‘Survivor’ Alum Publicly Comes out as Queer: Read Deshawn Radden’s Message

Survivor Season 41 runner-up Deshawn Radden is living his truth. Taking to Instagram this Pride Month, Radden publicly came out as queer as he emotionally reflected on his journey to embracing his queer identity and place within the LGBTQ+ community.

“Running list of things I am: A child of God Son Brother Friend Doctor & a QUEER black man,” Radden wrote. “I came out to my family and a few close friends a few years ago. The journey only began at that point, and it’s taken much growing, learning & unlearning and developing self love to get here, especially as this part of my identity intersects with my faith. These last few seasons of my life have been transformative for me in that way.”

Radden admitted that he “had a fear of losing people because of who I was,” but said his “loved ones’ responses showed me that unconditional love is just that, unconditional. So now I take solace in knowing who is for me will always rock! And beyond anything, I’m grateful to show up in all spaces as my full self now.”

Further opening up about his coming out experience on a recent edition of The Pride Has Spoken, the special Pride Month series from former Survivor contestant Rob Cesternino’s Rob Has A Podcast podcast network,the Radden shared that he “came out to all of my immediate family, and then a few close friends” in 2021.

“The struggle there was that, since I never made a public statement, there’s spaces that I occupied that I wasn’t out in. And so sometimes I had to make the decision: Do I want to correct somebody when they very innocently assume my sexuality, or do I just want to let it fly?” he recalled. “And so here is a really cool opportunity to be able to say to the world, ‘Hey, I’m queer.’”

Reflecting on what he called a “25-year journey” to discovering his sexuality, Radden explained that journey included attempting to manage romantic relationships in college and essentially balancing two different identities. He said things reached a turning point during the pandemic when he was given time to reflect and turned to substance use to help with his depression and anxiety. He credited his brother for helping him find the courage to come out.

“Through those conversations, I figured out my biggest fear in life would be, if I were to die soon, and like, the only thing that people can talk about is like the things that I did,” he said. “‘Oh, he was a doctor.’ That was what my entire identity was at that point. And nobody could ever speak to how I made them feel, my authentic self, or what it was like to be around me genuinely. If people don’t actually know me while I’m here and my essence, then what was it all for?”

Now that he is embracing his identity publicly, Radden said on Instagram that he looks to “do 2 things: 1. No longer live in duality, but in truth & oneness 2. Be an example that God loves each of us and can/will use anyone. To anyone who may struggle reconciling parts of your identity with your faith, this is my advice: Experience God, on your own, through genuine relationship and see what happens.”