Gay icons are someone that gays look up to, whether they are really gay or not. Here are some individuals that are considered to be as gay icons here in the Philippines:

Ricky Reyes – Icon for the “parloristang” bakla

He is the most successful gay who strived to make his salon chain successful. Before the F Salons, Index and the others, the most evident ones were Ricky Reyes’ salons. He also founded the Ricky Reyes Learning Institute wherein people who aspire to become a professional hairdresser can be formally educated. During the 90′s (and I believe until now), he has a television show called “Beauty School Plus” wherein the television viewers can learn how to put on make up and cut someone else’s hair.

Danton Remoto: Icon for the Political Gays

* photo from dantonremoto2010.blogspot.com

An Ateneo professor and writer, Danton Remoto aims to become the first openly gay politician. Danton heads the LGBT political group “Ang Ladlad” which was at first denied to be recognized as a party list representative for the LGBTs in the upcoming 2010 National Elections. As of this moment, the Supreme Court has given the go signal to let “Ang Ladlad” run a party list group.

Boy Abunda – Icon for the Tsismosang Bakla

Boy Abunda is also an artist manager aside from being the host of the popular Showbiz oriented show, The Buzz. I guess he’s one of the respected hosts and interviewers in this country. I can’t really say that he’s perfectly balanced in all that he does but I am sure that he’s one hell of an intelligent interviewer.

I know there are a lot but I guess I’ll keep this shortlisted first. If you have any gay in mind that you feel is respected in Philippine society, then please suggest it below.

]]> http://pinoylgbt.com/who-are-the-gay-icons-in-your-neighborhood/feed/ 0 http://pinoylgbt.com/transphobia-in-pinoy-big-brother-double-up/ http://pinoylgbt.com/transphobia-in-pinoy-big-brother-double-up/#comments Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:46:23 +0000 Sharlyne Ang http://pinoylgbt.com/?p=143 Continue reading →]]>

Whenever I have the time, I watch Pinoy Big Brother Double Up because of Rica Paras. It’s like whenever I watch PBB, I feel a certain connection with her because she’s one one us (LGBT) and it just felt so good to see someone like her in Philippine mass media. I always became curious on how her housemates will treat her when they knew that she’s a transgender. It’s a given, probably, because of the kind of society we have right now.

I don’t believe that there are issues of her being incapable of working in a team. In fact, she has shown her leadership in some of the tasks and putting her in a bad light because she is a transgender is very wrong.

This reality show is somehow a mirror of Filipino culture and now you see right before your eyes on how one treats a transgender individual. It’s frustrating to know that this kind of behavior is being inculcated more in Philippine television. I hope Big Brother will intervene and teach the housemates who only proliferate transphobia. Just like what Big Brother did with the husband and wife couple there ( I forgot their names ) when someone pretended to be the husband of this girl. This task was to teach the real husband that having an affair outside marriage is heartbreaking especially when you see your wife in the arms of another man.

Below is the official statement of the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP) where Rica Paras is a part of.

Official Statement of the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP) on the recent happenings inside the Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) House involving Rica Paras.

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
–Anonymous

She-man. Mumu. Half-half. Samson and Delilah. These are just a few of the derogatory comments heard recently from PBB Double Up Housemates Rob Stumvol, Patrick Villanueva, Hermes Bautista, Mariel Sorino, Yuri Okawa and most especially Rocky Salumbides in referring to Rica Paras. We, her sisters in STRAP, join the rest of the world’s loyal audiences who watch PBB Double Up diligently in expressing our dismay, disappointment and disbelief in this blatant show of anti-transgender prejudice or transphobia. STRAP condemns to the highest degree this senseless bigotry and calls on Big Brother to intervene and put a stop to the hate happening right under his watchful eye.

Ever since Rica entered the PBB House, she has always carried herself well. She has never been a burden to her housemates but instead has proven to be an asset to them with her leadership skills, quick thinking and positive attitude. She has helped in household chores, shared her talents selflessly, related wholeheartedly with her housemates, and always contributed to the completion of tasks in the best way she could. The whole world knows that Rica has been nothing but a consistent team player, a shoulder to cry on, a loyal friend and a loving and reliable sister to all of her housemates.

We are therefore calling on all the housemates to STOP BASHING RICA for she has done nobody any harm. STOP DISREPECTING RICA for she has only treated all of them with grace and care. STOP DISPARAGING RICA for she is simply being herself. The asinine machismo being directed at her is the same kind of misogyny that leads to violence against women. The narrow-mindedness being displayed by some of the PBB Double Up housemates is the same kind of bias that leads to abuse, insensitivity and cruelty towards others. This is totally unacceptable behavior and must be stopped at all costs.

This has to stop if we believe in the equality of all persons. This has to stop if we want to create a world where the uniqueness of all is valued. This has to stop if we want to create a better world where kindness, compassion and respect reign, a world that upholds the inherent dignity of all. STOP TRANSPHOBIA SA BAHAY NI KUYA!

- Reposted from Sass Sasot

The new season of Pinoy Big Brother just started and one of our sisters in the Pinoy LGBT community is part of it. Ms. Rica Paras, of Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP), has just became a housemate. This is something that I am looking forward to see in the upcoming episodes of Pinoy Big Brother. I hope that her being a part of the show will enable to let the public understand our basic issues and get a different perspective in mainstream media. It’s seldom that mainstream media showcases our plight but let’s see in the upcoming episodes. But anyway let’s support our sister!

Here is the statement of STRAP (taken from my orgmate in Babaylan, Mushy Mae):

10 October 2009

Dear Friends, Allies & Supporters,

We, the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP), a transgender rights advocacy organization and support group for girls and women of transsexual experience, are very proud to announce that one of our very own, Ms Rica Paras, is now a Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) housemate. Housemate Rica, the Math Goddess of Bacolod (although she is really from Iloilo, entered the PBB house tonight, 10 October 2009, Saturday, and we believe that given the dearth of positive and empowering media images of transgender Filipinas or transpinays, her addition to the cast of PBB housemates marks a significant milestone both in the history of Philippine TV but as well as in the local transgender liberation movement. Rica is the first out and proud transpinay who will ever enter the PBB house and be watched by millions on national TV.

This is perhaps just rightly so as Rica’s story, indeed, is one that needs to be told. Growing up in a lower middle-class household in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo, Rica at a young age displayed an affinity for science and mathematics. This led her to attend the prestigious Western Visayas campus of the Philippine Science High School where she was a consistent A-student. Later, Rica won a scholarship to study Mathematics at Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) where she graduated with honors. The last six years, Rica has been working as a globally certified IT consultant for a multi-national company training people in sales, product distribution and finance.

That Rica’s story may serve as an inspiration to people who are dealing with difficult gender and identity issues at a young age is not lost on us. Many of us, her sisters in STRAP, know all too well how it is like to grow up with no one to look up to, deprived of role models on TV who look like us and are going through the same things in life. We would therefore like to invite you to watch Rica on PBB so that she can tell you her story in her own words. There is so much more to know so watch and see the amazing person that we have all come to love and cherish. More importantly we hope that you will join us in supporting our dear sister and ensuring that she emerges the Big Winner of this season’s PBB.

Add Rica Paras on Facebook, Multiply and Friendster. Do not forget to text in your vote for her also so that she can stay in the PBB house until the Final Four. Help us bring Rica’s story of succeeding against all odds and breaking stereotypes and barriers to the millions of Filipino households that watch PBB every day and every night. Remember that a vote for Rica is a vote for our desire for change—change in the kind of people we see on TV and change in the way people will see people like us. A vote for Rica is a vote for the dreamer in us—that anyone, regardless of gender, religion, social status, ethnic background, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc. can dream big and work hard for a better life. A vote for Rica is a vote for self-determination—that ultimately we are the masters of our fate and the captains of our souls. Only we can decide for ourselves who we want to be and who we really are!

In love and peace,

Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP)
www.tsphilippines.com

I just got a copy of the Maxim Philippines’ Gay and Lesbian Issue a few days ago with Mocha on the cover of it. Just finished reading the interesting articles and of course looking at the interesting pictures of it too . I believe this is the most daring mainstream magazine magazine that I’ve seen lately. A lot of provocative femme-to-femme poses from women who I believe who are just swingers (or bi-curious women) but not really femme lesbians per se. Oh well.

It’s obviously selling femme-to-femme action which is appealing to men (and lesbians) of course. Would you think that men would buy the magazine if there’s a butch-to-femme action? Nahh. Well, that is the nature of the magazine so I really wouldn’t expect much from them. There were lots of nipple exposures (there were a lot, literally). I admit that I enjoyed looking at some of the pictures there (and no I am not being a hypocrite about it) but I was also looking for some depth as what it claims to be: the ‘gay and lesbian issue’. There were some articles that at least tickled my brain (and at least some of the readers also) not just my libido.

There was an article entitled “Gays Night Out” which featured 5 out gays in the our society such as Boy Abunda, Danton Remoto (writer and activist), Puey Quiñones (fashion designer), Mojo Jojo (Magic 89.9 DJ) and Carlo Tadiar (a magazine editor). The discussion was lead by Boy Abunda and the night out happened at a VIP room in Classmate (in Quezon City). There were “GROs” and a stripper was hired to dance infront of them. In this article, I saw different perspectives of gays on certain things. Even though they all like men, they still have different opinions in relationships, sex, women, etc… Moral lesson of the article: In a room full of gays in it, a naked woman won’t really interest them. They’ll most likely befriend the girl but never to have sex with her.

On the other hand, there was an article about lesbians. They featured 4 butch looking lesbians. Unfortunately, they didn’t do a lesbians night out thing with a male stripper on it. Talk about equality. Haha. I could just imagine how these butches would react. I also hoped that they also featured femme lesbians (not just Mocha because it seemed that she’s not a femme lesbian). Femme lesbians are also called lipstick lesbians, who are not bisexuals by the way.

The two articles actually show one thing in common: that even though we are all part of the LGBT community, we still have different views and perspectives on certain things. This is probably the reason we are also having a hard time uniting as one. I am not saying that diversity is bad, actually, it’s better. Life would be boring and too mechanical if all of us are the same; there is no room for discussion and debate. Even in feminism, there are different kinds of it. In addition, I believe the questions that were asked from the participants were the questions that ‘straight’ individuals are curious to ask. It’s just like the ‘gay and lesbian life for dummies’. I was able to relate to the lesbian article even though I am not butch.

They wanted to have an alternative magazine cover with BB Gandanghari on it but they didn’t push it through. I felt disappointed when I read their open letter to BB Gandanghari. And I quote from the open letter:

When the editorial staff brainstored for this Gay and Lesbian Issue, we seriously considered shooting you for an alternate cover, one that would be sold in newsstands alongside Mocha’s. Quite understandably, that idea was soon deemed too risky by management. We had to concede that a good percentage of MAXIM readers would probably not be too happy to see a whole issue dedicated to homosexuality, let alone see a transgendered person on the cover.

Besides you claim that you’re a woman and not gay was all the discouragement we needed..

Maxim seems to show ‘fluidity of sexuality’ in their magazines but it’s in the terms of having different sexual partners (whether male or female) but the fluidity in terms of gender and sexuality is still out of their vocabulary. A transgendered individual, by the way, is still part of the LGBT community. They are biologically male but they are not gay men. BB claims that she is a woman because she is a transgendered individual therefore she is still part of the LGBT community. Even though there are some members of the LGBT community who would still question transgenders and transexuals as part of the community, the bottomline is the “common people” who do not understand concepts of gender and sexuality would still label them as gays. Anyway, maybe I’ll just take it literally: it’s a GAY AND LESBIAN issue and they didn’t include TRANSGENDER in the title. Haha.
 
As mentioned, I appreciated the fact that MAXIM dared to release this kind of issue. It’s not that in depth but what the heck, the magazine only has a few pages with texts in it. Like I said, I didn’t expect the magazine to have full understanding of it but at least there was an attempt to show a gist of the gay and lesbian life. So congratulations, MAXIM was able to make heads turn because of this and more bucks of course. In summary, the magazine was ok. It’s more stimulating to the libido than to the brain.

To kick off things here, I would like to say that I appreciated the fact that P.O.C (Philippine Online Chronicles) set up an event like this. This was Bebe Gandanghari’s way to reach out to the bloggers since she has been visible online. The event was ok but I really couldn’t say that it achieved something. Yes, she was liked by everyone (and suddenly became fan boys and girls) butI am saying this because I believe that the LGBT agenda wasn’t highlighted. It became some sort of a ‘fans day’ or a ‘press con’ for an upcoming movie. I am glad that some of my fellow bloggers (even though they’re not “one of us”) asked relevant questions that actually highlighted the LGBT issues such as discrimination. It was Mark and I who opened up the LGBT issues and I was even wondering if some of the people there knew what LGBT was. Maybe I was looking for something that I couldn’t find and I expected it to become an avenue for it. But, I my expectations were too much. I know that total acceptance of the LGBTs is very impossible in the Philippines (and even the world) but at least some of us bloggers were able to open it up. I actually appreciated Mark in being honest about being one of the homophobics and meeting BB in person sort of opened up his mind a little bit though I know homophobia is not totally gone. This has become a some sort of achievement for me.

Anyway, I actually invited some LGBT bloggers to attend the event because I believe that they deserve to be represented there. I’m glad that Peach of lesfriendly.com was there and waved at me but I am not really sure if the others came. There was a bit of frustration in my part because there is already an avenue for the LGBTs to shine but it seemed that these kinds of events won’t interest them. This was how I felt when I was in college when the organizations that I was a member of organize forums or discussion groups and nobody wants to attend. Deep in our heart we know that the topics that we have were very relevant but usually it’s just the members of the org who attend those kinds of intellectual avenues to at least have an audience. There should be a ‘marketing’ factor to motivate people to come. As much as I don’t want to think that people are always searching for ‘what will I get out of it?” factors to make them go but it is a reality. Why do I need to ask more when I really can’t expect people to have the passion and conviction on the politics of the LGBT agenda? Oh well, here I go again. I better stop expecting from people too much. It is true that there is division in all sectors of the society and even in the LGBT community. It just sucks but I would have to work with it. At least some people were enlighted about the LGBT issues and I am already happy about it.

Above all the externalities, I admired BB Gandanghari. I saw her inner beauty while she was answering the questions that we asked. I realized that she is a sensible person who is capable of having an intellectual conversation.

Rustom Padilla has became her past but she does not regret living as Rustom Padilla. She’s currently a transgender (or transpinay in the local terms) and according to her does not have any plans on “cutting it off”. I know that most people will think that “isn’t it that being an LGBT means that they want the sex organ of the opposite?” well, to tell you frankly not everyone would like to have a sex change. This is a misconception and a lot of LGBTs are happy with the sex organ that they currently have. Like me, I don’t want a dick. I am very happy with my own stuff.

BB is a good example also in recreating one’s self. This shows that agency (individual) plays a very powerful role in self-deconstruction. And with her internalization of her deconstructed self as a woman becomes a reality. I know people’s minds are still boggled by this kind of idea but for me it is welcoming the concept of agency (individual) creating reality and not the other way around. Well actually, this has been a long debate among the social theorists but I think that it is becoming mainstream as well. This will open the hard to penetrate narrow minded individuals in thinking that reality is based on defining what is right or wrong. Something becomes a reality if other people acknowledge it. As mentioned by BB, she has experiences with the people that she meets acknowledges (and welcomes) her being a transgender. Her concept of reality is thus becomes legitimized and the internalization of her being a woman is much more deepened. I remember, when I got home I told my mom that I have met BB and then she asked “So talagang tinotoo na niya ang pagiging bakla niya?” and I would answered “Ma, matagal na siyang ganyan at ang pagiging totoong bakla ay hindi natatapos sa pagsusuot lang ng pambabaeng damit. Kahit ang lalake ay lalaking-lalake magdamit ay kung bakla, bakla talaga. Hindi nasusukat yon sa panlabas na kaanyuan. Yun ang katotohan niya na babae siya kaya tanggapin natin.” I would’ve wanted to say “Hindi naman niya pinapakialaman ang pagiging ‘straight’ mo so bakit pa nating pakikialaman ang pagiging babae niya?” but saying that would be too disrepectful hehe. Everytime I open up a topic that is very mind boggling we would always fight about it.

BB has become one of the leading LGBT Icons in the Philippines and I thanked her for being our inspiration. We, the LGBTs, need someone to look up to so that we could be guided on how we can live our lives. I just hope that we could have more Pinay lesbian icons too.

I am the currently at the Bebe Gandanghari Blogger meet up at Mag:Net High Street. The event is sponsored by P.O.C (Philippine Online Chronicles). Bloggers get the chance to ask questions to her, no holds barred.

She arrived around 4:30 pm. The moment she entered Mag:Net, she stopped to pose for the cameras. Bebe was very warm and already thanked the people.

Here are some of her quotable quotes:

Is Bebe Gandanghari a character that you play? (asked by Mark)
“it’s the character i discovered. i thought that it’s the character i wanna play.”

[I already rephrased it but I got her point ] I think that God will not ask my why you love this person (pertaining to another man) but he will ask me HOW YOU LOVED HIM.

I also asked a question ” How do you feel being one of the LGBT icons here in the Philippines?”. She said that when she was still a gay man and been living in US, she was able to meet a gay organization in UCLA (where she studied Film). That’s when she was able to learn about the information on the LGBT community. She also realized that it was really hard especially for the adolescent kids on being out. Being an LGBT icon is a responsbility. This is for the LGBTs who feel alone and confused. I thanked her for being one of OUR LGBT icons here in the Philippines and can also empower change especially in the mainstream.

What are your plans for the 2010; your LGBT agenda? Do you plan to run? (asked by Mark)

It was surprising that Ellen de Generes, one of the leading lesbian icons in popular American television, is now an endorser of Cover Girl make up. I think that this is a breakthrough in the field of advertising for me. Gone are the days when it is imperative (and expected) that supermodels and popular celebrities like Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Julia Roberts, etc.. should endorse ‘feminine products’. Ellen is the irony of being ‘feminine’ and she just outwitted everyone with the commercial.

How I wish that our Philippine advertising industry will do the same thing. Actually, it can start by being gender sensitive in some of the ads that are being made. Some ads imply homophobia like some ads that target ‘masculine’ market such as alcoholic beverages and many others. Since these ads are being shown in the tri-media spectrum (print, tv and radio), it only recreates the ‘natural’ existence of homophobia to the homophobics. The tri-media spectrum usually is being accessed by the popular mass crowd. As we all know, this is where most people learn things (and it’s much cheaper than going to school). And so, by making ads that are lgbt sensitive, it will help recreate the reality of the viewing public to understand people like us. I know it’s really a struggle right now especially when some of those individuals who have power are ignorant and it just sucks that they recreate the heteroculture of ignorance.

A lot of lesbians, from different ages, kinds, shapes and sizes, gathered at the Sir William’s Hotel Functon Room in Timog Ave, Quezon City to celebrate the launch of the first lesbian magazine in the Philippines which is My Femme Magazine (MFM). My girlfriend and I were among the first people to be there and got ourselves free shots of tequila while waiting for the program to start. Entrance was free (but the drinks weren’t ) and the program started around 10:30 pm. It was actually like a normal exclusive party for lesbians, however there are some men who were there (I’m not just sure if they’re friends of the organizers or gays?). There were dance numbers, games and models. We got the chance to choose the next My Femme cover girl for the next issue by voting the models of our choice.

Opening Dance Number

Who will be the next My Femme Cover Girl?

Time for the butches to shine!

The magazine will be released every 2 months, I am just not sure where we can avail of the magazine. The magazine is worth Php 40, it’s printed in a glossy paper with a size more than 1/4 page of a short bond paper. The pilot issue is about coming out which is I think very useful for young lesbians (and also closet lesbians) to help them come out to their parents especially. What I have observed is that the magazine is like a combination of Cosmopolitan and FHM. The Cosmo side of it is shown on the columns/articles which are related to fashion/style, giving advices (the She Says, She Says column) and answering surveys (e.g Are you a man-hater of just a woman lover?). On the other hand, the FHM side of it is shown on the columns/articles Lez Confessions (like Ladies Confessions) and My Femme Cover Profile (like Girlfriend of the Month). There are still a lot of things to improve (e.g. some typo-errors and the articles are almost on the edge, probably put a little space or have it printed in a much bigger paper) but I think that in the over-all it’s ok for a pilot issue. It seems that it just lacked depth on tackling lesbian issues especially that their pilot issue’s main topic is coming out. Well, I am giving them the benefit of the doubt. I know that it’s really hard to put up this kind of magazine especially the expenses behind it. I actually salute them for their courage in conceptualizing this magazine; it must have took them months (or years) to do this.

My femme has a website (social networking/forum site), you may visit it if you want to be part of their online community.

Congratulations to MyFemme and ThirdVantage Publishing House!