The end of Otalia

Guiding Light, the world's longest-running tv soap opera, ends this coming Sept. 18. But for me, Guiding Light ended yesterday, July 1. This day also marks the end of Otalia for me--the very reason I was watching Guiding Light in the first place.

Until July 1, I thought Otalia, the fictional couple over at Guiding Light, best portrays on tv/internet the love between two women. Crystal Chappell plays Olivia, one half of Otalia; while Jessica Leccia plays Natalia, the other half of Otalia.

My partner and I can relate very much to the Otalia story, in particular to the point that love just doesn't happen in an instant but develops through time beginning with friendship, to the awkwardness, to the stalling in expressing this love physically.

The characters of Olivia and Natalia once portrayed strong women--women who withstood life's rotten and bliss on their own, without in any way depending on anybody or from any man for that matter.

I once admired Proctor and Gamble, the owner of Guiding Light, for being so brave in allowing the Otalia storyline to be played out on daytime tv. I even forgave the powers that be at Guiding Light for not allowing these two ladies kiss for real at least for now--hoping that before the show gets cancelled on Sept. 18, they be given equal couple treatment to kiss already!

I laughed many times at the way the camera hides via flower pots, coffee maker, gigantic bags for months the real-life pregnancy of Jessica, the actress playing Natalia. After months of hiding Jessica's real-life pregnancy, yesterday, the powers that be at Guiding Light turned the character of Natalia as being pregnant.

With this, I am turning my back from Guiding Light, from Otalia for good. And as a concrete manifestation of my disgust over this, I am boycotting all products of Proctor and Gamble.

Why the harsh reaction to the Natalia pregnancy story? While visibility of lesbians on tv is very important, the pregnant Natalia is a big blow in the face.

By making Natalia pregnant, the powers that be at Guiding Light desexualize lesbians--Natalia's character--now directing her libidinous urges into another direction. By making Natalia pregnant, Guiding Light joins the many shows which time and time again overused the pregnant lesbian, motherhood storyline.

Vegetarian Recipe: Banana Oatmeal Cake

Ever wanted to have an ever ready healthy snack at your disposal in your refrigerator? Here's a recipe (good for two people to be eaten bit by bit each day) that will last for a week.

Banana Oatmeal Cake Ingredients:
.10 medium size ripe bananas
.1/4 cup peanuts
.2 cup oatmeal
.1 1/4 cup flour
.1/2 cup water
.6 tbs milk powder
.1/3 cup brown sugar
.2 eggs
.1/2 tsp baking soda
.1/2 tsp salt

In a bowl, mashed the bananas and peanuts. After mashing the bananas and peanuts, add the oatmeal and flour. Then mix. In another bowl, mix the water, milk powder, sugar, eggs, baking soda, and salt. In this wet mixture, add the banana-peanut-oatmeal-flour mixture. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Bake this in a microwave oven at medium heat for 18 minutes.

Study finds lesbian/bisexual Filipina women more likely to attempt to commit suicide compared to heterosexual counterparts

"Sexual minority (lesbian/bisexual) Filipina women were up to twice more likely to report having thought about committing suicide and having attempted to commit suicide, compared to heterosexual counterparts," a new study says.

Eric Julian Manalastas, faculty member of the Department of Psychology, University of the Philippines Diliman, in a study on "Women's Sexual-Minority Status and Suicide Risk", reported that the sexual minority status of lesbian/bisexual Filipina women was "robustly associated with both suicide ideation and suicide attempt."

"Based on a nationally representative sample, same-sex sexual orientation appears to be related to elevated suicide risk among young Filipina women," the study says.

The study finding was based on a national survey of 8,922 Filipina women ages 15 to 24 from 16 administrative regions in the Philippines.

With this finding, Mr. Manalastas gave these recommendations:
1. Run a within-group analysis (i.e., LGB only, no more heteros) to investigate minority stress processes like internalized homophobia;
2. Spread the word to Filipino mental health professional community; and
3. Spread the word to LGBT groups and stakeholders.

The Manalastas & del Pilar study in 2005 finds that in a heterosexist culture like the Philippines, being lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transexual (LGBT) confers minority status. The 2005 study says 1 out of 4 Filipinos do not want LGBT people as neighbors and 28% consider being lesbian/gay as “can never be justified.”

What do you think could be the preventive measures to prevent young Filipina lesbian/bisexual women from attempting to commit suicide?

Vegetarian Recipe: Garlic Sauce

Garlic sauce is a great match to chapati. Dip the chapati to garlic sauce--just yummy!

Ingredients for Garlic Sauce:
.1 cup milk
.1/2 tsp olive oil
.1/2 tsp salt

.1 tsp brown sugar

. kalamansi juice (from 6 small kalamansi)

.4 boiled potatoes
.2 boiled eggs
.1 clove garlic (fried and chopped)

In a bowl, mix the milk, oil, salt, sugar, and kalamansi juice. In another bowl, mashed the potatoes, eggs, and garlic. Then mix all the ingredients. There goes your garlic sauce. Enjoy!

What it's like to travel as an out lesbian couple?

June 17, 2009 1:19 PM, Anonymous commented on the Sitangkai "Venice of the South" blog post: "as travelling to this place without a male companion is taken as something out of this world, i am wondering what it's like to travel there as an out lesbian couple?"

That was such an important comment/question. Here is my reply: "Everything about our travel to Sitangkai was pleasant. Thus, we encourage you ladies to travel to this beautiful place. Like any travel though to off the beaten tracks, travel to this place should be planned--research, research, precautions, precautions.

"In travelling to Sitangkai, we recognized the sensitivity of the locals to women travellers. Recognizing this, we did not further challenge them on a further sensitive issue--that of lesbianism; thus PDA (public display of affection) was a no no then. It's a tough world, indeed. But, hey, let the locals be used to women travellers. Hopefully in time, the world would turn around and lesbian travellers would just be an accepted occurrence to them."

Same-sex partners to get US fed benefits

The Associated Press reported today that US President Barack Obama is extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees.

What about those who do not work for the federal government? What protection will they receive from the government? The Obama administration is short changing the gay and lesbian community still.

This is a step forward though compared to the Arroyo administration's turning a blind eye to the plight of gays and lesbians in the Philippines.

Protections for Lesbian Partners

Marriage has always been viewed as a religious practice, more so in my country Philippines whereby majority of the population is Catholic.

After living together through "rotten and bliss" for close to a decade, my partner and I plan to get married--one day if the law will allow us-- not for religious intentions but for the legal protection that marriage would breath to us as a lesbian couple.

Like many countries in the world, the Philippines, in particular Article 1 of the Family Code law states, "Marriage is a special contract of permanent union between a man and a woman ...."

What about the permanent union between a "woman and a woman"?

The Alternative Law Groups (ALG) in the Philippines is calling that the current definition of family includes the non-traditional families such as gay or lesbian couples living together. Also, the rights group Project Equality is pushing for the benefits for same-sex partners, in particular the granting of next-of-kin status for same-sex couples.

As we shout for the enactment of a law or a Supreme Court ruling that recognizes the permanent union of gay and lesbian couples, what are our alternatives meanwhile here?

As my partner and I are partners, not only in life but in business, we see to it that our properties are in co-owners status. We also keep in tow two documents: a special power of attorney and a will to protect each other when the rotten days come.