Raven-Symoné on the Challenges She Faced While Coming Out
LGBTQ

Raven-Symoné on the Challenges She Faced While Coming Out

Raven-Symoné is opening up about coming out.

While being honored with the prestigious Icon Award at the 9th Annual Better Brothers Los Angeles Truth Awards, the That's So Ravenstar spoke to E! News about how some aspects of the coming out process had been difficult for her, especially as someone in the public eye.

"There were a lot of challenges," as Raven said. "There was the crumbling of the wall that I had put up for so many years."

She continued, "And I felt very vulnerable. It was an interesting wound that was opened up in public."

Back in September 2021, Raven revealed that her decision to publicly come out in 2013 was spurred by the legalization of gay marriage in 16 states, as she "felt as if it was at a moment where I wasn't really ever going to go back to children's television."

"I felt as if, you know, I'm moving forward in my career," the former Cheetah Girls star told host Levi Chambers on an episode of Straw Hut Media's Pride podcast. "I'm going to start doing more adult things."

Since coming out, Raven's definitely moved onto more mature endeavors, which include competing on the Masked Singer, a (tenuous) co-hosting stint on The View and recently directing an episode of Disney's Raven's House. Not only that, but she also got married in 2020 to social media director Miranda Maday in an intimate backyard ceremony, with the couple recently telling Entertainment Tonight that they'd love to have kids in the future.

"I see us with a family. And personally, I see a lot of growth spiritually... really doing well in therapy together," as Raven said at the time. "[I] see great therapy sessions."

You can read everything Raven had to say to E! News' about her coming out journey here.

Photo via Getty / Allison Dinner