On TikTok, this Gen Z from Cebu shared a glimpse of her life while growing up with her LGBT parents.
Vanessa Alao is one proud daughter to her parents Teresita and Boging.
“Si papa is, I really didn’t think na babae siya. Kasi pati voice niya, really. Kahit kumanta siya or magsalita. ‘Tsaka ‘yung appearance ni papa. Until parang mag-premature stage na pre-adulting stage. Dun ko na lang nalaman na ganun pala,” Vanessa told The Philippine STAR.
“Mama doesn’t have to explain that much kasi hindi ko naman tinanong. Sa neighborhood kasi namin alam na nila. It was just natural. Walang heavy heart or anything. It just didn’t matter,” she added.
Mommy Teresita admitted that many people discriminated their family because of their gender preferences.
“Hindi ko na lang sila pinapansin pero honestly, maraming nag-discriminate sa amin,” she noted.
Vanessa added, “Single mother na nga, tomboy pa ‘yung kasama.”
But for Mommy Teresita, Boging was enough for them as he wholeheartedly accepted the responsibility to be the man of the house.
“Premature kasi ‘to, seven months. ‘Yung sumama sa‘kin sa hospital, siya. Nanganak ako sa van. ‘Yung face towel niya, nilagay niya dito sa balikat niya. ‘Yun ang pinambalot namin [kay] Vanessa. Mabait kasi. Ang bait-bait niya. Natapos na ‘yung mga argument namin about ‘yung pagkabuntis ko. Nandiyan na ‘yung anak ko, wala na. Never na. Stop na ng story about [it]. [We] looked forward na,” Mommy Teresita recalled.
“Masakit sa akin [ang sinasabi ng iba] pero binalewala ko ‘yun kasi lahat binigay niya. Pera, pagkain, bahay. Kumbaga wala ka nang hahanapin pa,” she added.
If Vanessa were to pick again another set of parents, she would still choose Teresita and Boging as she received genuine love and care from them while growing up.
“Let it be ‘cause I know maganda ‘yung childhood ko. Wala din akong hatred sa mga taong may say sa‘min. Pinapalaki nila ako na na-enjoy ko ‘yung pagiging bata ko,” she stressed.
“Hindi man siya perfect, I mean, there are arguments all throughout the way, but I never heard them argue nung lumaki ako. This is just a happy family, nothing abnormal, normal lang talaga. The parenting itself, I don’t have any questions at all. I’m so grateful,” Vanessa added.
As of this writing, her viral post on TikTok with a caption, “After 27 years… 🥹💕 Being raised by gay parents was unknowingly overwhelming. But to see love and being loved wholeheartedly, nah; I wouldn’t ask for more” has now garnered more than 700,00 views on the social media platform.
Netizens were also quick to react to the wholesome video of Vanessa’s parents.
“27 years is not a joke lots of love and sacrifice also understanding each one flaw. God bless po sa inyo you two make me smile,” a user commented.
