A number of weeks again, Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Marquez Dee’s teenage photos that confirmed the wonder pageant winner in cosy positions with one other lady went viral, giving rise to curiosity about her sexuality amongst netizens. Placing an finish to all of the speculations, Dee has revealed that she is bisexual. “I’m interested in all types of magnificence, all sizes and styles,” she stated.
In an interview with MEGA journal, she gave a “affirmation moderately than a revelation” of her gender identification, which she stated is an “open secret”. “I positively establish myself as bisexual. I’ve recognized with that for so long as I can keep in mind,” Dee, who might be representing the Philippines on the Miss Universe pageant in El Salvador later this 12 months, stated.
Rising up, she by no means needed to battle to just accept her identification due to “getting constructive suggestions” for simply being herself. “I by no means needed to establish myself. I by no means needed to quote, unquote come out. I used to be by no means actually confronted about it by my dad and mom or individuals who matter. After I get right into a relationship, the very first thing I’ll inform that individual is ‘Okay, let’s get this out of the way in which.’ After which you may determine if you wish to date me,” Dee stated.
It was solely the realisation that she’s a public determine that was difficult for the actor-model, she stated. “Though my dad and mom actually gave me free reins to self-express, select my wardrobe, select all the things, I felt that as a result of I had such high-profile dad and mom, I needed to conform with societal requirements,” she admitted. “I understood the accountability of being the kid of that and this. I needed to guarantee that I wasn’t hurting anybody else’s or my dad and mom’ status, even though my dad and mom by no means instructed me it was flawed. That battle resulted in possibly highschool. It has lengthy handed.”
The 28-year-old added that her gender identification is nobody’s enterprise however hers and that she didn’t come out throughout the pageant because it “wasn’t the correct time”. “It was by no means a difficulty as a result of I felt—and I nonetheless really feel like—I’m a lot greater than how I establish myself. I’ve a lot extra to supply the world and the universe than how I establish myself. That is additionally the rationale why I selected to not come out regardless of the stress to come back out throughout the competitors,” she stated.
Dee added, “I stated, ‘No.’ I joined the pageant as a result of that is a lot higher than myself. This isn’t about me. That is in regards to the trigger I’m preventing, advocating for: autism consciousness. That’s my essential objective. My identification just isn’t what I wish to be remembered for. I felt like popping out throughout the competitors would shock everybody, and cloud everybody’s judgment. I additionally needed to do this inside my very own timeline, and it wasn’t the correct time. As a result of I would like all of my focus and everybody’s focus to be on all the nice causes.”
However, now’s the correct time for her as she believed that “these photographs have been unfold with malicious intent — to form of distract me, make me really feel I’m undeserving of the crown”. “I acknowledge that it was so malicious that I felt—and this is applicable to everybody—when any person takes away your story, then you must take management of that narrative. Flip it round and make it an empowering story,” she stated.
She stated that it’s essential when individuals attempt to knock you down and use your previous in opposition to you. “All of us have to understand that we’ve come such a protracted solution to simply let our previous outline us. Once more, how previous was I? That was 2014, and it’s 2023.”
Dee stated that her popping out was one of many methods she might encourage individuals who have felt that their story has been taken away from them. “Be extra empowered and don’t let different individuals management your life, your narrative. Personal who you actually are and have that self esteem and confidence to manage your life. In the event you attempt to take that away, I’ll take it again. It boils right down to respecting individuals and spreading love and spreading mild. There’s an excessive amount of hate on the planet. Let’s make a acutely aware effort to make this a greater world,” she stated.
Even earlier than popping out, Dee has been an advocate for LGBTQIA+. “I’ve been attending satisfaction marches. I’ve too many mates and finest mates locally. I’ve been a loud and proud ally. It’s simply that I by no means gave a affirmation,” she stated.
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