Pride on, pride one

Because it's June pride month yo.

peace for pride at peyups (June 2011 UPDiliman)

Plus, you wanna see some history? Since I had to show this to someone recently, might as well share it with you folks.

Presenting the very first LGBTQ lifestyle glossy magazine in the Philippines. The maiden issue of ECHOES, 2001.

Yes, this was the very first. So if anyone else claims otherwise like someone already did before heheh, thank you to our friends who know the truth and went to our defense. Hahaha echos!

Sensya na wala akong matinong scanner so I just took photos. 

Just because we featured them doesn't mean they are. Let's get that straight. Straight as an arrow.  Get that? Straight.

Incorporating some artworks as well.

Less is more. More or less. And hmm ideya ng mga beki ang kinda baktongish approach ha. Ako po'y hamak na lesbiyana lamang, nagsusulat.

 

 I was so lucky to have met the wonderful people who worked in this endeavor. To this day, some of them remain queertastically as friends. Man I miss this gig!

 

 Bongga ni mama. Love the b/w glitter thingie.

Uncredited last-minute write up heheh courtesy of yours truly, to complement Jeff's article. Yah, my role as editorial consultant also meant taga-edit ng mga last-minute nai-submit at tagasulat ng mga di naisulat hahaha. Yah such is life, and it was great.

Fantabulous history.

Of course, our favorite queer hangouts. When they were still actually queer.

Travel buffs and queerdom meet. Of course, it had to be Puerto GAYlera anufi.

Lifestyle was my domain. Began my freelance writing life reviewing restos. Back in 1998. Potah tanda ko na. Pero hey cute pa rin. Chos.

Out and proud is cool. And we began with featuring friends. Two of mine, here.

 Experts weigh in on issues. Of course we had to have Neil.

Queer pioneers reprezent! Of course it had to be Tita Aida, the first lesbian to come out nationally in the country, in the newspaper pa, after the fall of the dictatorship.

 Queer supporters reprezent! Of course we gotta have a Holmes column. Gotta gotta gotta.

Genius graphic artist's idea to have a dual cover feature. We say go lang ng go.

 And therefore.

I can't believe our baby was made 2001 pa. Gosh kung totoong bata 'yan, 11 years old na siya at papasok na sa grade six, at inabutan na ng K12. At malamang pinatuli na 'yan last summer kung boylet o niregla na siya kung gelay. Ganun teh! Shet.


But seriously, I am actually happy that after this stint, at least 2-3 more glossies of the same persuasion came out within the 2000s. I also freelanced as a writer for some of them while eheheh modeled for one. (Yah! Me, a mowdel! Lekat next time ko na scan 'yun ha. Hehe. Abangan!) 

Too bad publications like these were kind of ahead of their time. Maybe now is the time... 

What say you?

Hmmm esep-esep... :)