Katie Thurston Paul Archuleta/Getty Images
Katie Thurston was open and honest in an emotional video posted to her Instagram on Saturday, October 19.
The Bachelorette season 17 star, who also went on to appear in season 3 of FBoy Island, got teary-eyed while discussing imposter syndrome and the “suffocating” feelings of doubt she’s experienced since gaining reality TV fame.
“I’m gonna be very honest with you guys, there are many moments where I feel almost like imposter syndrome a little bit,” Thurston, 33, began — immediately getting emotional. “I’ve been reflecting on the last four years. Your life changes when you go through what I did, and it’s a lot, and it can be almost suffocating, and you start to kind of question like, do I deserve what I have? But oftentimes, I’m like, I want to share things about my life. And there’s so many times when I think that way that I also then think, like, ‘Katie, no one cares. No one cares. What you have to say.’ That’s like my own inner battle of finding my confidence again.”
Thurston — who earned the hearts of Bachelor Nation after appearing on Matt James’ season of The Bachelor before getting engaged to now ex-fiancé Blake Moynes on her season — went on to say that she sometimes considers quitting social media altogether to avoid hate that comes her way. Still, she said she stays because of the inspiring comments she receives — particularly from others who spoke out after she shared her own sexual assault story earlier this year.
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“The reason I’m emotional right now is because many of you I’ve engaged with in the DMs on many different levels,” she said. “Tonight, there were several DMs that I got that kind of reminded me, like, why I am here. Sometimes you get a message that says, ‘I reported my attacker because you inspired me to do so.’ And that’s not me tooting my own horn — that person is so brave and deserves all the credit for doing that. It’s just little moments like that that remind me that I belong here, that I can make a positive change. I can use my platform and my audience for good and I can impact others in such a positive way.”
The stand-up comedienne, who is now engaged to fellow funnyman Jeff Arcuri, further admitted that she faced “a lot of self-doubt” after being involved with The Bachelor franchise and surrounded by “the most beautiful, coolest women in the world.” But she’s realized that comparing herself to others isn’t healthy — she just wants to stay true to who she is and what she wants to be for her online community.
“I was just looking at all my videos between 2020 and now, and it’s just like, I’m so blessed,” she stated, admitting she “overshares” sometimes. “I’m so blessed and so thankful for you guys and the opportunities I’ve had. And I just don’t want it to go to waste, you know? I want to keep going. I just want to keep going and doing what I love and connecting with people. I love connecting with people.”
She ended her post by saying she’s going to continue “to work on [her] confidence and share parts of [her] life” with fans and followers.
“I want to be very honest with you guys,” she concluded.
Thurston has always been open on social media, sharing sex-positive posts as well as other messages of positivity. She recently earned a lot of praise for coming forward about her rape case, which she lost in August.
“Today I was in San Diego to meet with the District Attorney who was assigned to my case. And officially, that chapter is closed for good,” Thurston wrote via her Instagram Story on Monday, August 12. “This week has been extremely hard and I am so blessed with an amazing support system both in person and online … I am ready to process everything, grieve and heal.”
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Back in June, Thurston expressed her belief that the justice system failed her after she reported her alleged assault.
“I did everything I should have done as a victim of rape,” she wrote via Instagram on June 29. “‘Here are my texts, my calls, my photos, my videos, names, witnesses, locations, social media, time stamps, surveillance footage, DNA, my body.’ The warning ‘a guilty verdict is hard in criminal court’ echoed throughout the months, like an annoying parrot you were forced to keep. And as much as I heard it, I still wasn’t ready to be stopped. And yet, without warning, I was.”
Thurston continued, “The justice system failed me and continues to fail thousands every single day. But do not give up.”
Many of her followers rallied behind her in the comments of her post about imposter syndrome, saying they admire her “emotional intelligence and strength.”
“We care what you have to say Katie,” one commenter wrote, “You have always kept it so real.”