Miel Pangilinan pens inspiring message for Pride Month: 'Nobody will make us feel ashamed of ourselves'
Sharon Cuneta and Kiko Pangilinan's second daughter Miel has some heartfelt words of encouragement to the LGBTQ+ community in time for Pride Month.
On her Instagram account, Miel, who identifies as queer, penned a lengthy message, stating that that she is celebrating "queerness, identity, sexuality, love, and people" for the month of June.
While Pride Month is a "time for celebration and togetherness and is an occasion for happiness for the community," the 18-year-old underscored that people should not forget the battles that LGBTQ+ individuals still face up to this day regarding their rights.
"We must also remember that there is still so much we are fighting for as a community in this country," Miel wrote. "The rights to safety, the rights to marry who we want to marry, are still heavily debated on by people who make real shots that affect real people."
"Now is the month to show who we are, to show that we exist, and that nobody will silence us or make us feel ashamed of ourselves for being who we are. I am here. I exist. I have been here. I have existed. I am a queer Filipino who is proud to be a member of this beautiful, long-standing community," she continued.
She ended her message by wishing her fellow queer members to have a happy and fabulous time this Pride Month.
"Love and identity have no boundaries, and exist in no binary. As long as you are happy and keeping other people around you safe, you are valid and you are loved. Mabuhay mga bakla!" she wrote.
Miel first came out as queer for Pride Month last year but clarified that she's not a lesbian. She described the moment as a "really emotional and freeing time" and expressed her endless gratitude to her nearest and dearest for supporting her as she explored her gender and sexual identity.