslexic and already feeling like he didn’t quite fit in, the bullying only added to his sense of isolation. “As a kid, you just don’t ever want to be different,” he said, summing up the universal desire to fit in, especially when you’re already standing out in other ways.
“I Did Myself a Disservice”
One of the most eye-opening parts of Chris Appleton’s story is his own admission that he worked so hard to prove people wrong that he ended up doing himself a disservice. Trying to fit into societal expectations, especially when you’re not sure of your identity, can lead to internal conflict.
“It wasn’t until I experienced it, at 26, that I was also going through it as well as everyone else,” Chris said. He knew that by coming out, he would hurt people he had committed to, and that weighed heavily on him. The process became a balancing act between his own emotional journey and the impact it had on those around him.
“Once I let go of all the guilt and shame, my whole life changed,” he said. Moving to America marked a turning point for him. It gave him the space to grow, evolve, and finally embrace the person he truly is.
This newfound freedom allowed Chris to thrive, both personally and professionally. He became one of the most sought-after hairstylists in Hollywood, working with some of the world’s biggest stars. But more importantly, he found peace within himself, something that had eluded him for many years.
