It wasn’t easy for Gloria Estefan to confront the common pain she and her daughter Emily Estefan experienced.
On “Red Table Talk: The Estefans,” the 25-year-old talked about how she told the renowned singer, 63, about her sexual orientation. The two claimed that their relationship was strained due to Estefan’s first reaction to Emily’s declaration that she was dating her female girlfriend Gemeny Hernandez.
“What’s difficult is going back to those traumatic spots, because we’ve already progressed a long way,” Estefan told Fox News. “And to see how much of it is due to misunderstandings. That is why we are putting on the show: to start talks in people’s homes and families.”
Emily described how Estefan advised her not to come out to her grandma and instead keep her sexuality hidden from the sick matriarch in the episode.
Emily made her relationship with Hernandez public in 2017 when she posted a snapshot of the two on Instagram.
In retrospect, Estefan claims she was attempting to protect her mother from any shock that would have harmed her health, as well as to protect Emily from anything that might have harmed their relationship or her own budding career as an artist.
“To tell you the truth, the thing about her being gay was a non-issue,” Estefan explained. “What was challenging was that she was going to release an album at the time, and I was also trying to be a celebrity mom on top of being a mom. Because I’ve been in that industry for a long time and tried to provide safeguards and navigate things in a way that was eventually successful.”
“We have a profound love for each other,” she said. “And I hold her in high regard. There is no other option. We need to figure out how to communicate with one another. Also, determine whether or not you have an issue. Prior to this, I had no idea there was a problem. We’re OK. We’re in a great spot.”
Emily provided some suggestions for anyone battling with their sexuality in silence after thinking about her experience.
“It’s critical to be genuine,” she emphasized. “I don’t believe anyone who isn’t ready to come out feels compelled to keep private matters private. Looking back on my life, I noticed that while I was feeling things, I began to hide [them] in a certain way. And when that happens, you’ll have conflicting emotions. Your family is perplexed, and you are perplexed. So be truthful to yourself. ”
