Modern Family star Julie Bowen says she was once in love with a woman

Julie Bowen has opened up about her sexuality in a candid podcast chat, challenging the concept of “coming out” to the public.

Julie Bowen said she once fell in love with a woman, despite describing herself as heterosexual.

“I’m straight. I’ve always been straight. I was in love with a woman for a while but she didn’t love me back,” the Modern Family actress revealed in the most recent episode of her Quitters podcast.

“She liked women but she didn’t like me in that way,” Bowen, 52, continued. “It never really took off so I never really had to challenge my concept of my sexuality.”

The actress’ confession happened after guest, US Bachelor alum Becca Tilley, said coming out was a “stressful” experience for her, particularly after appearing on two seasons of the ABC show, New York Post reports.

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Bowen spoke about her romantic past on her podcast, Quitters. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

“I’m just attracted to people,” the 34-year-old reality TV star – who is currently dating Hayley Kiyoko – told Bowen.

“I hope that one day people don’t have to come out, because it causes a lot of stresses and weight added. Life is already really hard, falling in love should just be a natural, beautiful thing people shouldn’t have to explain to anybody,” she said.

Bowen, who played Claire Dunphy in hit US sitcom Modern Family, noted that when people ask others to “identify themselves,” they’re often asking about their sexual preference and what they do “in the bedroom”.

Bowen played Claire Dunphy opposite Ty Burrell’s Phil Dunphy on the beloved series. Picture: Getty Images

“What you do with your body should not be the first thing we know about people or care about. It’s your business,” she said. “Like you said, I hope people don’t always have to come out.”

Meanwhile, Bowen filed for divorce from her husband, Scott Phillips, in February 2018 after more than 13 years of marriage.

The actress has kept her current dating life under wraps since her divorce. Picture: Getty Images

The former couple have three sons: Oliver, 15, and 13-year-old twins John and Gustav.

Following her divorce, Bowen has kept her dating life under wraps.

However, she previously joked that she would “come out of [dating] retirement for Harry Styles”.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and has been reproduced here with permission