I realize that The View co-host Raven-Symoné is prone to ignorant–at–best comments and then makes them ten times worse by trying to explain them. One topic she has tried to avoid commenting on is her sexuality. For the most part, it seemed like Raven avoided the discussion on her sexual preference because it’s nobody’s business and she just wants to live her life without having to make statements about it. However, Raven was recently interviewed for the It Got Better docuseries, and it sounds like there is more to it than that. She said after having been in show business from the age of 3 and starring in hugely popular TV series like That’s So Raven and The Cheetah Girls, she didn’t think being gay would fit the “Raven-Symoné” brand.
Out and proud. Raven-Symoné opened up about how the pressure to maintain her pristine image as a Disney star forced her to hide her sexuality for several years.
“Being on television sets from age 3 till age 30, I’m more comfortable there,” the View cohost said in a new Entertainment Tonight docuseries “It Got Better.” “I know what lines I’m supposed to say. Somebody else picks my clothes for me. I have makeup done. I have hair done. And you create a family with these people that sometimes are closer to you than your own family.”
“It’s not very healthy later in life for me,” she said of growing up on TV sets. “My likeness, whether you see it in an interview, whether you see it in print, however you see it at that time, had 15 people dictating what I should and should not look like. If I did whatever I want I’m not going to sell because it doesn’t go with the brand. I was branded at such a young age.”
The former child star said she realized she was gay at around 12 years old, but there were some signs even before then. At first, she tried to deny it to herself and like boys to maintain the image for her multi-million dollar Disney empire. “I kind of pushed myself to open myself up to look for boys,” she said, noting that she even imagined that she would have a husband one day. “I never thought I would come out because my personal life didn’t matter,” she said. “It was only what was supposed to be sold as the Raven-Symoné brand.”
You can watch Raven’s full interview here. Her quote, “And you create a family with these people that sometimes are closer to you than your own family,” gave me a new perspective. I didn’t consider the fact that 15 people telling someone what to do, wear and say would become a replacement ‘family’ at such a young age. Considering they are trying to create an image rather than a well rounded person, I imagine that would prove unhealthy later in life.
Raven said that while her father always suspected she was gay, her mother is still struggling to come to terms with it. So it sounds as if Raven had to consider both her TV and natural family in the decision to come out. The good news is that Raven found a support group while at college and fell in love; both of which gave her the strength to comfortably live the life she wanted. On that topic, Raven may be back with former love, AzMarie Livingston, after being spotted coupled up in Puerto Rico. I don’t know why they broke up but I always thought they were well suited.
Photo credit: WENN Photos and Getty Images
Poor AzMarie,back together with that idiot.Love is blind and deaf.
The only shocking part of this is that she went to college.
She’s a “brand?” The only thing I know about her is she’s on some talk show and has a big mouth.
Ever heard of That’s So Raven or The Cheetah Girls? She had dolls in her likeness, school supplies, clothing, books, stationery etc. There was a huge following when she was on Disney.
You were a brand but now you’re just an idiot 😔
AzMarie is one of the most gorgeous women I’ve ever seen.
yeeeaaahhh she is in the Go with God Camp that Spike Lee set up in my head AKA People i shall never need to hear from
+1 to your first AND second comment. Google AzMarie’s photos. Stunning.
I wish she hadn’t said so many stupid things. I’m trying to sympathize with her and my brain in shutting down. There’s some sort of emotional block.
It’s sexual orientation, not “sexual preference”. No one prefers to be discriminated against.
First outfit: Jedi Teletubby
She was definitely a brand and well, Olivia. People would’ve had a fit if she came out during her Disney reign
But what is this about her “That’s So Raven” costar, Orlando Brown, stating she aborted his baby? Like….what?
So everybody has to have an absolutely resolutely individual category for his or her sexual orientation nowadays? A category that fits nobody else?
I’ve heard plenty of former Disney kids telling the exact story, with varying degrees of tragedy, so it’s not hard to believe this. And while she is incredibly ignorant and sometimes infuriating, I’m sure the way she grew up has something to do with that.
I like Raven.
Wow, AzMarie Livingstone is gorgeous. I’d never seen a picture of her before.
She is seriously morphing into Whoopi Goldberg.
She is just so weird and I think, really has an inflated sense of self. I’m not in her demographic but the last I heard of her was years ago on the Cosby show. I doubt she was on the ‘Hannah Montana’ level of child stardom. I don’t know how anyone can stand to be around her for longer than five minutes.
She was adorable on the Cosby Show and really funny and talented on That’s So Raven. She had back packs, clothes, school supplies, dolls, pillows, etc. with her likeness. She was huge, if she were white and thin she may have reached Hannah Montana levels. I haven’t really followed her recent controversies but I’ve always liked her. Other people can have different ideas than I do, that doesn’t mean they are ignorant or need to shut up. They can talk, I can choose to listen or not. No need to get bent out of shape or deny their talent.