Rising actor Alex Diaz’s sudden coming out after being shamed for it by his previous fitness coach online earned the support from his fans and advocates of gender equality.
Diaz was part of “Star Magic Circle” batch of 2013 with Julia Barretto, Liza Soberano and Khalil Ramos.
Circumstances prevented him from telling about his identity, Diaz said on Instagram, and he never intended to hurt or offend anyone.
“It was not my intention to hurt anyone or elude the truth of who I am for all these years but rather a showbiz decisions based on the state of our nation in regards to acceptance and representation of who I am,” he said.
Following the messages of support he got from his fans and loved ones, he decided that he will no longer be afraid to show this part of himself to the public.
“Never again will I be shackled by the fear of what might be said about who I am for fear of losing my career and instead, I will seek help, heal and champion change, acceptance and representation for the bisexual community and/or anyone who is met with prejudice in our society,” he said.
Diaz later assured that he will soon release an official statement and return to work in the entertainment industry as a stronger person.
“For now, I will rest, reevaluate and come back stronger and better than ever. I love you all, I have learned and I am growing. Thank you,” he said.
Last week, a fitness coach named Miguel Lagman Chanco shared screenshots on Facebook showing private conversations between him and Diaz, along with photos of Diaz of his Instagram account.
The actor supposedly asked Chanco twice if he accepts indecent proposals. Chanco denounced Diaz that he felt disrespected for these requests.
“Kaming mga nasa fitness industry, nagtatrabaho kami ng maayos. We do our best para mag improve and health and physique ng clients naming. Wag niyo gawin sa amin ang ayaw niyo gawin ng iba sa anak niyo, kapatid niyo or mga pinsan,” the coach said.
Chanco have already deleted these posts but several Filipinos were able to make screenshots.
He, however, earned the ire of Diaz’s fans and members of the LGBT community for subjecting him to humiliation on social media.
Coming out
An article from Psychology Today defined coming out as a person’s “coming to terms with their own identity, achieving self-acceptance, and deciding to disclose to everyone in their lives.”
The process, however, is easier said than done given the number of stress factors that LGBT people in general have to consider before disclosing their sexual orientation and gender identity to the public.
“Since individuals may react in a variety of ways spanning from acceptance to abuse, each disclosure process can be uniquely different. A process is seen as a means to an end, hence, in actuality, coming out is a set of processes,” wrote Dr. Shainna Ali.
There’s also the danger in revealing the identities on behalf of other people as this could be a form of bullying or violation of privacy.
Advocacy group National LGBTQ Task Force stated that these people should be comfortable when revealing this part of themselves.
“Coming out is a process and can be a difficult time for someone because of discrimination, homophobia, or potential marginalization from their families and community at large. People must choose for themselves how and when to come out,” the group said.