Matagal na raw itinatago, Annabelle… RAYMOND, UMAMIN NANG BADING!

ni Vinia Vivar - @Frankly Speaking | August 03, 2021

Inamin na ni Raymond Gutierrez that he’s a proud member of LGBTQIA+ community.

Sa kanyang exclusive interview sa Mega Entertainment online released last Sunday, ibinahagi ng kakambal ni Richard Gutierrez ang kuwento ng kanyang buhay.

“I’m here to formally say that I am a proud member of the LGBTQ community. And it feels great saying that publicly because I am.

“I am out to a lot of my close friends and I’m lucky that I have that support system around me to give me the confidence to really accept who I am and to love myself because not a lot of people have that?

“Some people feel alone, some people feel like they don’t have anyone to run to. I’m lucky that I’m surrounded with a lot of great people in my life, my family, my friends,” pahayag ni Mond (tawag kay Raymond) sa kanyang panayam.

Bukod dito ay dalawang magkasunod na posts din ang ibinahagi niya sa kanyang Instagram followers. Una ay ang screenshot ng kanyang cover photo sa magazine at naka-teaser sa cover story ang kanyang pag-come-out.

“It’s been a long time coming,” caption ni Mond.

Sa pangalawang post naman niya ay ibinahagi ni Mond ang mga hinarap na struggles and challenges para matanggap niya ang kanyang pagkatao.

“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,” simula ng post ni Raymond.

Obviously, nakalampas na si Mond sa madilim na bahaging iyon ng kanyang buhay at nagpapasalamat sa kanyang pamilya’t mga kaibigan for accepting and loving him for what he is.

“I’m thankful to those close to me - my friends and family for giving me the confidence to embrace myself fully without judgment. 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,” aniya.

Patuloy niya, “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.”

Sa huli ay nagbigay si Mond ng mensahe sa mga taong dumadaan ngayon sa pinagdaanan niya.

“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,” ani Mond.

Sa comments section ay dumagsa ang pagpapakita ng suporta at pagmamahal kay Mond ng kanyang pamilya at mga kaibigan.

“Love you, Mond,” komento ng ate niyang si Ruffa Gutierrez.

Nag-react din si Chard ng tatlong heart emojis.

Sey naman ni Sarah Lahbati, “So proud!!! Love you.”

Komento naman ng long-time friend niyang si Anne Curtis, “Love you Mondy!!! I’m so proud of you!”

Post naman ni Aiko Melendez, “So much respect for you, Mond.”

Nagpahayag din ng suporta ang mga anak ni Ruffa na sina Lorin and Venice, at iba pang mga taga-showbiz, pati na rin ang mga ordinary netizens.