India, Aug. 27 -- 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."

Sawyer's post came shortly after TikTok videos speculating about his sexuality went viral, in...