Simon Raven · Unfair to gays · LRB 19 June 1980

Contents:

• RAVEN-SYMONé SAYS SHE SHUT DOWN DISNEY'S PLANS FOR HER CHARACTER TO BE GAY 'RAVEN'S HOME': 'I'M NOT BEG MYSELF ON THIS SHOW'
• RAVEN-SYMONE: I’M NOT GAY, AND I’M NOT AIN-AMERIN
• RAVEN-SYMONé OPENS UP ABOUT LIVG AS HER AUTHENTIC SELF: 'MY GAY SELF SAVED ME'
• RAVEN-SYMONé SHAR BETIFUL WAY SHE CELEBRAT HER GAY PRI WH WIFE MIRANDA
• RAVEN-SYMONé: WHY I DIDN’T WANT MY ‘RAVEN’S HOME’ CHARACTER TO BE GAY
• RAVEN-SYMONé KISSED, BUT LEGALLY, NO ONE WAS ALLOWED TO TELLINCLUDG HER NOW-WIFE. BY KASE WICKMANMAY 31, 2023LEXIE MORELAND/GETTY IMAGSAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVENON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS, TURNS OUT, ARE AMONG THE MANY THGS THAT ARE SO RAVEN.FORMER CHILD STAR RAVEN-SYMONé, WHO CURRENTLY STARS  RAVEN’S HOME, REVEALED AN TERVIEW WH HOWIE MANL THAT BEFORE MARRYG HER WIFE MIRANDA PEARMAN-MADAY JUNE 2020, SHE’D PRENTED ALL HER HOOKUPS WH NDAS “BEFORE THE NGHTY TIM E.” “IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND BEE ’S VERY IMPERSONAL, BUT SOMEONE OUR POSN NEEDS TO DO THAT,” SHE EXPLAED. “HASHTAGS, REAL LIFE, THEY CHANGE THE DYNAMIC OF HAVG AN TIMATE RELATNSHIP WH SOMEBODY." AND, Y, EVEN PEARMAN-MADAY HAD TO SIGN ON THE DOTTED LE. WHY? BEE HER MOM SAID SO, DUH. “MY MOM HAD BEEN BUGGG ME,” RAVEN-SYMONé SAID. "SHE WAS LIKE, ‘YOU GOT TO GET SIGNED. I'M LIKE, ‘SHE'S OM THE DTRY.’ AND MY MOM WAS BUGGG ME."EVEN THOUGH THEY BOTH FELT THAT THERE WAS “SOMETHG DIFFERENT” ABOUT THE RELATNSHIP, PEARMAN-MADAY AGREED. “WE BOTH WERE LIKE, ‘THIS TAK AWAY THE GENUENS OF ALL, BUT WE ALSO UNRSTOOD THAT WE LIVE HOLLYWOOD,'" RAVEN-SYMONé SAID. "SHE KNOWS WHO SHE IS. SO SHE DID .”RAVEN-SYMONé ANNOUNCED SHE WAS GAY 2013, AND LATER EXPLAED THAT SHE HADN’T EVER THOUGHT SHE’D BE ABLE TO ACKNOWLEDGE HER SEXUALY.“I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD E OUT BEE MY PERSONAL LIFE DIDN’T MATTER,” SHE SAID AT THE TIME. “IT WAS ONLY WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SOLD AS THE RAVEN-SYMONé BRAND.”THE STAR, WHO GOT HER FIRST PART AS A KID ON THE COSBY SHOW, SAID THAT AS HER FAY'S PRIMARY BREADWNER OM A YOUNG AGE, SHE DIDN'T WANT TO STEP OUT OF LE. NOW, HOWEVER, SHE TOLD MANL, SHE HAS A BETTER SENSE OF HERSELF AND HER PUBLIC IMAGE, CLUDG WHAT SHE'D LIKE TO SHARE WH THE WORLD. “I'M VERY, VERY OUT,” SHE TOLD MANL, SAYG THAT HER CISN TO REVEAL HER SEXUALY "WASN'T A DISCSN WH DISNEY.” “I THK THAT THE EARLIER YEARS OF HOLLYWOOD, Y,” SHE SAID, ACKNOWLEDGG THE REALY OF THE STUDS' POSSIBLE DISAPPROVAL, BEFORE NODDG AT PROGRS: “DISNEY HAS DONE SOME AMAZG WORK WH UNRSTANDG THAT THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT TYP OF PEOPLE THIS WORLD, AND EVERYBODY NEEDS A CHANCE TO BE SHOWSED.”“IT'S BE YOU AND WE WILL ACCEPT YOU. AS LONG AS YOU SHOW UP TO WORK AND AS LONG AS YOU ARE POSIVE AND YOU'RE NOT BRGG ANYBODY ELSE DOWN FOR YOUR BENEF, 'S LIKE, WHAT I DO AT HOME IS WHAT I DO AT HOME, AND WHAT I DO AT WORK IS WHAT I DO AT WORK.”AS FOR HER FAY, HOWEVER, SHE SAID, “NOT ALL PARENTS ARE ACCEPTG OF EVERYTHG,” AND THAT “'S A JOURNEY.” “I GREW UP A BLACK FAY THAT LIKE, YOU GOT YOUR BUTT BEAT IF YOU DID ANYTHG DISRPECTFUL, THAT EMBARRASSED YOUR PARENTS,” SHE SAID. AS FOR THOSE NDAS, THOUGH, SHE'S FELY DISCLOSG. IN TAIL. “AND 'S GOTTEN WORSE NOW," SHE SAID. "THEY HAVE NSENT FORMS TO WHERE THEY'RE LIKE, ‘ARE YOU OKAY WH ANAL, ARE YOU OKAY WH THIS, N I DO THIS, YOU N DO THIS TO ME—THAT’S A PART OF NOW.” “I STILL GOT ALL OF 'EM,” SHE SAID, LGHG, “SO NOBODY N SAY ANYTHG.” MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR“IT’S RAG TEENS” AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?THE BT TV SHOWS OF 2023, SO FARSEX TOYS, FANCIAL CRIM, AND THE ORIG OF BARBIETHAT SOUND YOU HEAR IS DONALD TMP SCREAMG, CRYG, AND THROWG UP A MAR-A-LAGO BATHROOMIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMERINSI THE ACTORS STRIKE PRS APOLYPSE: “THE CELEBRY FACTORY HAS SHUT DOWN”IS ALL THIS AMATR THERAPY-SPEAK JT MAKG US LONELIER?FROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHEVERYTHG TO KNOW ABOUT ARIANA GRAN AND HER NEW BOYIEND, SPONGEBOB (ETHAN SLATER)BY KENZIE BRYANTTMP PLANS TO DEFEND HIMSELF AGAST ELECTN CHARG BY THROWG HIS LAWYERS UNR THE B: REPORTBY BS LEVKASE WICKMAN
• RAVEN-SYMONE SAYS SHE’S A LBIAN, GRATEFUL FOR LEGALIZED GAY MARRIAGE
• RAVEN-SYMON IS QUEER, BUT SHE SAID NO TO DISNEY TO PLAYG RAVEN BAXTER AS GAY
• RAVEN-SYMONE SAID SHE TURNED DOWN CHANGE OF HER CHARACTER FROM STRAIGHT TO GAY
• RAVEN SYMONE B: AGE, HEIGHT, PARENTS, PARTNER, IS SHE GAY?
• WHY RAVEN-SYMONé REFED TO TURN HER DISNEY CHARACTER GAY AFTER COMG OUT IN 2013
• DISNEY OFFERED TO MAKE RAVEN-SYMONE’S CHARACTER GAY THAT'S SO RAVEN REBOOT
• UNFAIR TO GAYS

RAVEN-SYMONé SAYS SHE SHUT DOWN DISNEY'S PLANS FOR HER CHARACTER TO BE GAY 'RAVEN'S HOME': 'I'M NOT BEG MYSELF ON THIS SHOW'

Raven-Symoné wasn't ready to e out as gay until a -star gave her the ph she need to mter up the urage.

The 36-year-old looks back on her journey to beg openly gay a new terview wh Them, a webse foced on LGBTQ+ issu. When Green told the actor that he had watched her grow up onscreen, the nversatn turned to the topic of role mols and the fact that there weren't many openly gay role mols pop culture at the time. Raven-Symoné wasn't ready to e out as gay until a -star gave her the ph she need to mter up the 36-year-old looks back on her journey to beg openly gay a new terview wh Them, a webse foced on LGBTQ+ issu.

’ And I was like, ‘No, I’m not, ’” she Green told the actor that he had watched her grow up onscreen, the nversatn turned to the topic of role mols and the fact that there weren't many openly gay role mols pop culture at the time.

RAVEN-SYMONE: I’M NOT GAY, AND I’M NOT AIN-AMERIN

Raven-Symoné said she "didn't feel fortable" wh her character beg gay "Raven's Home.

Raven-Symoné said that she told Disney producers that she didn't want her character to e out as gay the "That's So Raven" reboot, "Raven's Home.

The spoff, which premiered roughly 10 years after the first seri end, followed the bt iends after they'd grown up and had their own a vio terview for Them, published on YouTube last week, Raven-Symoné said that she didn't thk was a good enough reason for Raven to be gay the reboot jt bee the actor had e out as gay. "They were like, 'Do you want Raven to be gay?

RAVEN-SYMONé OPENS UP ABOUT LIVG AS HER AUTHENTIC SELF: 'MY GAY SELF SAVED ME'

Raven Baxter's not gay.

'"This is not the first time the Disney star has talked about not wantg her Raven to be gay.

Raven-Symone: Don't label me gay. Actrs Raven-Symone chews labels like gay and Ain-Amerin.

RAVEN-SYMONé SHAR BETIFUL WAY SHE CELEBRAT HER GAY PRI WH WIFE MIRANDA

That’s what the former “Cosby Show” star told Oprah Wey on OWN on Sunday night, as she explaed why she don’t like to be labeled as gay or Ain-Amerin.

“I don’t want to be labeled gay, ” Raven-Symone said. Raven-Symone says she’s a lbian, grateful for legalized gay marriage. The former Disney star’s sexualy has been headl sce she tweeted Augt 2013 that she was happy for the legalizatn of gay marriage, as meant that she uld “fally get married!

RAVEN-SYMONé: WHY I DIDN’T WANT MY ‘RAVEN’S HOME’ CHARACTER TO BE GAY

“I always say that my gay self saved me, ” Raven told Romper.

As much as I attribute that to my parents, I also attribute to the fact that the gay person on the si of me kept sayg, ‘Nope, Nope, Nope. ”Raven was hostg a karaoke night at a Wt Hollywood gay bar back 2015 when she met Miranda. “I married a gay ltle wch and she married a gay ltle wch, ” said Raven, who played a young psychic wch the s That’s So Raven.

RAVEN-SYMONé KISSED, BUT LEGALLY, NO ONE WAS ALLOWED TO TELLINCLUDG HER NOW-WIFE. BY KASE WICKMANMAY 31, 2023LEXIE MORELAND/GETTY IMAGSAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVENON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS, TURNS OUT, ARE AMONG THE MANY THGS THAT ARE SO RAVEN.FORMER CHILD STAR RAVEN-SYMONé, WHO CURRENTLY STARS  RAVEN’S HOME, REVEALED AN TERVIEW WH HOWIE MANL THAT BEFORE MARRYG HER WIFE MIRANDA PEARMAN-MADAY JUNE 2020, SHE’D PRENTED ALL HER HOOKUPS WH NDAS “BEFORE THE NGHTY TIM E.” “IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND BEE ’S VERY IMPERSONAL, BUT SOMEONE OUR POSN NEEDS TO DO THAT,” SHE EXPLAED. “HASHTAGS, REAL LIFE, THEY CHANGE THE DYNAMIC OF HAVG AN TIMATE RELATNSHIP WH SOMEBODY." AND, Y, EVEN PEARMAN-MADAY HAD TO SIGN ON THE DOTTED LE. WHY? BEE HER MOM SAID SO, DUH. “MY MOM HAD BEEN BUGGG ME,” RAVEN-SYMONé SAID. "SHE WAS LIKE, ‘YOU GOT TO GET SIGNED. I'M LIKE, ‘SHE'S OM THE DTRY.’ AND MY MOM WAS BUGGG ME."EVEN THOUGH THEY BOTH FELT THAT THERE WAS “SOMETHG DIFFERENT” ABOUT THE RELATNSHIP, PEARMAN-MADAY AGREED. “WE BOTH WERE LIKE, ‘THIS TAK AWAY THE GENUENS OF ALL, BUT WE ALSO UNRSTOOD THAT WE LIVE HOLLYWOOD,'" RAVEN-SYMONé SAID. "SHE KNOWS WHO SHE IS. SO SHE DID .”RAVEN-SYMONé ANNOUNCED SHE WAS GAY 2013, AND LATER EXPLAED THAT SHE HADN’T EVER THOUGHT SHE’D BE ABLE TO ACKNOWLEDGE HER SEXUALY.“I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD E OUT BEE MY PERSONAL LIFE DIDN’T MATTER,” SHE SAID AT THE TIME. “IT WAS ONLY WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SOLD AS THE RAVEN-SYMONé BRAND.”THE STAR, WHO GOT HER FIRST PART AS A KID ON THE COSBY SHOW, SAID THAT AS HER FAY'S PRIMARY BREADWNER OM A YOUNG AGE, SHE DIDN'T WANT TO STEP OUT OF LE. NOW, HOWEVER, SHE TOLD MANL, SHE HAS A BETTER SENSE OF HERSELF AND HER PUBLIC IMAGE, CLUDG WHAT SHE'D LIKE TO SHARE WH THE WORLD. “I'M VERY, VERY OUT,” SHE TOLD MANL, SAYG THAT HER CISN TO REVEAL HER SEXUALY "WASN'T A DISCSN WH DISNEY.” “I THK THAT THE EARLIER YEARS OF HOLLYWOOD, Y,” SHE SAID, ACKNOWLEDGG THE REALY OF THE STUDS' POSSIBLE DISAPPROVAL, BEFORE NODDG AT PROGRS: “DISNEY HAS DONE SOME AMAZG WORK WH UNRSTANDG THAT THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT TYP OF PEOPLE THIS WORLD, AND EVERYBODY NEEDS A CHANCE TO BE SHOWSED.”“IT'S BE YOU AND WE WILL ACCEPT YOU. AS LONG AS YOU SHOW UP TO WORK AND AS LONG AS YOU ARE POSIVE AND YOU'RE NOT BRGG ANYBODY ELSE DOWN FOR YOUR BENEF, 'S LIKE, WHAT I DO AT HOME IS WHAT I DO AT HOME, AND WHAT I DO AT WORK IS WHAT I DO AT WORK.”AS FOR HER FAY, HOWEVER, SHE SAID, “NOT ALL PARENTS ARE ACCEPTG OF EVERYTHG,” AND THAT “'S A JOURNEY.” “I GREW UP A BLACK FAY THAT LIKE, YOU GOT YOUR BUTT BEAT IF YOU DID ANYTHG DISRPECTFUL, THAT EMBARRASSED YOUR PARENTS,” SHE SAID. AS FOR THOSE NDAS, THOUGH, SHE'S FELY DISCLOSG. IN TAIL. “AND 'S GOTTEN WORSE NOW," SHE SAID. "THEY HAVE NSENT FORMS TO WHERE THEY'RE LIKE, ‘ARE YOU OKAY WH ANAL, ARE YOU OKAY WH THIS, N I DO THIS, YOU N DO THIS TO ME—THAT’S A PART OF NOW.” “I STILL GOT ALL OF 'EM,” SHE SAID, LGHG, “SO NOBODY N SAY ANYTHG.” MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR“IT’S RAG TEENS” AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?THE BT TV SHOWS OF 2023, SO FARSEX TOYS, FANCIAL CRIM, AND THE ORIG OF BARBIETHAT SOUND YOU HEAR IS DONALD TMP SCREAMG, CRYG, AND THROWG UP A MAR-A-LAGO BATHROOMIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMERINSI THE ACTORS STRIKE PRS APOLYPSE: “THE CELEBRY FACTORY HAS SHUT DOWN”IS ALL THIS AMATR THERAPY-SPEAK JT MAKG US LONELIER?FROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHEVERYTHG TO KNOW ABOUT ARIANA GRAN AND HER NEW BOYIEND, SPONGEBOB (ETHAN SLATER)BY KENZIE BRYANTTMP PLANS TO DEFEND HIMSELF AGAST ELECTN CHARG BY THROWG HIS LAWYERS UNR THE B: REPORTBY BS LEVKASE WICKMAN

Disney Channel star and lbian in Raven-Symoné revealed the heartwarmg way she celebrat her gay pri “every day” wh her wife Miranda.

RAVEN-SYMONE SAYS SHE’S A LBIAN, GRATEFUL FOR LEGALIZED GAY MARRIAGE

In the past, she has spoken ndidly about beg forced to hi her inty, the challeng of g out to fans, and makg her dat sign NDAs before fally g to terms wh beg gay over lockdown, when she married her now-wife Miranda Maday-Pearman. In an terview wh Entertament Tonight durg the eveng, Raven-Symoné announced her solidary wh the LGBTQ+ muny at a time of risg attacks and the betiful way she affirms her gay pri wh wife Miranda on a daily basis. We’re gay, '” Raven-Symoné shared, wh Miranda addg, “Jt like that, every sgle day durg the month of Pri, that’s what we say to each other.

“They were like, ‘Do you want Raven to be gay? “Raven Baxter’s not gay.

RAVEN-SYMON IS QUEER, BUT SHE SAID NO TO DISNEY TO PLAYG RAVEN BAXTER AS GAY

”Raven-Symoné announced she was gay 2013, and later explaed that she hadn’t ever thought she’d be able to acknowledge her sexualy. Raven-Symone says "It's great to know" she n have a legal gay marriage.

RAVEN-SYMONE SAID SHE TURNED DOWN CHANGE OF HER CHARACTER FROM STRAIGHT TO GAY

“I am very happy that gay marriage is openg up around the untry and is beg accepted, ” the actrs said a statement through her reprentativ. “I was exced to hear today that more stat legalized gay marriage.

RAVEN SYMONE B: AGE, HEIGHT, PARENTS, PARTNER, IS SHE GAY?

She was jt supportg the fact that she heard on NPR that more stat legalized gay marriage today.

WHY RAVEN-SYMONé REFED TO TURN HER DISNEY CHARACTER GAY AFTER COMG OUT IN 2013

*When Raven Symone agreed to reprise her inic role as Raven Baxter for the Disney Channel sp-off “Raven’s Home” 2017, the actrs says she was approached to play the character as a gay woman — an offer which she now reveals she rpectfully cled. ” She reunted the nversatn, addg, “They were like, ‘Do you want Raven to be gay?

Raven Baxter’s not gay, ” the actor reerat. Raven Baxter is not gay.

DISNEY OFFERED TO MAKE RAVEN-SYMONE’S CHARACTER GAY THAT'S SO RAVEN REBOOT

Why would a gay woman cle playg a gay character her ss???

Speakg to the “Pri” podst, Symone said that Disney offered to make the sp-off character a lbian to acmodate Raven-Symone, who is gay real life.

Symone said she is proud to be gay, but “The reason I said no wasn’t bee I wasn’t proud of who I was, or I didn’t want to reprent the LGBTQ+ muny any way, ” Symoné said.. Is Raven Symone gay? In May 2012, she stated that her sexual orientatn was hers and not for public Augt 2013, she said that she was exced to learn that more stat had legalized gay marriag.

UNFAIR TO GAYS

Later that year, the actrs revealed that Livgston was no longer Raven Symone girliend as the two had end their 2016, Raven Symone gay orientatn was affirmed when she referred to herself as a lbian on The View, a show she was -hostg.

In a 2016 terview wh Teen Vogue, Raven-Symoné nfsed that she'd known she was gay sce age 12. "I knew I uldn't say out loud bee, 'Oh my god, ltle Olivia is gay, this is crazy, '" she ntued.

What Did Raven-Symoné Say About Makg Her Disney Character Gay? In 2022, Raven-Symoné revealed that she was offered to reprise her That's So Raven role a reboot but that she'd now be gay like her.