Manila Gay Guy

I read the following article by Cholo Hidalgo Laurel at Brian Gorrell‘s blog, and I was deeply struck. In the early part of his article he says, “Twelve years of tiptoeing around people’s egos, witnessing the most evil power plays known to man, often compromising standards and never really feeling creatively fulfilled was just eating my soul up. Ergo, This happy man was not a very contented man. This man wanted to start doing things that meant something.” As I read through it, I felt so drawn to his passion to live a relevant, significant life, something much larger than himself. I so admire this kind of courage and high-mindedness. (more…)

Here’s a short indie film (less than 10min) from Giraldi Media. Another reference to that book, “Now That You Know.” If your parents are fond of reading books, this might just be useful.

If the coming out process is difficult for gay people, it is often equally difficult for their parents. Confusion, anger, and fear frequently cause fathers and mothers of gay men and lesbians to disavow, strike out against, and even resent their children. For many parents, a child’s coming out feels like the ultimate rejection–not only of their dreams and hopes but of their own heterosexuality. In Now That You Know: A Parent’s Guide to Understanding Their Gay and Lesbian Children, Betty Fairchild and Nancy Hayward–the mothers of, respectively, a gay man and a lesbian–have charted the rough seas that almost every parent of a gay person travels.

Fairchild and Hayward presume that homosexuality is a positive good, and that it is willful ignorance and homophobia that are moral wrongs. They also believe that families can and should love all members and that it is distraught or confused parents (not their gay offspring) who must change. Mixing common sense with a firm sense of social justice and love, the authors systematically address almost all of the problems faced by parents of gay people. Answering questions on religion, AIDS, health, children, alternative families, and sex, they make the complicated gay world–often a nightmare vision for “just out” parents of gays–not only manageable but happy and nurturing. –Michael Bronski (Amazon.com Review)

Video after the jump.
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Here’s a series of letters I received from someone who calls himself “ILoveAlec” a Pinoy gay guy in Malaysia.

Hi Migs,

I’m a big fan of your site. I always read whatever you put there. I’m the guy that hates drama hehehehe. I’ve been wanting to write you for the longest time but can’t find good story to share until yesterday Nov 8, 2008.

I’m currently in Malaysia for a short visit. Yesterday I went to see the Petronas out of curiosity because I’ve been hearing a lot of good words from people who see it and also from the movies. (more…)

Dear Migs,

Let me start by saying how confused I am right now. Just call me Boy. I admit that I have learned to accept who I am years ago, so I thought. I’m a straight-acting bisexual, In fact, meron din akong circle of gay and bi friends and as far as I recall, minsan ginagawa akong escort ng mga gay friends ko, kunwari boyfriend nila ako, just for the sake of fun. I’ve had previous relationships with the same sex too, but as years passed by deep inside, I realize that that was not what I wanted or something like that. Then I guess that was the start of a struggle, an inner struggle, which I find most difficult to cope with. Suddenly may fear ako naramdaman, fear of discrimination, fear na mapahiya because sa mundo ginagalawan ko presently hindi declared my other side. Why I didn’t tell them in the first place? I really don’t know… (more…)

Hi Migs,

I’ve been reading your blog for almost three years and im so happy dahil maraming humihingi ng advice syo. Anyway just call me Macky, I just wanna share my story or should I say a problem. I’m a straight acting bi, walang nakakaalam kung ano ang tunay na feelings ko. Very discreet sabi nga nila. Nagwowork ako sa isang amusement company as operations manager for almost a decade, then minsan naaassign ako sa malayong lugar. Right now 6 months na ako sa Mindanao. (more…)

I was at last night’s Director’s Cut screening of Joel Lamangan’s Walang Kawala at the UP Film Institute. It was a mostly (~90%) gay men crowd, and as a friend said, “ansaya ng get together!” Another friend quipped, “ansarap ng feeling kapag nasa crowd ka na overpowered ng bading ang mga straight!”

Why was “Walang Kawala” such a hit? I think the promo photos did it. And the buzz about Marco Morales‘ two-time frontal exposure. The movie itself was palatable enough, in fact Emilio Garcia as the contravida had really funny scenes, such a welcome comic relief to the suspense/thriller that the film was suposed to be.

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UP Film Institute screens for a week-long full run Joven Tan’s Paupahan and Patrick McGuinn’s Sun Kissed beginning this Monday, 6 October 2008.

Produced by ATD Entertainment of star Allen Dizon, Paupahan is one of the recent films from one of the few truly active auteurs of current cinema in the country. Photographed by “National Artist material” Romy Vitug and written by Dennis Evangelista, the dramatic film (Graded B by the Cinema Evaluation Board) interweaves three unrelated plots involving inhabitants of a slum area next to a cemetery. With Allen in the powerhouse cast are movie queen Gloria Romero, German “Kuya Germs” Moreno, Jay Manalo, Snooky Serna, Angelu de Leon, Krista Ranillo, Joseph Bitangcol, Kirby de Jesus.

Sun Kissed (A Daven Productions Release) is the intriguing gay indie hit from the United States. (more…)

I was listening intently to the workshop facilitator, he was intense and passionate yet almost oblivious to the power his words held. I knew he was about to say something important. And then it hit me, that question, “is there anything in your past that you have intellectually set aside — and yet, emotionally, you know it’s still there, bothering you, blocking you, preventing you from being your best self?” It hit me like electricity zapping into my chest. It zapped to life something I held dormant inside.

I know myself as someone who, if the situation called for it, can be very clinical about things, even with my personal experiences. Given, however, that chance to go back and fetch some unprocessed memories, and the threat that perhaps unconsciously, my blocks come from those I’ve arrogantly intellectually set aside — I was just so ready to admit that yes, there is this one simple emotional memory that is still there lurking, bumping, jiggling inside me. And now it is making its way to my consciousness — and I am just guessing — for a reason.
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This article was written by John Lapus. Funny, witty, yet rings true. I so like the ending, so world peace! Taray mo `teh!

Si Carol Dauden, na isang magaling aktres, at si Aiza Seguera, na mahusay na mang-aawit, ay umamin na—sila ay mga tomboy. Mukha naman silang masaya sa kanilang pag-amin. Mas naging malaya sila. Natanggap naman sila ng mga pamilya nila at mga kaibigan. Pero bakit ang mga bakla sa showbiz, isang damukal ang ayaw umamin. Yung iba, tumanda na, at yung iba naman, namatay na pero hindi umamin. Namatay nang nagtatago. Namatay nang hindi malaya. Kawawang bakla.
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It was past midnight.

My cellphone beeped, a new message from an unfamiliar number. It started with, “Hi Migs.”

Later I realized that same number called me several times that day. Whenever I answered, it was just silence from the other line. Either a shy stalker, or a prank caller, I thought. I was pretty busy throughout that day and did not want to get upset so I just let it be. Each time the number rang, I would very politely answer, “Hello?” Each time I did, there was nothing on the other end but silence.

Past midnight, as the moon broke out of the sorry clouds, the caller likewise revealed himself.
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