Fake it till you make it Style Pride 2023: Rage, resistance and resilience

‘IT takes no compromise to give people their rights...It takes no money to respect the individual. It takes no political deal to give people freedom. It takes no survey to remove repression.” Forty-five years after the death of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected into public office in California who was assassinated in 1978, his statement still rings true about the struggles of LGBTs.

The fight continues with Pride parades being held around the world this month. Metro Manila Pride, which puts “Community, Justice and Intersectionality” at the center of the movement, will hold its celebration, #TAYOangKULAYAAN Pride March and Festival, on June 24 at the Circuit Event Grounds in Makati City.

On the same day, Mindanao Pride will be held in Cagayan de Oro City, supported by Mayor Rolando “Klarex” Uy, in a celebration called “Kahilwayan,” a vernacular term which means “Freedom.” The solidarity fest will be joined by member organizations such as TLF Share, Initiatives and Movement for Gender Liberation Against Discrimination (IMGLAD), Tagoloan Gender Advocacy Group (TAGAD), Mindanao Pride, and Out and Proud League of Colors (OPLC) in close collaboration with The Pride of Villanueva and other local national Pride groups.

n WONDER WOMEN. No argument that Vera Wang, who comes from two fields highly favored by LGBTs (figure skating and fashion), is beloved in the community. She came out swinging as an ally as she posed in front of a Pride Progress flag: “Celebrating Pride!”

The beloved Binibinis—Binibining Pilipinas International Angelica Lopez, Binibining Pilipinas Globe Anna Valencia Lakrini, First Runner-up Katrina Anne Johnson and Second Runner-up Atasha Reign Parani—showed their gratitude to their LGBT fans by strutting down the “Pridestrian” walk at Araneta City in Cubao: “Always remember that you are loved and you are worthy! Happy Pride Month to the lovely people of LGBTQIA+ community.”

When someone said that Wonder Woman is not a superhero for gays, the iconic Lynda Carter fired back, as quoted in Variety: “I didn’t write Wonder Woman, but if you want to argue that she is somehow not a queer or trans icon, then you’re not paying attention.” Carter later explained: “Every time someone comes up to me and says that Wonder Woman helped them while they were closeted, it reminds me how special the role is.” n “HORSE BARBIE.” Model and trans activist Geena Rocero was name-called a horse when she competed in Miss Gay pageants back in the day. Now she’s reclaiming the moniker and turned it into a bestselling critically acclaimed memoir:

“After close to two years of writing, I can’t wait for you all to immerse yourselves in the universe of the little alley where I grew up, to becoming a trans pageant queen at the age of 15. I am peeling away layers of my childhood and family story, and sharing much about my Filipino culture and what it was like to immigrate to the United States. For the first time, I’m speaking about love, sex, and the trauma and beauty of my ‘stealth’ years as a model in NYC. I faced some of my biggest fears writing this book. It’s a celebratory and universal story of survival, love and pure joy.” n SASHA VELOUR. The Season 9 champion of RuPaul’s Drag Race and author of The Big Reveal: An Illustrated Manifesto of Drag, is the cover star of The New Yorker magazine which they illustrated themselves: “Drag is an antidote to shame. Drag shows us that we don’t need to be afraid of who we are...and, if anything, we should exaggerate our quirks!” n ‘PREVIEW’ COVER STARS. The fashion magazine gathered the most visible trans celebrities for its Pride issue: Alexa Dignos, Barbie Q, Cheetah Rivera, Deo Cabrera, EJ Jallorina, EJ Nacion, Fuschia Ravena, Gaiapoly, Iyah Mina, Jade So, Janlee Dungca, Justine Llarena, Kaladkaren, Mav Bernardo, Mela Habijan, Pao Mendoza, Pipay, Rod Singh, and Sassa Gurl… n KALADKAREN. The MMFF 2023 Best Supporting Actress (for Here Comes the Groom), TV and digital presenter, and Drag Race Philippines resident judge recently became the first transgender news anchor in the country: “Mas inklusibo na po ang pagbabalita. Gabi-gabi niyo na po tayong mapapanood sa prime-time newscast ng TV5—Frontline Pilipinas. Sa wakas, may transgender news anchor na sa PHILIPPINE NEWS!!! Happy Pride!”

Anyway, back on the topic of lashes—it was French actress Brigitte Bardot who made wearing falsies iconic. Her smoky eye look with lots of lashes is a beauty classic that would look good now as it did in the 1950s and 1960s.

You can wear layers of mascara to achieve that look but that would probably be too clumpy for real life. The next option would be lash curls and/or extensions but that may be too high maintenance.

Of the Preview cover, she said: Welcome to Barangay Malamvowt!!! Preview Magazine’s Pride issue! So proud to be on the cover with my fellow lightweight and flattering on Asian eyes. Launched in 2015, Faboulash offers an inclusive lash collection and tools that can help simplify makeup routines. powerful, exceptional and transformational sisters! Mga pinalamvowt ng estrofem, androcur at kaunting fabric softener! This is Trans Revolution 2023!” n ROCK HUDSON. The Hollywood icon is featured in a Max (formerly HBO Max) documentary, Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed, which will premiere on June 28. The original documentary from Stephen Kijak examines the life and legacy of one of Hollywood’s heartthrobs who led a double life and became a reluctant pioneer in the fight against AIDS. n THE POPE. About 64 countries have laws that criminalize homosexuality, with nearly half of them in Africa. According to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, 33 countries in the world recognize same-sex marriages, and 34 others provide for some partnership recognition for same-sex couples.

Meanwhile, the SOGIE Equality Bill, filed by our fierce ally Sen. Risa Hontiveros, has languished in our sluggish Congress since 2016.

“This is not right. Persons with homosexual tendencies are children of God. God loves them. God accompanies them...condemning a person like this is a sin,” Pope Francis said as he was returning to Rome after a trip in February 2023 to the Congo and South Sudan. “Criminalizing people with homosexual tendencies is an injustice.” n

Jerina Amber, Dr. Denise Aguirre and Karina Ramos.

NEVER have women been more obsessed with lashes than they are now. Every beauty girl gets their lashes done for daily wear and put on falsies for events. In case you didn’t know, attending events is now better than going to a club or a party. Attending an event means that you’re relevant and brands want to be associated with you.

False or artificial eyelashes (or falsies) were patented in 1911 but they have most probably been around longer than that. The first falsies were glue-on lashes, or strip lashes, which were thought to be made from human hair. These days, there are different types and lengths for falsies. Some look almost natural. Celebrity makeup artist Mikka Marcaida, whose clients include Anne Curtis, Maine Mendoza, and Sarah Lahbati, founded Faboulash to give the market the option to wear quality lashes that are

“We create the best lashes for everyone, from the novice makeup user to the professional makeup artist on set,” said Marcaida. Before Faboulash, Marcaida struggled to find affordable false lashes which cater to monolids and other eyelid types. Marcaida’s signature look for her clients includes bushy brows, long wispy lashes, and glowing skin.

Faboulash recently launched its “Amplify You” campaign to celebrate how each makeup user is different from everyone else. The campaign features five models from different backgrounds showcasing the versatility of Faboulash. Faboulash’s lightweight lashes are perfect for Rols Serrano, who is a student. Lawyer Ellaine Collado finds a boost of confidence through Faboulash’s diverse collection. The other faces of the campaign are

“Faboulash is all about embracing and expressing yourself. We hope to inspire people to add our glamorous lashes to their every day routine, even in unexpected places like the gym, office, or even while doing household chores,” said Marcaida.

Here are some tips from Marcaida on how to use falsies: n Use tweezers to keep the lashes clean and have a firmer grip on the product. n Apply a thin layer of glue on the lash band and wait 30 seconds to keep the lash from sliding on the natural lashes. n Look down on a mirror while putting the false lashes on natural ones to allow more space between the eyelid and the lash line, so that application is easier.

More information about Faboulash can be found at www.shopfaboulash.com.