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Who is Sawyer Hemsley? Crumbl co-founder comes out as gay after rumors
Crumbl Cookies co-founder Sawyer Hemsley came out as gay after viral TikTok rumors, saying sharing his truth brought him peace, joy, and authenticity.
Crumbl co-founder Sawyer Hemsley came out as gay in an Instagram post shared on Monday after weeks of online speculation about his personal life. The 33-year-old, who launched the cookie chain in 2017, wrote that he wanted to share the truth himself after dealing with people “trying to define me, twist things, and share conversations in ways that feel harmful.”
“The truth is, over the past few years I’ve come to understand and accept that I’m gay,” he added, alongside a photo of him with his pet dog. “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.”
Who is Sawyer Hemsley?
Sawyer's post came shortly after TikTok videos speculating about his sexuality went viral, including one on Aug. 21 from influencer Grant Gibbs that received over 1.5 million views.
“For most of my life, I didn’t have the clarity to answer the questions or respond to the rumors,” Hemsley said. “Coming to terms with it 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 said the journey was complicated. “I grew up with values and beliefs that I still deeply love and respect, which made this journey more complicated,” Hemsley explained. “But I remain grateful for my foundation, even as I’ve worked to embrace this truth about myself.”
Raised in southeastern Idaho, Hemsley served as a missionary in Mexico for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while attending Utah State University.
He said he hoped his coming out would be received with “kindness, empathy and love.”
“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 and his cousin Jason McGowan created Crumbl Cookies during his senior year at Utah State, opening their first shop in 2017. The company now has over 1,000 locations worldwide and sells about 1 million desserts a day, according to its website.
Beyond Crumbl, Hemsley has also opened Crust Club, Polar Bear Eats Drive-In, and Rockhill Cheese.
