SB19's Stell on issues about his sexuality: ‘Tingin po ba nila insulto ‘yong ganong bagay?’

SB19 graced the “Fast Talk With Boy Abunda” stage and on Tuesday, the P-pop kings addressed the issues surrounding their sexuality and the shipping of fans among members.  

According to Stell, he doesn’t get insulted when people have assumptions on his sexuality. 

“Di ko nga rin po talaga maintindihan kasi unang-una po, tingin po ba nila insulto ‘yong ganong klaseng bagay?” he said.

[I also don't understand because first and foremost, do they think that's an insult?] 

The P-pop star shared how people would often ask about his sexuality, but he never felt it was an issue to begin with.

“For example lagi po akong natatanong o lagi pong nagiging issue sa akin ‘yon and I don’t mind na kung if ever man isipin nila na ganon. Kasi if ever man na ganon ako, what’s the problem? So if ever na ganoon ako, anong problema? So may issue ba tayo if for example maging bakla ako or anything naman na matawag niyo sa akin,” Stell said. 

[For example, I'm always asked and I don't mind if they think of me that way. Because if I happen to be one, what's the problem? Is there an issue if for example I'm gay or anything that you may want to call me?]

“Kasi pare-parehas naman tayong tao, pare-parehas naman tayong kumakain, pare-parehas naman tayong dumudumi. So I don’t think mayroon kang kinalaman sa akin,” he added.

[Because we are all human. We all eat, we all defecate. So I don't think you have an issue with me.] 

The group also addressed the issue about the shipping of fans, with Stell saying being close to each other is “normal.” The SB19 members are all friends.

“Hindi namin maiiwasan ‘yon kasi kami nga minsan nagkaka-ano rin kami eh. Bakit parang ganon ‘yung tingin ng tao? Eh sa amin, parang normal naman ‘yon bilang magkakaibigan. Sa ibang tao, iba pala iniisip nila,” he said.

Pablo added they often tell each other “I love you." 

[We can't avoid that because we are friends. Why do people think that way? For us, that's just normal because we are all friends. I didn't realize others think differently.]

Stell said they wanted to put an end to all these assumptions because "andito lang kami para maging masaya tayo."

"Wala naman kaming problema sa mga ganoong klaseng issue kasi willing naman po kaming sagutin lahat,” Stell added. 

For Ken however, such issues might leave a bad first impression on people who don’t know them. 

“Yung pinaka-first impression — ‘yon talaga ang matatandaan ng mga tao eh especially kapag hindi kami kilala tapos gusto nila kaming kilalanin and ‘yon yung nakikita nila sa social media na ganito ganiyan. About shipping, tapos nag-a-away-away sila just because boto sila sa ganitong ship,” he added.

[First impressions last especially for people who don't know us and look for us on social media and that's the first thing they see — shipping, fights.]

While they acknowledge that shipping is part of fandom culture, Ken doesn't find it amusing that fans are fighting because of it.

“It’s alright as long as parang katuwaan lang. But to the point na mag away-away na kayo just because of a petty thing na ganyan, I think that’s not OK. Hindi na siya maganda.” 

[It's already when it's all for fun but to the point that fans will fight because of a petty thing? I think that's not OK. It's not cool]

Composed of Pablo, Josh, Ken, Stell, and Justin, SB19 debuted in 2018. They have delivered a number of hits including "GENTO," "MAPA," and "Kalakal."

The group and its fandom A'TIN recently won the Billboard Fan Army Face-Off 2024, bagging the honors for the second year in a row.

SB19 is set to release a documentary film about their "Pagtatag!" era in cinemas from August 28 to September 1.

— Jade Veronique Yap/LA, GMA Integrated News