Amber Gill has spoken out about being a positive influence for people wanting to come out at an older age.
The former Love Island star, 25, who won the reality show in 2019, came out last year after she tweeted: ‘Switching teams was the best decision I made in my entire life.’
She is now dating Arsenal and Scotland footballer Jen Beattie, 31, with the television personality insisting: ‘I just know there was a certain point where I was like I want to pursue serious relationships with women – I’m still figuring it all out.’
The reality star has since been flooded with messages of gratitude from fans who have thanked her for inspiring them, as her relationship with Jen blossoms, with Amber even thinking about making a documentary about her story.
Amber told MailOnline: ‘People say I make them feel comfortable and their emotions feel valid, so that’s why I love doing what I do and having a positive impact on people.
Proud: Amber Gill, 25, has spoken out about being a positive influence for people wanting to come out at an older age
‘I’ve been thinking of making a documentary because of the messages I’ve been receiving.
‘It’s important, and I love people who have paved the way and known since they were young and advocated for us, but also I think the people who haven’t done that are still valid, and part of the (LGBTQ+) community.
‘I want to show them that you can still be part of the community whether you come out at 17, or 20 or 25.’
On removing the stigma around coming out at an older age, Amber added: ‘I bet loads of people feel if they’ve got to a certain age, that they can’t come out now and you can, whenever you want.
‘You can decide whatever you want for yourself, whenever you want.’
Amber said it was important to her for people to realise that being in Love Island doesn’t define her or her sexuality.
She claims people are sometimes surprised to learn she now has a female partner after appearing on the ITV2 dating series.
‘That’s another important thing for me,’ she explained. ‘I think coming from a show that I came from, people weren’t expecting it. It’s taken a little while for people to get to it.’
Happy couple: The former Love Island star, who won the reality show in 2019, came out last year, and is now dating Arsenal and Scotland footballer Jen Beattie, 31 (right)
When asked if she felt like that before Love Island, she continued: ‘I don’t know – I’m still figuring that out whether I did or I didn’t.
‘I just know there was a certain point where I was like I want to pursue serious relationships with women.
‘I’m still figuring it all out so I might do some sort of TV or documentary around that, because I think it is important for someone to have a story of someone coming out late as well.’
And on whether she plans to settle down and start a family with Jen, she said: ‘I’ve no idea. I’m still feel like I’m super young.
‘I just enjoy what I do now, I’m having fun, I’m in a good relationship and that’s all I care about.’
Meanwhile, Amber has taken time out to write a book about diversity, and the reality star hopes one day to see more representation on screen.
She said: ‘I think it’s getting there, but it’s taken a long time to get there. We’re all going in the right direction and it’s something that’s really important to me.
‘I’ve written a book – a romance novel, and that was all to be do with representation and diversity because when I was younger I didn’t have any protagonists in characters in books that I could look up to or relate to.
‘I don’t think you realise when you’re younger how important it is, but it really is important because I think back, and I didn’t have any representation when I was younger.’
Moving on? On whether she plans to settle down and start a family with Jen, she said: ‘I’ve no idea. I’m still feel like I’m super young’
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