Bonnie Chapman, the daughter of Dog the Bounty Hunter stars Duane and Beth Chapman, came out as pansexual in an emotional Instagram post on March 21.
“For the past seven years, I’ve kept kind of a big secret to myself. I’m pansexual, now I’m sure the term is familiar with some people,” Chapman, 20, wrote. “It means to me I fall in love with personalities, rather than a gender.”
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Chapman continued, “I haven’t told many people until now. I was so scared when I told my parents in November, but they welcomed me with open arms. I appreciate those who knew and kept it a secret, thank you for letting me take my time. I truly am so thankful to you all.”
In the end, Chapman wrote, “If you are in anyway upset about this, please feel free to unfollow me.”
However, many of Chapman’s Instagram followers offered support in the comments.
“You can fall in love with who you want to, no one has the right to judge you,” one person wrote.
“Go with your heart sweetie, after all… the only one who is going to make us happy is ourselves! I have total respect for you and your honesty and sending lots of love and positive vibes to you,” another added.
“There’s nothing to be ashamed of you can’t help who you fall in love with,” another follower wrote. “Whoever makes you happy and makes you feel loved and wanted is who you should be in a relationship with and nobody should tell you any different.”
Chapman has been open with fans about her emotions. In January, she told fans her friend Elyssa Bassett suddenly died at just 19 years old.
“Never expected I had to say goodbye to one of my best friends. One of my only friends, the one who really was there for me. I’m going to miss you Elysia, you always were an angel. Rest In Peace love,” Chapman wrote on Twitter at the time.
Chapman’s decision to come out publicly on Instagram came at a tense time for her family. While they are filming a new series for WGN, Beth is fighting throat cancer, which returned late last year. Over the weekend, Beth was briefly hospitalized in Hawaii.
“Beth was hospitalized Saturday due to an accumulation of fluid in her lungs. Doctors performed an emergency procedure to alleviate pressure that had built up,” a family representative told PopCulture.com Sunday. “She is now at home resting with her husband. She and Dog are so grateful for the thoughts and prayers from their fans. Keep them coming.”
Beth has kept a positive attitude, even though her doctors told her the cancer was incurable. She and Dog have been working on Dog’s Most Wanted, a new series that will debut on WGN this year.
