The morning after she came out on national television, the diminutive singer whom Oprah Winfrey famously called “the most talented girl in the world” was on cloud nine, no longer weighed down by years of hiding her true identity and months of negative speculation.
“Alam mo, para akong batang gusto ko agad lumabas tapos magtatalon tapos sige halika party party na tayo! As in bumalik ako sa pagkabata. As in malaya ako na walang problema,” the 21-year-old told News5 on Monday.
Charice was in such bliss that she treated the media who had come to interview her to a soulful rendition of her favorite song these days, “Perfect”, by American singer-songwriter Pink.
Earlier, she surprised students of her alma mater — an elementary school in Cabuyao, Laguna — with a surprise gift-giving visit on the first day of school.
Charice said it was her way of giving back to the school where her eyes were opened to her sexual preference.
“Maraming ala-ala. Mga naging crush ko,” she said with a laugh. “Chos!”
In fact, she said she had known very early that she was a lesbian.
“Five years old po ako nang ma-realize ko,” she said, breaking into another laugh.
What prompted her to finally confess on Sunday after months of being out of the public eye?
“May naririnig kasi ako sa ibang tao na ganon kaya siya? Shivoli bang bang kaya siya?” she said, laughing again.
“Kahit naririnig ko ‘yun na-feel ko na ok naman sa kanila. So sa mga reaksyon nila na di pa nila alam pero andun pagtanggap nila, it’s about time sabi ko,” she added.
Charice admitted that changes in her hairstyle and wardrobe, which started middle of last year, were a prelude to her coming out. She kept quiet as the doubters and haters had a field day in social media until she decided that she had had enough.
“Ang bigat sa feeling. Ang dami ko nakikitang negative comments. Nalilito sila. After nun naiyak ako after ginupitan ng buhok ko… Parang ‘yun kasi yung first step to freedom.”
Since her televised confession on “The Buzz” on Sunday, Charice said she has received an outpouring of support on the internet from everywhere.
“Talagang lahat po. ‘Yung iba taga-LA, Rhode Island. Lahat iba-iba. Nanuod sila, talagang sinabayan nila dito sa Philippines. Livestream kaya po nag-trending ako,” she said.
Charice said she did not hide her lesbianism to people in her inner circle — even to her mentors and godparents, TV host Oprah Winfrey and composer-producer David Foster who, she said, told her they were proud of her and remain supportive of her career to this day.
“Basta po ang lagi nilang sinasabi sa ‘kin, specially nung nag-come out po ako sa kanila. Na-touch lang po ako kasi talagang sabi lang nila sa ‘kin… We’re proud of you.”
However, she admitted that she and her mother, Raquel Pempengco, still do not see to eye — even though she had already come out to her in a phone conversation three years ago.
“Talagang cinonfirm ko po sa kanya nung 18 po ako. Sobrang hirap nun kasi nasa US ako, andito siya. Sobrang takot ko. Na-accept ko na na baka maybe years bago niya fully matanggap,” she said.
source: interaksyon.com
