New Real Housewives Star Faces Claims She Is Transgender

NBCUMV The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City cast

Before its premiere, Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Heather Gay faced claims that she is transgender. However, Gay is not transgender.

In September, a user commented on an Instagram photo that Gay had posted. The user wrote, “Could you share more about your transition from male to female? You’re going to inspire SO MANY PEOPLE!” In response, Gay shut the user down, debunking the rumor. Gay wrote back, “I’m happy to be an advocate for the transgender community if it helps! I’m not transgender but I don’t consider it an insult to be called trans either. Let’s bring as much awareness as possible to the entire LGBTQ community! I’m here for it.”

Gay has shown her support for the LGBTQ+ community on her Instagram page before. On October 11, Gay posed alongside her friend and wore a t-shirt with rainbow lips on it. In the caption, Gay wrote, “It’s an honor to be an ally! 🏳️‍🌈🙏🏼 ” Gay also showed her support again on her Instagram page, posting a graphic for National Voter Registration Day, which included a gay pride flag. “National Voter Registration Day! Exercise your right to make your voice heard! We are all in this together.🙏🏼” Gay wrote in the caption.

Gay Said That Some of Her Beliefs Are ‘Incongruent’ With Mormonism

During a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Gay also spoke about how some of her beliefs are “incongruent” with being a Mormon. “I didn’t choose to be Mormon — I wouldn’t ever have chosen to be Mormon — but I was born into it and I wanted to do it right,” Gay told Entertainment Tonight. “As much as I would love to just, like, have one foot in the Mormon door and live my life, I feel it just doesn’t work for me. There’s too many issues that are absolutely incongruent with how I believe and how I wanna live.”

Gay continued, “I’m kinda like, listen, it didn’t work out for me and there’s no way for me to make it work out, so I’m going to set the whole thing on fire and live how I felt when I was born.”

During the season, viewers will notice that religion plays a large part in the show. Some, like Gay and Whitney Rose, are distancing themselves from the Mormon Church, while others, like Lisa Barlow, are still practicing.

Gay Said She Wants to Become a ‘Gay Icon’

During a recent interview with Page Six, while talking about her divorce, Gay mentioned the fact that she wanted to become a gay icon. “Oh my gosh, I’ve been praying my whole life to become a gay icon,” Gay told Page Six. “If the gays will take me I will carry the badge of honor.”

Gay also opened up about her painful divorce to Page Six. “I didn’t know how to function,” Gay explained about her divorce. “I’m still having a very, very difficult time. I didn’t know anyone that was Mormon and divorced and single and happy.”

READ NEXT: Are Meredith Marks & Husband Seth Still Together?