Teen Vine star Nash Grier outraged millions this summer when a clip surfaced in which he declared AIDS a "fag" disease. YouTube personality Tyler Oakley exposed Grier's homophobic outburst in July, as Grier's popularity was surpassing 8 million Vine subscribers.

Grier posted an apology—calling himself "young, ignorant, stupid and in a bad place" and insisting he was  "truly sorry to anyone I'd offended." (He later kissed a gay fan as some kind of weird act of contrition.)

Now he's elaborated on his feelings in a Huffington Post article.

I had almost 1,200 followers on Vine and I posted six-second video on HIV/AIDS, using a very offensive term ("fag"). The next day, I went to school and I received so many responses as to how funny the video was. At this point, what I thought I had done wasn't just okay, but I thought it was funny. As a kid that just turned 15 from a private school, I was very sheltered from the real world. I didn't know the meaning behind what I was saying when I made the video. I didn't know the people I was hurting.

As time went on, my audience began to grow. About a month later after posting the video (and many more), I had almost 2,500 followers. At that time I began to get some significant feedback from people that weren't just in my high school. I looked through my videos and saw hundreds of negative comments on the one I had posted bashing on HIV/AIDS and the gay community.

At first, I didn't really understand how someone could have so much hate for me, but then I put myself in their shoes. I read more and more comments and even did research. I had a realization that I hadn't had in my life up until that point: Everything I had said on or off camera could've been harmful to others.

Grier said he deactivated his social media after realizing what was in some of his posts, and didn't begin making videos again until the fall of 2013.

Related: John Barrowman School Vine Star Nash Grier On Homophobia

Later in the piece, Grier plays the victim card—"being on the top of my game, I had a bull's-eye on my head"—and says people didn't appreciate that he had changed.

I had already understood the issue and, to this day, regret it more than anything I have ever done. I began getting death threats, was called "homophobic" and a "hate monger," when in reality, it was the farthest thing from true. One of my first big YouTube videos was with four of my good friends at the time -- most of them gay. Many of my early Vines and collaborations were with gay people. I never once had a problem with someone's sexuality or sexual preference.

If there is one thing I stand for in life, it is do whatever makes you happy. I have and never will be against same-sex relationships or marriages.

I can't stress to you enough how far off the title "homophobic" is from my actual personality. I realize that I made a mistake. At the time I didn't, but I have learned from it.

He also insists the decision to address the issue again isn't a publicity stunt: "This is me, no publicist, no one telling me what to do," he writers. "We are all people, and I look at the people of the world the same way, as my brothers and sisters. And someday, I want to make a positive impact on all of you."

While Grier sounds genuine in his HuffPo piece, the reality it its not the only time he's made anti-gay comments. In 2012, he tweeted a request for followers to re-tweet if they opposed same-sex marriage.

Other examples below:

Do we believe Grier regrets things he publicly declared as a 14- and 15-year-old, or is he just interested in protecting his bottom line?

That's something each of us will have to decide.