Bringing the rainbow on air

Last Friday, 20 November was the launch of Rainbow Radio Pilipinas (RRP), the first-ever TLBG-themed community-based radio show in the Philippines (see the launch poster above). RRP, which is funded by the Global Fund for Women (GFW), is one of the pet projects of Rainbow Rights (R-Rights) Project, Inc., a group of lesbian and gay lawyers and activists who are working to promote a rational discourse on TLBG issues. RRP was envisioned by R-Rights to be a weekly radio program that will bring together TLBG Filipinos, their families, and supporters to discuss the latest events, news and issues that are traditionally not discussed by the media. RRP, which is truly a historic initiative, airs every Saturday, 2:30-3:30 pm, on DWBL 1242.

I was not going to miss history in the making so I volunteered to host the program of the launch that night along with Cenon Palomares from the University of the Philippines (UP).



That night we were teasing a girl about the look she was sporting. Her short do, a fantastic wig that did not look like one, made her look very young. The girls decided that when we got older, we would all sport short locks. At some point in our lives as women of a certain age, our aim should be uncomplicated, wash-and-wear hair as opposed to the long tresses we have now.



I had the ends of mine curled at the salon that night (see my pic above). I left work at 5 and made it to the hairdressers at 6. I only had 2 hours to get ready for the launch at 8 and so the hairstylist decided to just use a curling iron and hairspray to style my hair. Because the curls were not industrial strength, I noticed that they progressively straightened as the evening wore on (see pic below).



Hair and make-up issues aside, the RRP launch was a truly wonderful evening spent with friends, old and new. The launch was attended by several organizations including Ang Ladlad, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), Lesbian Advocates Philippines (LeAP), Lunduyan ng Sining (LNS) Metropolitan Community Church Quezon City (MCCQC), Rainbow Rights (R-Rights) Project, Inc., Single Guys Online-PH, Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP), Task Force Pride (TFP) Philippines, UP Babaylan and Women Bi Net and the program featured performances by Kooky Tuazon, Alden Capuyoc, Flush and the Toilets and Pow Chavez. I was very happy to have finally seen Kooky do performance poetry. It was really inspired. Flush and the Toilets also did not disappoint. Their set was spectacular. Pow Chavez also proved her star power by bringing the house down with several covers of The Black Eyed Peas songs, which made everyone get up and dance. It was a pleasure meeting Pow, who I think is very hot. I wish her well. I do hope that in the future she will sell millions of albums and make people happy with her music. Congratulations again to R-Rights for a successful launch and for such a groundbreaking undertaking! I just know that Rainbow Radio Pilipinas will touch, inspire and change so many lives.