Leandro Muñoz on being a parent to trans son: ‘Give 100% support’

Former actor Leandro Muñoz called on parents of LGBTQ+ people to give their children their full support as he opened up about his transgender son, Frankie.

Leandro talked about Frankie’s coming out with actor Paolo Contis on the latter’s talk show, Just In. When Paolo asked him about Frankie, Leandro said “this is something that I will never, ever hide from the public, nor anyone should ever hide from the public because this is a serious matter.”

Leandro shared that a tearful, 16-year-old Frankie approached him when he was 16 and said, “I need help, I am wrong, I need help maybe from a psychiatrist.”

“Why? because attracted siya sa same sex (he was attracted to the same sex),” Leandro said. “I said, there’s nothing wrong with you.”

According to Leandro, Frankie said “I feel like I’m a boy, I’m a man,” to which the father responded, “Then go with what you feel right.”

“So my point here is kailangan talaga i-support natin (we really need to support) what makes our children happy. Ever since na sinabi niya ‘yun, wala na, hindi na siya closet, hindi na siya nagtago (Ever since he said that, he was out of the closet, he was no longer hiding),” Leandro shared.

He said that Frankie, now 26, is happily living as a trans man who plans to take up psychology, with focus on the LGBTQ+ psychology.

“So my message to everyone is, kung mayroon kayong anak (if you have a child) who’s trying to come out, just support, give 100% support,” he said.

Frankie, born Franchesca, is Leandro’s child from a previous relationship. Leandro moved to the United States with Frankie in 2003.

The former actor, now 44, lives in California with his wife Sheryl and their son, Mason, who was born in January. – Rappler.com