Inamin ni Rikki Mae Davao na nahirapan siya noon na humugot ng lakas ng loob para ipagtapat sa kaniyang mga magulang na sina Jackie Lou Blanco at Ricky Davao na isa siyang lesbian. May payo rin siya sa mga katulad niyang nararanasan ang kaniyang pinagdaanan.

Sa nakaraang episode ng "Sarap 'Di Ba?," ikinuwento ni Rikki Mae na edad 9 o 10 anyos siya at nasa Grade 3 nang nang magka-crush siya sa kaniyang mga kaklaseng babae.

“Hindi ko pa naiintindihan kung okay, so what is being gay? What is same-sex relationship? It's just I know na kinikilig ako,” sabi niya.

Kalaunan, unti-unti niya rin itong naunawaan sa kaniyang paglaki.

“As I got older, and as we learned in class, and you know, external, then I realized na okay, it's something that's not so accepted yet. But I think, me lang as a person, and I'm grateful na my parents also, siguro, instilled in me an attitude na, ganu’n lang. Okay, whatever, ganu’n,” pagpapatuloy niya.

Kaya sinabi niya na mahalaga talaga ang suporta ng mga tao sa kaniyang paligid.

“I think it was a unique experience, pero hindi naman siya parang scarring. Thank God, kasi madami talaga akong na-experience, you know, bullying, etc," sabi pa ni Rikki Mae.

Taong 2015 nang umamin si Rikki Mae sa inang si Jackie Lou na may karelasyon siya na na babae rin. Ayon sa kaniya, udyok ito ng kaniyang nobya.

“So ‘yung girlfriend ko at that time, wanted me to tell you. That's the only reason why,” sabi ni Rikki Mae sa kaniyang ina na si Jackie Lou na kasama niya sa naturang interview.

Ngunit pag-amin ni Rikki Mae, “It took me so long to tell you (Jackie Lou). Mga 30 minutes."

Naghihintay naman si Jackie Lou para may sabihin ang kaniyang anak.

“I was like, the two of them were standing up. I was like, ‘Ang tagal ha? Anong petsa na?’” saad ng aktres, kaya siya na ang nagsimula ng usapan.

“Sabi ko, ‘Rikki Mae, do you want me to tell you what I think you will tell mama?’” pagpapatuloy ni Jackie Lou.

Gayunman, nanindigan si Rikki Mae na siya ang magbukas ng paksa.

“Sabi niya, 'No Mama, I have to be the one to tell,'" pag-alala ni Jackie Lou na sinabi sa kaniya ng anak.

“Oo, mahirap palang sabihin,” ani Rikki Mae. “I didn't realize na it would be hard. Na it took me 30 minutes to tell you and muster my courage."

Ayon kay Rikki Mae, may pag-aalinlangan siya sa magiging reaksyon ng kaniyang mga magulang.

“Because I know that you and dad love me, but I don't know how you'll react. I don't know naman talaga how you'll react. I can only hope to bank on our love and our relationship. But you never know. I have friends that have been thrown out, sent to the convent,” sabi niya.

“And then, I realized, Sabi ko, ‘Why is it so hard to say a part of who I am?" pagpapatuloy ni Rikki Mae.

Hanggang sa mapagtanto niyang hindi niya dapat ikahiya ang sarili.

“If I can't say it, then what? Am I ashamed? So, parang I really said, no, I have to say it. Kasi it means something for me to really like put it out there,” sabi ni Rikki Mae.

Nagbigay ng payo si Rikki Mae sa mga miyembro ng LGBTQ+ community na nahihirapang umamin sa kanilang mga mahal sa buhay.


“It's difficult to just give one piece of advice because it depends on the circumstance. So, I always say, well, if you're mustering up the courage to say it, I always advise to go muna, not to your parents kaagad, but to your friends, and to maybe your cousins, or someone that you feel comfortable with, para you feel that support," payo niya.

"The support is so important kasi. So, parang if you go first to the parents, tapos biglang ‘Engk!’ iba ‘yung dating sa 'yo,” sabi pa niya.

Dagdag ni Rikki Mae, mahalagang magkaroon ng support group.

“But if you know na, okay, my parents are not accepting right now, but I have, ate, kuya, cousins."

Payo sa mga magulang

Si Jackie Lou naman, may payo rin sa mga magulang na hirap tanggapin ang kasarian ng kanilang mga anak.

“I know it's easier said than done. Pero, I think if you focus on the fact that you love your child, I think little by little, everything will just, you know,” ani Jackie Lou.

Sa naturang episode, may sorpresang mensahe si Ricky sa kaniyang anak na si Rikki Mae na naka-video.

“I found out, kasi she wrote me a letter. Naalala ko, yellow pad pa ‘yun. And then she told me it's quite, a long letter. That she's different and that if it's okay to be what she wants," kuwento ni Ricky sa isang video.

"And of course, tinanggap ko kaagad 'yun. Walang hesitation, wala, nothing. Basta, ang para sa akin, I told her kung saan siya happy, du'n siya. At happy ako doon. So, 'yun, magmula nu'n, okay naman lahat. And I'm very, very happy for her. I'm proud, proud of her," saad ni Ricky.

“So, Rikki Mae, good luck sa 'yo. And, you know, Papa will always be Papa for you. And I will always be here for you. You know that. And good luck to all your endeavors. And, yun, I love you,” pagpapatuloy ni Ricky.

“Both of them naman, wala akong masabi. Siguro if they weren't the way they are, then I wouldn't be as comfortable then with who I am. So, love you, dad,” tugon ni Rikki Mae. -- FRJ, GMA Integrates News