David Archuleta just opened up about his faith, his sexuality and called for compassion toward LGBTQIA+

Former “American Idol” star David Archuleta, who hails from Utah, recently opened up about his faith and sexuality in a new Instagram post.

Archuleta said he had been uncertain about his sexuality and how to balance and understand his sexuality with his faith as a believing member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

• “I like to keep to myself but also thought this was important to share because I know so many other people from religious upbringings feel the same way,” Archuleta said in his lengthy post. “I’ve been open to myself and my close family for some years now that I am not sure about my own sexuality. I came out in 2014 as gay to my family. But then I had similar feelings for both genders so maybe a spectrum of bisexual. Then I also have learned I don’t have too much sexual desires and urges as most people which works I guess because I have a commitment to save myself until marriage. Which people call asexual when they don’t experience sexual urges.”

Archuleta also opened up about his experiences with The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints and how all people can work to “listen more to the wrestle between being LGBTQIA+ and a person of faith.”

• “I don’t think it should come down to feeling you have to accept one or the other. For me to find peace the reality has been to accept both are real things I experience and make who I am,” he wrote on Instagram. “You can be part of the LGBTQIA+ community and still believe in God and His gospel plan.”

Social media praised Archuleta for his post.