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Love Wins: The woman who became a father and the man who loved her


 

These days, people are worried that the definition of family is becoming too broad. But husband and wife Richard and Venus are keeping it simple. The two are raising their child Queen together and love governs their actions.

"A family is not only for a man and a woman. As long as you are able to provide for your kids, attend to the needs of your partner, and love them unconditionally, you can be called a family," Venus shares in an interview with GMA News and Public Affairs.

"We leave those who judge us up to God. We know that we love each other and that we are not hurting anyone else with our love," Richard adds.

The judgment Richard is referring to comes with the fact that Venus did not give birth to Queen — but Queen is still Venus' biological daughter.

Venus is a trans woman and she had a baby with a co-worker.

"Queen’s mother was my co-dancer. I recruited her to be a waitress in a Japanese restaurant," she explains. "Something unexpected happened between us when we got drunk one time. I got her pregnant."

She originally wanted to adopt a child with Richard and the unintended pregnancy threw a wrench in their plans. Despite this, the two were able to make it work.

"What else could I do? I decided to take care of the kid, anyway," Richard said.

Richard treats Queen like his own daughter and is very happy with the family he now has. He had a wife before Venus, but said that the marriage was tumultuous and he longed for love.

This was something he found in Venus.

"We met each other during a fiesta. I was watching a basketball game they personally organized. That’s where I met her," he said. "She brought me snacks. At first, she would let her friends bring them for me. She would make sure I get to eat after our game."

Before they knew it, they had fallen in love with each other. Venus thought Richard was kind and caring and he thought the same of her.

"Sometimes we argue, but we have never left each other," Richard said.

Love, for them, always wins in the end. —Aya Tantiangco/LA, GMA News

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