Filipino actor Raymond Gutierrez comes out as gay: ‘It’s never too late to love yourself’
America-born Filipino actor Raymond Gutierrez. (Getty)
Raymond Gutierrez, a high-profile actor and TV host in the Philippines, has come out as gay in a new magazine interview.
In an interview with Mega magazine, Raymond Gutierrez, 37, opened up about his sexuality and explained why he has decided to come out publicly now.
Gutierrez comes from a celebrity family, with his brother and parents all famous actors in the Philippines. When he was younger, he said, he struggled to come to terms with his sexuality and had to consider how being gay would affect his family’s image.
“Growing up, it was hard for me to even acknowledge who I am,” he said, adding: “Being part of a family that is in the public space – we’re all entertainers for many generations already – I wasn’t deciding on things just on my own.
“Things that I do will not only affect me, but will also affect my family.”
Gutierrez said he’d considered his sexuality a “burden” and spoke about being bullied when he first started out as an actor, with people making snide comments about his sexuality despite the fact he hadn’t yet figured it out for himself.
He came out after realising that he should be true to himself.
Gutierrez said: “As I grew older and as I matured, I realised that the best thing that you can really offer your family is to be yourself. So drop the cloak, drop the act; just be yourself.”
Raymond Gutierrez ‘feels great’ calling himself a ‘proud member of the LGBT community’
Raymond Gutierrez’ family and friends are very supportive of him and his sexuality, he said.
“I’m lucky because my family wants nothing but the best for me.
“They always just want me to be happy… I had friends that are like family to me. My chosen family who made it much easier to kind of realise that it’s never too late to love yourself, it’s never too late to acknowledge those feelings, and face your fears.”
Gutierrez is a “proud member of the LGBTQ community,” and said he “feels great” about saying that publicly.
He wants his story will inspire others to not rush to a label or a definition of how they feel.
“I want to be an example to the next generation who are struggling, who are feeling suppressed to take time in finding themselves and being happy with themselves,” he added.
“For me, sexuality is just one aspect of who you are. It doesn’t define who you are.”
A number of Raymond Gutierrez’s friends in the industry shared messages of support following the release of the interview, as did his family.
Lorin Gutierrez, Raymond’s niece, commented “I love you” on Instagram, while Australian actress Anne Curtis said “I’m so proud of you.”
Bubble Paraiso, a Filipino actor and model, wrote: “Always supporting you, and this will empower more people to come out in the open, to talk about who they really are.”
