Celebrating Pride!

Bachelor Nation fans know and love Kathy Swarts from “The Golden Bachelor” and her podcast “Bachelor Happy Hour: Golden Hour.”

Now, she’s stopping by for an exclusive chat with BachelorNation.com and opening up about the importance of Pride and the special connection her family has to Pride Month.

On her podcast, Kathy has opened up about her oldest son being a part of the LGBTQ+ community and she shared with Bachelor Nation that he first came out to her when he was in ninth grade.

Kathy said, “I told him at the time that I love my children no matter what they are and no matter who they are and however they identify. The fact that he was nervous about coming out was sort of upsetting, however he is almost 43 and coming out then was different than coming out now. It’s a much easier time I think to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community. Regardless, I am just so proud of him. He’s a great guy and it’s not even a label. He’s my son and by the way, he happens to be gay. It’s just an attribute about him; nothing defines him.”

The “Golden Bachelor” star also shared advice for other parents of queer children, saying, “Help them celebrate their identity. Don’t make it feel like something where a child could feel like it’s wrong. Families who are struggling with it and if the parents are struggling with it, that is a struggle the parents need to work on. That’s not your child’s struggle — that’s your struggle.”

Kathy also opened up about what Pride Month means to her as an ally and how she celebrates the special month.

She said, “I’ve walked in many Pride parades. I think there are so many tough things in this world and so many issues that we deal with that I love that we have a whole month to celebrate Pride and its diversity in all its forms. Prior to my son coming out, I’ve always had a lot of friends in the LGBTQ+ community, so it just has enriched my life.”

Kathy continued, “It’s just another aspect of people and I think Pride is a joyous time where people can celebrate being who they are and anyone who doesn’t needs to get on board. I’m not really sympathetic to people who don’t celebrate every kind of person that we have in this world.”

The podcast host shared some advice for Bachelor Nation fans on how they can be better allies to the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month and year round.

She said, “Get out and learn about the community. Get out and meet people in the LGBTQ+ community. Ask them questions. Talk to them about what’s important to them. You’re going to find out that there are a lot of intersections in this conversation. Just get out and support the community. When you see something, say something.”

Kathy shared how she’s used her voice, saying, “I don’t hear it as much anymore, but in my lifetime, I would hear people make slurs about the gay community and boy, I jumped all over them. These were people I didn’t know, but I would just stop them and say, ‘I have a gay son and he’s great and you would love him if you knew him.’ We have to take a stand. If you see something, you have to say something, and if you see injustice, you have to speak up about it.”

We know Kathy sharing her family’s story will help others and we are sending the Swarts family love this Pride! Check out our full interview with Kathy above.