Actress Cai Cortez has a response for her bashers who keep on criticizing her weight and body-shaming her. In an interview with TV5’s Chika Besh! on September 26, 2020, she mentioned that she will humorously respond to her bashers.
She said that if a netizen will point out that she is overweight, she will be able to handle it and even give a sarcastic response.
“Siguro kasi kapag sinasabing mataba ako, gusto kong sabihin, ‘Day, may salamin din kami. Alam ko mataba ako, oo,” she said.
Cai said that she is not ashamed of being fat because she grew up in a family where being overweight is not considered a negative trait. She explained that she learned this type of upbringing from her parents Rez and Candy Cortez.
“Siguro kasi iyong mga role model ko, iyong tatay ko, laging nilalaro ang tiyan ni mommy. Pinaggigilan niya. Gusto niya,” she explained.
The 32-year-old actress said that her parents made her realize that true love doesn’t see any problem with one’s weight because someone who is meant for you will love you for who you are.
“Doon pa lang, with the confidence of my mom and the love that I see from my dad to my mom, nakikita kong you don’t have to settle for someone na sasabihin, ‘Uy, alam mo, kung papayat ka, liligawan kita, Ang mga taong ganoon is not meant for you,” said Cai.
“Kasi kung simula pa lang gusto ka nang baguhin, what more kapag nasa relasyon kayo,” she added.
Cai believes that if a person will learn how to accept one’s self, she will be beautiful and people will be able to appreciate that.
“If you believe you are beautiful, you will be beautiful,” she said.
“And if you take care of yourself, and you have respect sa sarili mo, people will see that, e. Mararamdaman nila iyon,” she added.
Cai also mentioned about her experience of being bullied due to her body weight in the past.
She said that people’s judgment towards her weight doesn’t affect her because she already accepted that she is fat and that there’s nothing wrong with it.
“Hindi rin gumagana iyong sasaktan ako para sabihing mataba. Parang, ”Tapos?’
“Matangkad, maliit, short hair, long hair, mataba. Bakit ko ide-deny iyon kapag totoo? At anong masama doon?” she said.
She also mentioned people who bully others using a concerned approach and said that it is none of other people’s business to meddle in someone’s life. She said that people need to body shame others because they don’t know what those people are going through.
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“Other people naman, kunwari they mask their bullying by being, ‘Ay, ano, concerned ako sa iyo kasi unhealthy magiging mataba.’ Wala kang alam sa buhay ko para sabihing unhealthy ako o hindi,” she said.
“Ang daming mga plus-size model like si Lizzo and Ashley Graham na araw-araw halos nagwo-work out, pero mataba sila.”
“And it’s none of your business,” she added.
Cai revealed that she still has some insecurities with her body weight but she chose to focus more on having a positive outlook on life.
“Of course, may insecurities pa rin minsan. Hindi mo na matatanggal sa tao iyan. Pero bakit mo dadalhin iyon sa araw-araw at oras na bigay sa iyo ng Diyos?” she explained.
She advised people saying, “You are more beautiful than any label anyone can think of.”
Cai Cortez is an actress, comedienne, model, and endorser. She is currently married to Wissem Rkhami with whom she has two children: son Hbib and daughter Carmen.
She is known for her roles in the series Be Careful with My Heart (2012), My Destiny (2014), Tubig at Langis (2016), and Anak ni Waray vs. Anak ni Biday (2020).
