“Modern Family” actress Julie Bowen says she once fell in love with a woman

In a conversation about labels, coming out, and sexual fluidity Modern Family actress Julie Bowen revealed that she once fell in love with a woman, despite identifying as straight.

“I was in love with a woman for a while, but she did not love me back,” Bowen said during an episode of her podcast Quitters, which she hosts with Chad Sanders. “She liked women, but she did not like me in that way. But it never really took off, so I never really had to challenge my concept of my sexuality.”

Bowens’ comments took place during an interview with former Bachelor contestant Becca Tilley, who is now dating singer Hayley Kiyoko. Kiyoko and Tilley officially confirmed they were dating this year but have been together for four years.

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During the conversation between Bowen and Tilley, Bowen expressed her hope that someday, people won’t have to come out.

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“What you do with your body should not be the first thing we know about people, or care about. That’s your business.”

Tilley agreed.

“It causes a lot of stress and weight added and life is already really hard,” she said. “Falling in love should just be a natural and beautiful thing that people don’t have to explain to anybody.”

Tilley also said that she “never thought about a label” regarding her sexuality.

In an earlier interview with Us Weekly, she said one of the things she was most worried about in going public with her relationship with Kiyoko was having to answer questions about how she labels herself.

“I’ve never connected with that,” she said, “And I think my story is different from other people… When I met Hayley that was the first time I had that specifically for a woman.”

Nevertheless, Tilley said the pair “fell in love so fast.”

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The couple made a splash this Halloween, celebrating Scooby Gang member Velma’s big gay moment.

The character was recently revealed to be a queer in a new animated Scooby-Doo film.  Kiyoko’s Velma costume was also a clever call back to her appearance in several live-action Scooby-Doo movies as a child actor. Tilley completed the couple’s costume as Daphne.

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