The co-founder of Crumbl Cookies has opened up about his sexuality.
On 25 August, Sawyer Hemsley took to Instagram to come out as gay after an array of videos speculating his sexuality went viral on social media.
“Over the past little while, there have been people online trying to define me, twist things, and share conversations in ways that feel harmful. Instead of letting others write my story, I want to share it in my own words,” he wrote at the start of his statement.
“The truth is, over the past few years, I’ve come to understand and accept that I’m gay. It’s taken me a long time to really process this part of myself and even longer to feel comfortable enough to say it out loud.”
Hemsley – who grew up in a Mormon household – went on to say that for “most of his life” he didn’t have the clarity to address the speculation about his sexuality, adding that his coming out process has been “overwhelming and, at times, scary.”
“But it has also brought me peace, joy, and authenticity that I wouldn’t trade for anything,” he continued.
“I grew up with values and beliefs that I still deeply love and respect, which made this journey more complicated. But I remain grateful for my foundation, even as I’ve worked to embrace this truth about myself.”
Towards the end of his statement, Hemsley acknowledged that some people will “have questions or even judgements,” before expressing his hope that the “kindness, empathy, and love will lead the way.”
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“I’ve learned so much through this process — about strength, compassion, and the importance of living authentically,” he wrote.
“At the end of the day, I’m deeply thankful: for the opportunities I’ve had, for the people who support me, and for the chance to live and share my story. It’s a journey of growth and honesty, and one I’ll never stop being grateful for.”
Hemsley’s sexuality became a topic of conversation on social media last weekend when TikTok comedian Grant Gibbs made a video questioning whether the former was straight.
“That’s apparently a straight man? No, it’s not, that man is so gay. That man is gay to the gods,” Gibbs exclaimed in the video.
@grantegibbs Y’all I’m dying 😭 can someone fill me in on the tea with him bc I quite literally have never seen a gayer man 😭 #gay #crumbl #ceo #wtf #omg ♬ original sound – Grant Gibbs
“I don’t care if I’m outing a CEO with millions of dollars, I don’t give a f**k, but that’s a gay man.”
A day later, Gibbs posted another video, addressing his previous comments, stating that he didn’t think it would “blow up like that,” and he “almost feels a little weird” about it.
“So I guess this is kind of my formal apology video, my coming out video… well, but you know I wanted to address some things,” he said.
“The first being, people keep saying he’s not the CEO, he’s a co-founder. Okay, boots, thank you for sharing that. I guess there is a CEO, and that man is straight.”
@grantegibbs wanted to address the crumbl situation at hand 🙏❤️ #apology #crumbl #omg #sorry #gay ♬ original sound – Grant Gibbs
He went on to share his opinion that Hemsley was closeted to protect his money, adding: “Which come on, as a gay man myself, I want to see a successful gay CEO slay the boots house down. But to act like you’re not, or to make it a whole hidden thing, it just like, it sucks.”
Hemsley co-founded Crumbl Cookies with Jason McGowan in 2017. Since opening its first store in Logan, Utah, the business has gained significant attention, with various celebrities partnering with the brand, including Benson Boone, the Kardashian-Jenner family, Jimmy Kimmel, and Olivia Rodrigo.
In addition to having millions of followers across various social media platforms, Crumbl Cookies’ business has expanded, with more than 1,000 locations across the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico
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