The Rainbow Blog Philippines

Faces of HIV It was the year 1984 when Filipinos were first confronted with HIV-AIDS as a public health issue. Dolzura Cortez was the first to come out publicly to say that she had AIDS. In 1991, the young Sarah Jane Salazar followed suit and travelled the country to tell her story. Their life stories were even made into movies portrayed by show biz stars. But when they died, HIV and AIDS temporarily lost a public face, until 2009 when Wanggo Gallaga, the son of movie director Peque Gallaga, came out and admitted he had HIV. Cortez, Salazar, Gallaga and now Gorriceta have hoped that with their daring, Filipinos will have a better understanding of the disease and that its rapid spread can be stopped. HIV rising among males age 20-29 The latest data from the Department of Health, however, shows the contrary. To date, there are five to six new HIV cases reported daily to the DOH AIDS Registry. This is a significant increase from an average of one case a day i...

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  It has been ten years since the first RH Bill, and after countless debates and delays we are no closer to a vote. The democratic process has stalled at the hands of time-wasting legislators and bullying bishops. With mounting frustration we remind our public servants that for every day they delay the vote, Filipino families around the country lose their mothers. The time for delay is over. The time for a vote is now. Starting tomorrow, November 21, RH Advocates from various organizations will occupy the park across the South Wing Gate of Congress, and launch a massive and sustained campaign to remind our Senators and Members of Congress of the urgency to vote on the Reproductive Health Bill before the year ends. Pro-RH lawmakers, celebrities, artists, government officials, civil society and non-government groups, business, academe, youth, religious and non-religious sectors will show their support at this mass action, and advocates will camp out in front of the S...

Being portrayed as oppressed is best way to public sympathy, homosexual activists told Source: cbcpforlife.com/?p=5005   MANILA, Nov. 23, 2011– Are homosexuals really discriminated against? Whether or not the answer is yes, presenting themselves as victims of oppression is one of the steps in advancing homosexual rights, ultimately to include the recognition of such rights by the law, based on the presentation of Dr. Ligaya Anacta Acosta, regional director of Human Life International (HLI) Asia and Oceania. “Are they really oppressed? We see many gays in the media… in fact, they lord it over [in the industry] so how can they say that they are being oppressed?” Acosta asked a group of over 200 pro-life delegates. “But we have to understand that this is actually a Marxist mold to cast the homosexual revolution, which started as early as 1948,” she explained. A man named Harry Hay thought of the idea of a homosexual activist group, later formulating the principles that would g...

Task Force Pride, a non-profit network of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) groups will organize the 17th Annual Pride March in Manila. The aim of the march is to gather different LGBT groups, allies and individuals in solidarity, as well as provide positive visibility to the community. This year's theme, “Pride of the Orient”, recalls the community's achievements with regard to advancing LGBT human rights, such as... organizing the first pride march in Asia in 1994 and the formation of Ladlad party list, the only LGBT-oriented party list in the world, and extensive HIV/AIDS Awareness campaigns nationwide . “Pride of the Orient” calls on LGBT Filipinos to reclaim these milestones and look forward to more victories they've yet to achieve. For Organizations, please confirm in this link: http://taskforcepride.blogspot.com/2011/11/2011-confirmation-form-organizations.html%20 For Individuals, please confirm in this link: http://taskforcepride.blogspot.com...

20 October 2011 – Naomi Fontanos, chairwoman of the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP) the pioneer human rights advocacy organization of transgender/transsexual Filipinas or transpinays, spoke on a panel called Trans* Rights Are Human Rights organized by the Heinrich Boell Foundation in Berlin, Germany on 5 October 2011, Wednesday (see video below).  The panel focused on the initial research findings of the TransRespect Vs TransPhobia (TvT) Project of Transgender Europe (TGEU) , which investigates the legal and social situation of transgender people globally. Talking about transpeople in East and Southeast Asia, Fontanos said "From East Asia to Southeast Asia, transpeople face a similar situation: silenced, excluded and erased. Most transpeople have no say over their identities; their lived realities are belittled and dismissed and state and cultural forces act to render them powerless, with no control over their own lives.” “Like others elsewhere in...

LIVING POSITIVELY + LIVING WELL A movement to use love and happiness against HIV. Begin your own advocacy to live with a positive outlook, and share that positivism to the world. Add your voice to the growing number of advocates rallying for positivism and against HIV. To be a part of the Living Positively + Living Well Open Photoshoot : Share your stories, thoughts, or philosophies on how you live positively; Join our two-part open photoshoot; and Be featured in our photo exhibition. When: October 22 and 29 (10AM-6PM) Where: Pioneer Studios, 123 Pioneer Street, Mandaluyong City For the location map and directions to the venue, visit www.pioneerstudios.ph . The parking space in front of Pioneer Studios is limited and a tow-away zone .  Pay parking is available at Pioneer Citiland Parking near the studio at the corner of Pioneer Street and Reliance Street (see location map).  Rates are PhP30.00 for first 3 hours and PhP10.00 succeeding hours. Registration...

Nakakalungkot isipin na may isang taong naisipang isumite ang bill na ito upang gawing batas! Ganito ang nangyayari sa Uganda. Isang bansang tinaguriang 'perlas ng afrika'. Bansang ang pagiging bakla ay kinamumuhian at may parusang kamatayan. Nagsimula ang ganitong ideolohiya sa Uganda dahil sa mga christian evangelist na dala'y bibliya at pananampalataya upang sakupin ang kaisipan ng mga tao. Walang masama sa adhikaing ito. Bagkus, ito'y isang magandang gawain sa lahat ng may pananampalataya sa kanilang Diyos! Subalit, sa kadahilanang sarado at mangmang ang mga pastor na ito tungkol sa saklaw ng pagiging homosexual, pati utak ng mga mga tao ay nilason na nila sa kaisipang ang babae ay para sa lalaki at walang puwang sa mundo ang mga bakla at tomboy. American evangelicals such as Scott Lively and California pastor  Rick Warren  have a history of involvement in Uganda where they focus their missionary work. As a result, Warren and others have become influential in th...

CSWCD, UP Diliman -- The Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP) , the pioneer transgender human rights organization in the Philippines, makes history as they send off a communication to the United Nations (UN) that calls attention to state responsibilities of the Philippine Government as a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to pay careful attention to how the justice system updates itself with current developments in international human rights law in its understanding of gender identity through the lived experiences of transsexual women. "The launch of this historical and important communication to the United Nations comes at a very opportune time what with the recent hurtful pronouncements made by the mother of Congressman Manny Pacquiao. Mommy Dionisia has made comments about transsexuals and their use of the pill showing the widespread ignorance about transsexualism in the Philippines," says STRAP Chairwoman Nao...

What is a Metropolitan Community Church? We are a denomination of Christian Churches called the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC). MCC  Makati is a spirit-filled, non-denominational, Christian church that is open and affirming of the GLBT community. The Fellowship believes in including all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender, race or other previous denominational affiliation. While our primary outreach in the Philippines is to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community, our doors are open to all. Our special mission is to connect the GLBT community with God, just as they are. To let everyone know that a person can be gay/lesbian or straight and still serve God. We also strive to educate mainstream Christianity of the importance of the GLBT community in God's plan. MCC Makati  is open to ALL people - gay, lesbian, straight, men, women, African American, Caucasian, Asian, Latino, rich, poor, young, old, etc. Please make y...

A group of lesbian lawyers reacted to the alleged malicious statement of veteran showbiz writer and tv host, Cristy Fermin, to singer/actress Aiza Seguerra, advising the latter not to talk about morality because she “lives an immoral life.” Lately, Seguerra found herself in the controversy after tweeting on the incident involving a 6-year old boy gyrating as a 'macho' dancer in TV5’s Willing Willie show hosted by Willie Revillame. On her radio program, Fermin, who is a staunch supporter of the host, defended Revillame but did not name Seguerra as the object of her malicious pitch. According to the founding president of Rainbow Rig hts Project, Atty. Germaine Leonin, Fermin's statement was uncalled for and bothersome, since her working environment is being dominated by gays and lesbians. The group was saddened because until now, society is still judgmental and prejudiced. “Being lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBT) is not equal to immorality. Please focus on th...

Yoga for Life is the first ever community-based yoga class series, specially designed for the needs of people living with HIV, but open as well to others who support them and want to experience the beauty of yoga. For inquiries, you may contact: Charmaine: 0917 540-4247 | charmaine.cuunjieng@gmail.com Paulo: 0917 388-9658 | comradepaw@gmail.com yogaforlife.ph@gmail.com Photos taken by Noel Abelardo http://noelabelardo.multiply.com/photos/album/61/Yoga_For_Life This Heart is Still Beating

These past months have been a hectic one for me at work and my advocacy; I reasonably lost in touch with my sister who also happens to have a demanding work as a pharmacist in a public hospital. And so last night, when at last, our energies and time met and we planned to have some indulging and pampering and consequently, we headed at WENSHA SPA CENTER last March 16 at 12 midnight. We went to the WENSHA SPA CENTER located at Timog Ave. corner Panay Ave, Quezon City. We merrily entered the spa because of its good ambiance and it was our first time to experience some indulging and pampering at midnight. Actions and occurrences were initially without abrupt turns when we availed for their full packages promo – facial and body massage or foot massage or foot spa. We were given bracelet keys for our lockers and colored rubber slippers. There was no sign that a deplorable situation will happen later. They were still gracious to ask us to proceed at the second floor. We then pro...

March 8 is International Women’s Day. This year’s theme is, “Equal Access to education, training and science & technology: Pathway to decent work for women”; over 100 countries all over the world celebrated on this day the various contributions and achievements of women. The mission and vision of World Fair Trade Organization Asia (WFTO Asia) is to uplift the conditions of thousands of grassroots producers and workers in the poorest of Asian countries in which majority are composed of women. The WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN IN FAIR TRADE event is a celebration of the achievements and contributions of women in Fair Trade and in their respective communities. It showcased women in Fair Trade as leaders and change makers, highlighting the experiences of these women in helping other women that created a cycle of empowerment. Ramona Ramos, Executive Director of WFTO Asia says, “At present, we have more than 90 member organizations and communities in 14 Asian countries, majority are women and w...

As I was migrating to a new PC in the office, I came across one file that I saved maybe 2 years ago, back when I started blogging. I lifted this from a blog entitled "Confessions of a Dirty Good Boy," (http://hijodenoche.blogspot.com) authored by "Boy de Jour," who claims to be a first-class you-know-what (I can't say the term). To put it, I found this article VERY DISTURBING, as this lays out the reality behind the techniques that "hustlers" use to manipulate gays. The more disturbed I got when I found out that these were the very strategies that I experienced from some "men" way back in my early awakening days of being gay. On the other hand, I would like to commend the author, Boy de Jour, for writing this down and publishing it online. This is a wide eye-opener for gays who are new in the trade, or for those who keep their eyes closed despite obvious experiences of manipulation. So, here you go, the article. Everybody has a gay. Be...