Manila Pride 2007
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Gay pride on the air
By Gang BadoyInquirer (20/6/07)
MANILA, Philippines -- Rock Ed Radio expected a lot of fun that night. Even before the show started, the hosts and guests were already chatting up a storm. The NU107 booth had the atmosphere of a high-altitude party—minus beer or food or extraneous bland company. Definitely no small talk there.
We decided to talk about the surface of the iceberg topic called “Being Gay in the Philippines.” We had an all-star cast: Danton Remoto, chair of the Ladlad Partylist (and a recent Congressional candidate) started the hour. He said that the times are kinder to the coming-out of gays because of many factors. Literature in the academe has ushered in the more open acceptance of what the general population describe as a “different sexual orientation.”
Ramon Bautista of the University of the Philippines Film Department and yes, “The Ramon Bautista Show” on MTV, intently listened, as did Francis Brew.Both Francis and Ramon represented the straight male tribe.
Bautista said that despite being straight all the way, he can appreciate who is good-looking and who isn’t among men. He mentions John Lloyd Cruz as his example—but says that it doesn’t mean he wants to date John Lloyd. Ramon is a media practitioner and a UP Film professor, his field sees a lot of gay participation and he says he doesn’t mind this at all.
Little Miss Philippines, former child star, now musician Aiza Seguerra was candid and straightforward about her preference. She said she has known her gender identity even as a child in “Eat Bulaga.” Aiza said: “If you have it, you have it,” regardless of outside influences.Seguerra said the most difficult part of coming out was disappointing the important people in her life, especially her family. She said it takes a lot of courage to come out.
Seguerra spoke so steadily that it was hard to reconcile the image of her as the be-ribboned little girl doing the duck walk with her image now. She was full of wisdom.
Growing up in a family of five boys and having a military father, Shu Uemura’s EJ Mallorca said he has been blessed. He doesn’t have the horror stories of being ostracized or teased as a child. His brothers accepted him even without the “coming-out talk.” Tatum Ancheta is our wild card. She does art direction for People Asia. She is kikay and fashionable, but said she prefers women when it comes to relationships. She is certain about this despite having had relationships with men. She explained you fall in love with the person not the gender.
Acceptance
Pam Pastor is decidedly not so straight. She revels in her gay friends. She says she breaks up with guys who are homophobic. Pam struck us more as truly open-minded instead of confused (there’s a big difference). She is also our source of advice when it comes to gay-straight friendships. She says she doesn’t force anyone to come out even if she already knows one is gay. That’s always the best course to take to avoid misunderstanding and a crossfire of intentions. Pam is my nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize on compassion for and acceptance of homosexuality.
Danton is all out. He has never liked women. He prefers strong, quiet men.
I think in both the hetero- and the homo methods of courtship and relationship management, the rules are the same. We fall in love with the people we fall in love with because they have traits that are attractive to us, they possess characteristics that complement, perhaps, our lives and our minds.
There were interesting comments from listeners. “Ang bisexual ba ay segurista lang?” and “Ang bisexual ba bading din?” and “Ano ang tell-tale signs ng isang bading?” It’s a long list—one that only shows our fascination with the subject.
I think what the bigots and homophobes feel is true awe (maybe even envy and curiosity), and then because it’s too much for their mediocre minds to handle it, the easiest manifestation is hate. Then again, I could be very wrong. Rock Ed Radio decided not to touch on the stands of any creed or faith following on this one, that might take up too much time and, perhaps, should be explored at another forum altogether. We went overtime as it was.
Allen Ginsberg, a beat poet from the ’50s, born on June 3 1926, served as the inspiration of the show. Even in the ultra-conservative ’40s, he was already open and brazen about discussing homosexuality—he continuously attempted to force the world into dialogue about controversial subjects because he thought no change could be made in a polite silence.
We wanted to talk about this and we did.
The world has its share of mysteries, but what is most puzzling for Rock Ed Radio is the narrow-mindedness of many even in this era of knowledge-based kindness, acceptance and wide-open mind-spaces
By Gang BadoyInquirer (20/6/07)
MANILA, Philippines -- Rock Ed Radio expected a lot of fun that night. Even before the show started, the hosts and guests were already chatting up a storm. The NU107 booth had the atmosphere of a high-altitude party—minus beer or food or extraneous bland company. Definitely no small talk there.
We decided to talk about the surface of the iceberg topic called “Being Gay in the Philippines.” We had an all-star cast: Danton Remoto, chair of the Ladlad Partylist (and a recent Congressional candidate) started the hour. He said that the times are kinder to the coming-out of gays because of many factors. Literature in the academe has ushered in the more open acceptance of what the general population describe as a “different sexual orientation.”
Ramon Bautista of the University of the Philippines Film Department and yes, “The Ramon Bautista Show” on MTV, intently listened, as did Francis Brew.Both Francis and Ramon represented the straight male tribe.
Bautista said that despite being straight all the way, he can appreciate who is good-looking and who isn’t among men. He mentions John Lloyd Cruz as his example—but says that it doesn’t mean he wants to date John Lloyd. Ramon is a media practitioner and a UP Film professor, his field sees a lot of gay participation and he says he doesn’t mind this at all.
Little Miss Philippines, former child star, now musician Aiza Seguerra was candid and straightforward about her preference. She said she has known her gender identity even as a child in “Eat Bulaga.” Aiza said: “If you have it, you have it,” regardless of outside influences.Seguerra said the most difficult part of coming out was disappointing the important people in her life, especially her family. She said it takes a lot of courage to come out.
Seguerra spoke so steadily that it was hard to reconcile the image of her as the be-ribboned little girl doing the duck walk with her image now. She was full of wisdom.
Growing up in a family of five boys and having a military father, Shu Uemura’s EJ Mallorca said he has been blessed. He doesn’t have the horror stories of being ostracized or teased as a child. His brothers accepted him even without the “coming-out talk.” Tatum Ancheta is our wild card. She does art direction for People Asia. She is kikay and fashionable, but said she prefers women when it comes to relationships. She is certain about this despite having had relationships with men. She explained you fall in love with the person not the gender.
Acceptance
Pam Pastor is decidedly not so straight. She revels in her gay friends. She says she breaks up with guys who are homophobic. Pam struck us more as truly open-minded instead of confused (there’s a big difference). She is also our source of advice when it comes to gay-straight friendships. She says she doesn’t force anyone to come out even if she already knows one is gay. That’s always the best course to take to avoid misunderstanding and a crossfire of intentions. Pam is my nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize on compassion for and acceptance of homosexuality.
Danton is all out. He has never liked women. He prefers strong, quiet men.
I think in both the hetero- and the homo methods of courtship and relationship management, the rules are the same. We fall in love with the people we fall in love with because they have traits that are attractive to us, they possess characteristics that complement, perhaps, our lives and our minds.
There were interesting comments from listeners. “Ang bisexual ba ay segurista lang?” and “Ang bisexual ba bading din?” and “Ano ang tell-tale signs ng isang bading?” It’s a long list—one that only shows our fascination with the subject.
I think what the bigots and homophobes feel is true awe (maybe even envy and curiosity), and then because it’s too much for their mediocre minds to handle it, the easiest manifestation is hate. Then again, I could be very wrong. Rock Ed Radio decided not to touch on the stands of any creed or faith following on this one, that might take up too much time and, perhaps, should be explored at another forum altogether. We went overtime as it was.
Allen Ginsberg, a beat poet from the ’50s, born on June 3 1926, served as the inspiration of the show. Even in the ultra-conservative ’40s, he was already open and brazen about discussing homosexuality—he continuously attempted to force the world into dialogue about controversial subjects because he thought no change could be made in a polite silence.
We wanted to talk about this and we did.
The world has its share of mysteries, but what is most puzzling for Rock Ed Radio is the narrow-mindedness of many even in this era of knowledge-based kindness, acceptance and wide-open mind-spaces
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