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>Queer eye for the DIVAs >SO GOES By Jannelle So >The Philippine STAR 07/15/2005 > >LOS ANGELES – They're not only proud to be Filipinos; >they're also proud to be out. > >It's true, the Filipino gays and lesbians in West >Hollywood are >slowly making their presence felt. Just a week after >Pride March, >they bonded with others like them to prove that they >are also a >force to reckon with... when it comes to creativity. > >+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ >Remember this Regine fans.. we are not against a person >who is gay. We are just against that person who is >attacking >Regine and other decent artists who just so happens to >be >a gay person. And it was decided it was something else >driving him to do those things. The word escapes me.. >+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ >+ > > >Last week, members, officers and guests of Diverse and >Inclusive >Visionary Artists (DIVA) celebrated its second year >anniversary with >a party at the East West Lounge on Santa Monica >Boulevard in WeHo. > >DIVA is the only Los Angeles-based grassroots >non-profit >organization dedicated to promoting the creative >endeavor of multi- >ethnic LGBT artists in the media. It is composed of >Asian, Pacific >Islander, and African-American gays and lesbians. And >it is headed >by a Filipino. > >"I found this organization two years ago, out of my >frustration >because when I was working for this organization as a >volunteer, >I thought `How come there's not many people of color in >this room?' Yes we have gays and lesbian >representatives >in this crowd but not much people of color," said >DIVA founder and executive director Nelson Melegrito. > >DIVA has succeeded in uplifting gays of color through >film >festivals, premiere screenings, seminars and >networking events. >Among those were: world premiere of Our Very Own (LA >Film >Festival '05); LA premiere of Mysterious Skin (Gregg >Araki), Bad >Education (Pedro Almodovar), Tarnation (Jonathan >Caouette), Imelda >(Ramona Diaz), Eating Out (Ariztical Entertainment). > >According to Melegrito, their ultimate goal at DIVA is >to strengthen >the presence of gays and lesbians of color, draw >attention to them >and what they do, so that they could ultimately blend >in with the >LGBT community without being singled out merely by >virtue of their >ethnicity. > >"I'm hoping that we wouldn't have this kind of >organization >to exist. Meaning that we won't have some labels to >say that >DIVA exists because we need to have a niche for people >of >color and LGBT artists. I'm hoping it's going to be >all one >and there won't be any color lines, no divisions," >Melegrito said. > >DIVA's second anniversary celebration featured several >celebrities in the Filipino gay community, including >Fil-Am mode land host of the popular program Queer Eye >for the Straight Girl, Honey Labrador. > >"Sadly, though I didn't really grow up with my >Filipino roots, >though I make a very good chicken adobo. It's my >specialty," said >Labrador who was born in Hawaii to an American mother >and a Filipino >father. She grew up with her brother and sister in >South Hampton, >New York, with their blonde mom; but away from their >dad. > >"It wasn't until I moved out here to Los Angeles 14 >years >ago that I met all my half brothers and sisters. I'm >very close >with them. They're more Filipino than me because their >mother >is like me, half-White, half-Filipino. But I'm so >proud to >be Filipino and be out," she said. > >Labrador points to Filipinos' religious values as one >factor >that hinders the acceptance of gays and lesbians. She >was quick >to explain, however, that she's fortunate that she >didn't >have to go through the tough outing phase that most >Filipinos go >through with their respective families. > >"My Filipino family, a lot of whom I've only met in >the past 10 >years, my aunts, my other sisters and brothers, have >all been very >accepting of me because they're just so happy to have >me in the >family. And so I haven't felt that in my own family," >said the >statuesque actress who has also produced a film called >April Shower >set for release in fall 2005. > >In the film that's patterned after My Big Fat Greek >Wedding, >Labrador hopes to show the typical scenarios that take >place in the >marriage of gay and lesbian couples. It presents the >different >perspectives of each member of the family, from the >deeply religious >mother who's against the wedding because the union is >supposedly >against the teachings of her Catholic faith, to the >modern and more >liberated relatives. > >"I really believe it's the stereotypes that people >have of >what gay and lesbian is (that makes acceptance >difficult) and >so I just try to be an example. And I think that I >have such >an amazing opportunity in Queer Eye for the Straight >Girl, >which I do know is airing in the Philippines because a >friend >of mine e-mailed me. I think it puts a whole other face >in the community," she added. > >Within the next two years, Labrador hopes to go to the >Philippines >for the first time. She wants for her first trip to be >part- >vacation, part-work since she's planning to gather >materials >for her next movie project. She wants to do a movie on >the story >of her ancestors, from the heydays of the Labradors >whom, >she was told, owned one of the biggest mansions in the >Philippines during the Spanish colonization, to the >Japanese invasion and fast-forward to the present. > >"In the (Filipino) culture, stories are often just >passed on >verbally; and being a filmmaker, I find it so >important to >document everything," she said. * * * > >To reach this writer, log on to www.jannelleso.net. > > >++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ >NOTE : A large percentage of Regine fans are believed >to be >gays and tom boys. And I welcome both groups because >your >artist and idol does. - mmJun ;-)++++++++++++++++++++ > >And 2nd because my own friends >and associates are too. ;-) > >But none like Boy Agenda and Mike Tutor, I'm sure. > > >Posted by mmJun ;-/ >Music Inside Stories >http://insidebuzz.tripod.com

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