Naya Rivera a.k.a. the lesbian cheerleader Santana Lopez on the hit TV show "Glee" has revealed she had an abortion.
The 29-year-old actress gets personal as she tackles her struggle with anorexia and having an abortion while filming "Glee" in her new memoir entitled "Sorry Not Sorry: Dreams, Mistakes and Growing Up."
In an interview with People, Rivera shared an excerpt from her upcoming book. She revealed that she terminated her pregnancy with actor Ryan Dorsey on a day off from filming in late 2010.
"It was very scary to open up about everything," Rivera said. "It's not something a lot of people talk about, but I think they should. I know some people might read it and say, 'What the Hell?' But I hope someone out there gets something out of it."
The couple ended up getting back together after a few years and married in 2014. They had a son, Josey, the following year.
Naya Rivera's latest book also shares her battle with anorexia as a teenager and her struggles to cope with her parents' divorce.
"By the time I was a sophomore, I started feeling that what had begun as a game had maybe gone too far. I just avoided food at all costs," Rivera wrote in her book. "If my mum had packed a lunch for me, I'd either trash it or find some excuse to give it away."
Rivera said that she had no idea how severe her eating disorder was until she decided to write about it in her memoir.
"I was so young and it just seemed to be the norm. Everyone was going through similar stuff," she told People. "I had no way of knowing if I was going through it worse. I was juggling my feelings and it makes me sad that there are girls still going through that 15 years after I went through it."
Rivera took to Twitter and shared the news about her upcoming book to her fans.
I set out to write a book that was true to myself and would hopefully help others along the way. Media will always distort anything
— Naya Rivera Dorsey (@NayaRivera) August 24, 2016
I hope that you all enjoy my story and respect my good intentions in sharing them with you. Xoxo ❤️❤️ #sorrynotsorry — Naya Rivera Dorsey (@NayaRivera) August 24, 2016
The "Glee" actress is one of the increasing numbers of celebrities who have openly addressed issues such as abortion, psychological struggles and addiction.
Naya Rivera also revealed that her son, Josey, was her inspiration in writing the book and open up about her struggles during the show and abortion.
"I hope Josey will read it one day," she said about the book. "I hope it gives him a better perspective on the issues women face."
"Sorry Not Sorry: Dreams, Mistakes and Growing Up" will be out Sept. 13.
