Xyriel Manabat reveals taking therapy after receiving lewd comments online
Xyriel Manabat has spoken up about how lewd comments she receives online affects her, revealing that she sought therapy for her mental health.
The 19-year-old actress minced no words in addressing inappropriate comments about her body on social media in Star Magic’s Hot Summer LaHot Sexy video uploaded on YouTube.
Xyriel addressed one of the lewd comments saying, “Ang laki naman ng boobs mo! Pabawasan mo ‘yan, baka bastusin ka!” She said that not everyone has that inner strength like hers to take these kinds of comments.
“Kahit ako, kapag nakakabasa ako ng mga not-so-nice comments, baka pwedeng huwag niyo po akong mandohan pagdating sa katawan ko,” she said.
“Kung ano pong nakikita niyo, scroll niyo na lang. Huwag na po kayong mag-comment kahit maaari. Huwag niyo pong i-wish na bastusin, tingnan dahil sa body type,” she further added, stressing that one should not victim-blame, especially that sexual harassment will never be okay.
“Hindi kasi dun nababase kung babastusin or what. Hindi body type ng tao ang maga-adjust, kundi ‘yung utak niyo,” she said.
Additionally, she was asked to share a comment she have received that she did not like, including how it affected her and how did she manage to overcome it, to which Xyriel responded that a photo of her was maliciously edited, and how netizens in the comments section justify the "inappropriate" post.
"Minsan yung mga comment dun, parang vina-validate nila na, ‘E, kasi ganyan naman ang suot, e.’ Parang jina-justify nila na, ‘Kamanyak-manyak naman kasi talaga eh," she added.
Xyriel went on to say that although the industry that she is in should be unbothered by negative comments, she pointed out that it will always take a toll on her, especially on her mental health.
“Hindi lang ‘yun basta pagko-comment or pang ba-bash, inabastos po kasi nila ako and ino-objectify. Sine-sexual assault nila ako in a way,” she said, admitting that she took legal actions and therapy to deal with the lewd comments.
“Hindi po ‘yun dapat pinapalagpas, [pero] na-overcame ko po siya. Gumawa po kami ng legal actions and nag-therapy po ako sa mga ganun kong nababasa and nakikita kasi kailangan kong i-prioritize ang mental health ko. Hindi po talaga helpful ang mga ganoong nakikita ko,” she continued.
The 100 Days to Heaven star also revealed that she started receiving such nasty comments when she was 16.
“‘Yung picture ko na nakasuot naman ako ng T-shirt tapos shorts, actually ‘yung t-shirt na ‘yon medyo manipis. So ang ginawa ko, nagsuot po ako ng sando sa loob para sure ako na hindi ako makikitaan,” she recalled. “Pero hindi ko po nakikita kung bakit nila jina-justify na kabastos-bastos siya,” she said.
“Sobrang na-alter niya yung utak ko, ‘yung thinking ko kasi medyo marami-rami po akong napagdaanan.”
“Marami akong binangga tungkol d’un kasi ayoko ng nagpapatalo ako kapag ako ‘yung nasa tama, so marami po akong binangga na alam kong kailangan ko i-educate” she continued.
Xyriel went on to stress that sexual harassment and/or objectification of women will never be okay.
“Bakit hindi lang nila i-correct na kahit kailan hindi magiging tama ang pag-o-objectify ng tao, babae man o lalake? Minor man o hindi?” she said.
Concluding the video, Xyriel echoed that one must love their bodies for what they are, not for others’ validation.
“When you say love your body, love your body wholly,” she said. “Mahalin natin ang katawan nating nang buo, huwag lang ‘yung ito lang, kasi hindi ko tanggap ito. I-embrace natin kasi hindi ‘yun flaws.”