Raymond Gutierrez
HINDI lang para sa ikapapanatag ng kanyang isip at kalooban kaya nagdesisyon na si Raymond Gutierrez na ibandera sa buong mundo ang kanyang pagiging beki.
Ayon sa twin brother ni Richard Gutierrez, nais din niyang magsilbing inspirasyon sa iba pang members ng LGBTQIA+ community na natatakot at magdadalawang-isip na ilantad sa buong universe ang tunay nilang pagkatao.
Sabi ng TV at events host, hanggang ngayon kasi ay talamak pa rin sa Pilipinas ang pambu-bully at pang-aalipusta sa mga bading at lesbian kahit na sinasabing tanggap na ng mga Filipino ang LGBTQ community.
Sa kanyang Instagram page, muling nag-post si Raymond ng kanyang litrato at nagpasalamat sa lahat ng sumuporta at nagparamdam ng pagmamahal sa kanya matapos mag-come out.
“My old self would be very proud. Truly grateful and still feeling a bit overwhelmed with the outpouring of support I’ve been getting the last few days.
“I’ve always questioned isn’t it too late to share my story? Everyone has already seen for many years how I choose to live my life. But I realized it’s not a question of when but why,” simulang pahayag ng anak nina Annabelle Rama at Eddie Gutierrez sa kanyang caption.
“To this day members of LGBTQ+ community are discriminated upon in the workplace, being bullied in their communities, or even violently killed simply by being themselves.
“If my story can create more awareness, start conversations or debates, or encourage others to not live in fear, then I’ve used my platform the best way I could.
“By inspiring others to live their truth, I can hopefully change the trajectory of someones future for the better,” mensahe pa ng proud member ng LGBTQ community.
Nauna rito, sinagot din ni Raymond sa Instagram ang mga taong nagsasabing alam na nila noon pa ang kanyang pagiging bading kasabay ng komento na sana raw ay dati pa siya nag-come out.
“I was never not out. I never denied who I was. I just never shared my story publicly until now.
“Growing up, it took a while for me to face my true identity, and figuring it out wasn’t easy. I went through a long period of time hating myself because society taught me that being different wasn’t the right path, especially for someone growing up in the public eye.
“I went through a dark phase of self destruction – creating unhealthy habits to have some sort of escape so I didn’t have to face my reality.
“I kept things to myself because I was scared to bring shame to my family, and didn’t know how others would treat me.
“I’m thankful to those close to me – my friends and family for giving me the confidence to embrace myself fully without judgement. I consider myself lucky because some people don’t have a support system they can run to.
“Which is exactly why I’m sharing my story now. Because if there’s one thing I learned this past year and a half is that life is fleeting.
“I want to encourage those who feel alone that it’s never too late to love yourself, acknowledge those feelings and face your fears — because it feels damn good to be on the other side.
“Sexuality shouldn’t define who you are and it should never hinder your greatness. For me personally, being in touch with my masculine and feminine side allowed me to push boundaries creatively and create magic with the projects I do.
“So to those saying ‘we knew’, you never knew my story and my struggles.
“And if you’re reading this and you feel like you’re alone, I want to let you know that I went through the same things – you will be loved, your feelings are valid, and those who truly love you will stick around,” lahad pa ng proud member ng LGBTQIA+ community.