"Unveiling Truths: A Mother-Daughter Interview about her Daughter's Queerness"
There is a moving story of love, acceptance, and development in a world where many identities and stories connect together. We'd like to share with you today Jenny and her daughter Jannelle's extraordinarily touching and life-changing adventure. Their story explores how relationships with family change in the face of cultural expectations and the need for honesty, going beyond simply accepting one's LGBT identity.
Jenny Pansoy Villcaura, a 53-year-old mother, was our first interviewee. She was from Binitinan, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, and she has three daughters named Angelica Villacura, age 26, Kayzel Villcura, age 21, and Janelle, age 14. She is a housewife, and she lives in a beautiful house with her grandchild, her first eldest child. She welcomed the team, Sarilaya, and willingly shared her experience of having a young queer daughter, her youngest daughter.
We asked her four (4) questions about the coming out of her daughter, Janelle.
Interviewer: What do you know about the LGBTQIA+ community? What is your perspective on the community?
Jenny: "naka familiar but dili pa kaayo open na nga community before samong generation" --- (She was familiar, but the LGBTQIA+ community was not really open for their generation before; she also added that their generation before was strict compared to now being very open.)
Interviewer: Jenny, how do you feel after finding out the real identity of your daughter, Janelle?
Jenny: โshock kayko oy, babae baya kayna sya beforeโ --- (She was very shocked. Janelle was very girly before.)
But as Jenny observes her daughter, she notices that her daughter, Janelle, has a very close friend, a girl whom Janelle admits that she had a crush on.
Jenny: "ana pako before na, bae mo pareha baya" --- (Jenny told her daughter Janelle that they are both girls) but Jenny also added โaw okay raman pud kay padayon raman gihapon syag skwelaโ --- (It's okay; as long as she continues her study, it's fine.) โwala koy mahimo kay in ana naman jud sya, anak man gihapon nako, dawaton nalang basta continue lang saiyang pag eskwela" --- (I don't quite have a choice; I'll accept her. At the end, she's my daughter, as long as she continues her studies.)
Interviewer: What is your advice to other parents who also happen to have a young queer individual daughter or son?
Jenny: โsupportahi lang jud permi inyong anakโ --- (Always support your child no matter what; let them feel that they are accepted and loved with no judgment.)
Janelle Villacura, age 14, is the youngest daughter of Mrs. Jenny Villacura. She openly shares her experience of coming out with her real identity.
We also asked her questions regarding her coming out.
Interviewer: When did you first notice that you were different?
Jannelle: "katong pag highschool jud nako" --- (It all started when I was still in high school.)
The interviewer made a follow-up question about whether her peers influence her, and she said "no."
Jannelle: "ako lang jud ni, walay nag influence" --- (No one influenced her. She's being her)
Interviewer: Were you afraid to tell your family about your identity?
Jannelle: โat first oo kay basin unsay reaction nila sa akoaโ --- (Yes, because of their potential negative reaction, but eventually I managed to tell them and was happy because they never judged me) she added.
The team asked her what advice she can give for her fellow young queer individuals in her age, who's been experiencing the same situation.
Jannelle: "ayaw mo kahadlok, just be you lang" --- (Don't be afraid; just be you.)
A tribute to the strength of love, compassion, and development is the story of Jenny and Jannelle. Families on similar journeys can find inspiration in their story, which is characterized by acceptance, resiliency, and vulnerability. Let us all be inspired by Jenny and Jannelle's story to embrace candid dialogue, promote empathy, and honor the diverse thread of love and identity that unites us as we wrap up this interview.
#BeBoldBeYou #DawatKaNamo #LGBTQ+ #ComingOut
