Kevin Rudd won over the LGBTQ community

Watch as The Honourable Australian Prime Minister (2007-2010) Kevin Rudd defend and support marriage with well founded basis as a Christian. Running for re-election, he recently participated in a televised open forum/Q&A as part of his campaign. A Christian pastor asked him why he supports marriage equality.

at 2:32 he has already debunked the whole marriage is man-woman bible argument.
3:00 you see how exasperated Kevin is with the pastor and same-minded people
3:08, he shows how bible supports marriage equality
3:30, he stresses his position that he doesn't agree with the pastor and how strongly he supports marriage equality
4:00 read the twitter caption. =)

also notice how the pastor, probably in utmost disbelief and embarrassment, barely blinked as Kevin slays his every argument against marriage equality. hehe.

 

 

the election just concluded earlier and sad to say, Kevin didn't win. But tis doesn't mean his words and conviction in supporting us in our fight for equality was all for naught.

I would have campaigned and voted for him had I been a citizen of Australia. Nonetheless, he won me and the fabulous LGBTQ community's heart.

great, bug hug to you Kevin! =)
*first name basis, close?! hahaha*

 

Future history will show how right he is.

 

Kevin Rudd's conceded hours ago. And this is his speech.

 

Out and Super Loved!

modern day coming out - via facebook - matched with modern day acceptance of a busy mom. yet the effect is as deep and resonating as any other coming out. it will leave you sighing, welling (I did!), smiling and very happy to be gay and loved.
 

 

 

actual reaction from Zach and Mom and others :) 

 

 

 

sources:

no h8 campaign 

upwortthy

 



 

 

Are you so gay?

it takes 5 minutes to inspire. watch. make a difference.

the amazing speaker is Ash Beckham.
an LGBTQ activist.

follow her on twitter: https://twitter.com/ashbeckham
you can also check her website: http://ashbeckham.com/

Ignite Boulder
Ignite Boulder is a night of presentations on a variety of topics – with a twist. Each presentation has 20 slides, that automatically advance after 15 seconds. It is a worldwide movement, and Boulder hosts one every 2 or 3 months.

The talks are funny, interesting, nerdy, quick and from the heart. It is NOT a place to pitch your business or yourself.

sources:

IGNITE BOULDER

UPWORTHY

Lesbians in Literature - 2013 Palanca Winners

2 lesbians I know just won in the  most prestigious writing award in the Philippines, the 63rd Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. YEHEY! :) And they are.... drum roll please! tadaaaaa! :)

Shakira Andrea C Sison and Bernadette Villanueva Neri

Awards are:

Essay

• 1st: THE KRAKAUER TABLE, Shakira Andrea C Sison

Dulang May Isang Yugto

• 3rd: PAMAMANHIKAN, Bernadette Villanueva Neri

Maikling Kuwento

• 2nd: PAMAMANHIKAN, Bernadette Villanueva Neri

Shakira Andrea C Sison

I posted an entry of hers before - "The Futility Of Medium" and her poem, Fire Eater. Obviously, am a fan of her writing ever since college. We used to write for the same section of the campus paper. Am just glad we once breathed the same air in college, even though am still straight then. :) I remember she wrote about Gen. X in Philippine Star years ago. That was her first piece I saw published outside the campus paper.

She writes at Thought Catalog, Rappler.com and contributes to several sites/publications as well. You can best know more about her thru her website and you can also follow her in twitter.

Bernadette Villanueva Neri

Det Neri is the author of the first ever children story in the Philippines with lesbian parents in the characters - Ang Ikaklit sa Aming Hardin. I made 2 blog posts about it. I was thrilled with excitement about it! :) That same short story won the Palanca 2006.

Bernadette Villanueva Neri is a faculty member of the Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas in the University of the Philippines, Diliman where she also pursues her Ph.D. in Filipino Malikhaing Pagsulat. Her MA Thesis , “Naratibo, Pagkatha ng Lesbiyanang Gunita” showcases a collection of lesbian-themed short stories. Bernadette is an active member of the All UP Academic Employees Union. Pamamanhikan is her first play which was actually staged at CCP last June 26-July 7. How could I have missed that epic moment is major failure on my end. *kicking myself* Darn. 

PAMAMANHIKAN
Pamamanhikan narrates the friendship of Ibyang and Ester as the latter is faced with the cross of motherhood. Her youngest daughter, Ces, is coming home along with her partner and Ester is confronted with the predicament of how to deal with her daughter’s lover.
The story takes place while Ester and Ibyang are preparing all the ingredients of her daughters favorite dish. With the help of Ibyang who is an expert in concocting not just complicated dishes but also that of the most complex emotions, will Ester eventually find the exact recipe that complements her own feelings?

###

Here is the complete list of winners:

Regional Division

Short Story - Cebuano

• 1st: TUBOD, Jona Branzuela Bering
• 2nd: ANG BATANG TAMSI, Richel G Dorotan
• 3rd: PADRE BOTOX, Noel P Tuazon

Short Story - Hiligaynon

• 1st: SI PADRE OLAN KAG ANG DIOS, Peter Solis Nery
• 2nd: ULUBRAHON, Norman Tagudinay Darap
• 3rd: TORBIK, Alice Tan Gonzales

Short Story - Iluko

• 1st: NO WINNER
• 2nd: BAGNOS PAYEGPEG, BETERANO, Danilo B Antalan
• 3rd: TI PALIMED NI KATUGANGAK, Gorgonia B Serrano

Essay

• 1st: THE KRAKAUER TABLE, Shakira Andrea C Sison
• 2nd: UNDER MY INVISIBLE UMBRELLA, Laurel Anne Fantauzzo
• 3rd: VOICES FROM THE VILLAGE, Maria Neobie G Gonzalez

Kabataan Essay

• 1st: HYMNS OF THE MOUNTAINS, DREAMS OF THE STARS, Marc Christian M Lopez
• 2nd: PANACEA, Vicah Adrienne P Villanueva
• 3rd: MANIFESTO OF LITERATURE, Pauline Samantha B Sagayo

Tula

• 1st: MANANSALA, Enrique S Villasis
• 2nd: ASAL-HAYOP, Mark Anthony Angeles
• 3rd: LOBO SA LOOB, Kristian Sendon Cordero

Tulang Pambata

• 1st: HARANA NG KULIGLIG, Eugene Y Evasco
• 2nd: FAMILY TREE NG TUMUBO SA ANIT, April Jade I. Biglaen
• 3rd: SISID, Alvin Capili Ursua

Maikling Kuwento

• 1st: BAYANGGUDAW, Lilia Quindoza Santiago
• 2nd: PAMAMANHIKAN, Bernadette Villanueva Neri
• 3rd: AD ASTRA PER ASPERA, Kristian Sendon Cordero

Maikling Kuwentong Pambata

• 1st: ANG PAGLALAKBAY NI PIPOY PISO, Maryrose Jairene C Cruz
• 2nd: ANG SINGSING-PARI SA PISARA, Eugene Y Evasco and Chris Martinez
• 3rd: SALUSALO PARA KAY KUYA, Lucky Virgo Joyce Tinio

Filipino Division

Nobela

• Grand prize: TATLONG GABI, TATLONG ARAW, Eros Sanchez Atalia

Dulang Pampelikula

• 1st: NO WINNER
• 2nd: KUNG PAANO MAGHIWALAY, George A de Jesus III
• 3rd: THE REVENGE OF THE COMFORT WOMAN, Patrick John R Valencia

Dulang Ganap ang Haba

• 1st: NO WINNER
• 2nd: NO WINNER
• 3rd: DHAHRAN QUEENS MANILA, Luciano Sonny O Valencia

Dulang May Isang Yugto

• 1st: MGA KUNEHO, Miguel Antonio Alfredo V Luarca
• 2nd: KAPIT, George A de Jesus III
• 3rd: PAMAMANHIKAN, Bernadette Villanueva Neri

Sanaysay

• 1st: OUR LADY OF IMELDA, Kristian Sendon Cordero
• 2nd: GABAY SA GURONG-LIKOD, Salvador T Biglaen
• 3rd: MGA BIRTWAL NA KARAHASAN, Laurence Marvin S Castillo

Kabataan Sanaysay

• 1st: ANG ALAMAT NG BATANG MANUNULAT, Rowin C de Leon
• 2nd: PAGKATOK NG DUMAGUNDONG NA MANOK SA UMAGA, Annette Irina C Tanlimco
• 3rd: DEUS EX MACHINA: SAPAGKAT TAYO AY BULAG PA, Rajee S Florido

Poetry for Children

• 1st: ATTACK OF THE PERSISTENT COLD VIRUS AND OTHER POEMS, Mia A Buenaventura
• 2nd: MR BULLY AND OTHER POEMS FOR CHILDREN, Francis C Macansantos
• 3rd: MONSTERS UNDER MY BED, Kathleen Aton-Osias

Short Story

• 1st: ARMOR, John Bengan
• 2nd: KRYSTAL HUT, Erlinda V Kravetz
• 3rd: REN, Lystra Aranal

Short Story for Children

• 1st: MARVINO'S LEAGUE OF SUPERHEROES, Nadeth Rae E Rival
• 2nd: THE MAGIC BAHAG, Cheeno Marlo Sayuno
• 3rd: A THOUSAND OF PAPER CRANES, Patricia Marie Grace S Gomez

Full-Length Play

• 1st: END OF THE GALLOWS, Jay M Crisostomo IV
• 2nd: THE SON OF ASHES, Mario L Mendez Jr
• 3rd: COLLECTION, Floy C Quintos

One-Act Play

• 1st: BLUE EYES, Allan B Lopez
• 2nd: DEBRIEF, Lystra Aranal
• 3rd: CALL OF DUTY, Danilo Nino Calalang

Poetry

• 1st: PASTORAL AND OTHER POEMS, Mikael de Lara Co
• 2nd: CROWN FOR MARIA, Carlomar Arcangel Daoana
• 3rd: ANIMAL EXPERIMENTS, Joy Anne Icayan

source here

What to do with pain?

1. Write about it then throw it to the trash bin.
2. Scream at it. Curse at it until you run out of profanities to use.
3. Hug it until your arms turn sore and numb, then let it go.
4. Share it with someone. Someone who also has it or better yet, to someone who doesn't have it so they can discover how unique yours is.
5. Dress it up in various kinds of similes and metaphors and make a free verse poem about it.
6. Tweet about it, hash tag it, and interact with others in the same hash tag.
7. Paint it in shades of dreary gray and black, brooding blue and brown, then hang it on your wall of memories.
8. Take a photo of it through the reflection on others and all that remind you of it, then frame it done.
9. Bury it in a pot along with other seeds and water with your salty tears. Either it dies or grows into something beautiful or surprising.
10. Put a coin in a jar for every painful thought and feeling. Then donate the collection to charity or those who are needy.
11. Let it pulsate from your heart to your fingers and strum some tunes in your guitar. Until the pain and music collide. Until what's left is the song.
12. Kick it, stretch with it, punch it, dance with it. Add it to the pounds on your weight lifting. Anything physically demanding. Let it energize you instead of bring you down. And then shower it off.
13. Bring it to a race and let it sweat out of you, exhale out of your lungs. Race with it and then leave it at the finish line.
14. Swim, dive with it, and carve it out to the sea with each powerful stroke. Let the waves take it from you and then wash it away from you.
15. Blow all of it in a balloon and then release it to fly with the wind.

Pain still there? Let it be. It will leave once it's ready, or you will leave it once you're over it.

** back story **

someone made me cry months ago. no, someone is not my partner. a few weeks back, I woke up with a literal pain in my chest. and I know this stubborn pain is still there. alone, i tried to cope with it with it with the only way i know how, wallowing in it (for a time, because am congenitally drama queen as you already know), - writing about it.

while i was suffering, i learned that two of my friends from this blog are with their own struggles too. one broke up with a gf of several years. the other, her mom didn't survive surgery. my love and support go with them, though i can't physically hug them. this post is for them (and to all in pain) as much as it is for me.

in these past months, i became cautious, afraid of unintentionally hurting people i care for. i chose to just be mum about things, becoming a passive observer of life. and i felt weak and shriveling (imagine grapes to raisin) because of that. it took a dinner, 2 long back and forth walks along Ayala Avenue and a hug from  my very good friend K (whom i missed sorely) to give perspective of this pain. she said something to the effect that, i  should just be me. me along with my errors, lessons learned, my vulgar, mushy, asshole, emotional, tactless, caring, crazy, etc self. if you haven't stopped reading yet at this point, then maybe you are strong enough to take me and patient enough to understand me.  *group hug!* =)