Raven-Symoné Opens Up About Living As Her Authentic Self: 'My Gay Self Saved Me'

Sitting down for an interview with Romper, former child star Raven-Symoné spoke about living life as her true self.

“I always say that my gay self saved me,” Raven told Romper. “A lot of people ask why I didn’t turn out like any of the other people in my position in Hollywood. As much as I attribute that to my parents, I also attribute it to the fact that the gay person on the inside of me kept saying, ‘Nope, Nope, Nope. You can’t do that. You can’t do that because I haven’t lived my life yet. You have to come out before you can do anything.’”

The 36-year-old also expressed gratitude for people in the LBGTQ+ community and for her wife, Miranda, who supported her from the beginning.

“Honestly, growing up, I didn’t have any person really sit in front of my face and make me feel comfortable enough to be me. The person I always looked up to was the version of myself I knew I wanted to be later,” Raven said. “So, I’ve had to live in the future more than in the now, I guess you could say. I lived toward the person I wanted to be, and found the real role models I needed as I got older, like Miranda and so many people in the LBGTQ+ community.”

Raven was hosting a karaoke night at a West Hollywood gay bar back in 2015 when she met Miranda. The couple then married during the pandemic. Since then, they have continued to grow closer together.

“I married a gay little witch and she married a gay little witch,” said Raven, who played a young psychic witch in the sitcom That’s So Raven. “So, we’re all in it together.”

Miranda and Raven are staying busy with their YouTube channel, 8 PM. The couple covers a wide range of topics on their channel, including lifestyle, art, cooking and fashion.

“Our channel has allowed me to be more of myself and really put the person I am when I wake up on film,” Raven said. “No weave, no makeup. I’ve normally just put on a mask when entertaining people.”

Miranda said the YouTube channel is one of many creative projects which helps the couple grow closer together.

“Raven and I have both had to play both maternal and paternal roles at times, in caring for people, and now we do that together, birthing creative projects,” she told Romper. “Aside from our YouTube channel, we have a production company in very early stages. I think if we were to stay in the analogy of a pregnancy, we have an embryo.”

While they are grateful for the life they’re living, Miranda and Raven are also thinking about many LGBTQ+ families who are still living in fear as their rights are being threatened.

“The process of going to get our marriage certificate, and signing that document… it was so great,” Miranda said. “But at the same time, it’s a piece of paper that is also issued to you by the government — the same government that makes people like us fearful that their marriage could be taken away from them, or that they won’t always have the permission to do so. I understand how important that recognition is and I want it…”