The Rainbow Blog Philippines

Below is the statement of the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP) on what happened recently to BB Gandanghari and her friends at a bar in Pasig City. It seems both ironic and fitting in the face of the global LGBT community preparing to commemorate this year (May 17, 2009) the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) with a spotlight on transphobia. What happened to BB and her friends stands proof that transphobia exists and is alive everywhere in the world. A CALL FOR CHANGE Statement of the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP) on the Aruba incident involving Binibini Gandanghari and her friends We, the members of the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP) are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred on the night of April 23, 2009, Thursday, to Binibini (BB for short) Gandanghari and her friends at Aruba Bar and Restaurant in Metrowalk, Pasig City. On that said night, Aruba, with no compunction and invoking its NO CROS...

Aruba Bar in Metrowalk has done it again. This bar, which reeks of discrimination, has continually refused entry to transgenders via a sign at the entrance: No Cross-Dressing. BB Gandanghari went to Aruba Bar & Restaurant because she wanted to watch her friend Rannie Raymundo’s show. But she and her friends were denied entry because they were cross-dressing. A similar incident happened not so long ago - at the same bar, to a different person: Inday Garutay. Continue Reading

Early this week, local showbiz was abuzz because a former matinee idol by the name of Rustom Padilla guested in two major entertainment talk shows to announce that she is now a woman. And that her name is Binibi (BB for short) Gandanghari. Roughly translated into English, it stands for "Miss Beauty King". The revelation may not have been as surprising to many because it was not the first time people saw Rustom all dolled up. In October in an awards night, Rustom also showed up in women's clothing. Rustom stole the show then but did not reveal the reason for showing up "en femme". Many speculated that perhaps it was a promotional ploy to get people interested in an upcoming show featuring the actor. It might be remembered that Rustom shot to renewed fame, after a long absence from showbiz, in 2007 upon joining the Philippine version of Big Brother . Rustom entered the Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) house but left on his own voliton on the 45th day. Before he left the s...