Proud to be lesbian

Episode on June 4, 2007 Monday late night after Saksi In a few days, Nickie Mossman will be flying to Hong Kong to work as a lounge singer. She leaves behind an adoptive daughter and a throng of friends. But as she packs her clothes and prepare for her life-changing decision, Nickie also lets go of one of the most important things in her life: her sexual identity. Nickie is a lesbian, and proud to be one at that. But she says admission of her sexuality could cost her job. So, instead of her usual get-up of shirts and pants, she brings with her make-up kits and evening gowns. In this Monday’s I-Witness, Sandra Aguinaldo documents Nickie’s journey as she, together with other Pinay lesbians, search for acceptance in a society that largely still discriminates against them. Jessie Cocuera was one of the finalists in this year’s Starstruck talent search who has admitted to being lesbian. Jessie has struggled to adjust to the world of show business. She was advised to wear feminine clothes and turn her back on lesbianism so as not to limit the roles she could play. Dorothy (not her real name), chose to stay inside the closet. Dorothy is a “lipstick lesbian" – so-called because she looks and acts like a typical woman yet prefers same sex relationships. Dorothy is a commercial model and a beauty queen. To avoid discrimination and to continue to get bookings, she says she must hide her true sexuality. But she dreams of the day she can come out in the open. Sandra Aguinaldo enters the world of Pinay lesbians in this I-Witness episode, airing Monday late night over GMA.

---

‘Lesbiyano po ako’ Sa kulturang Pinoy, tila tanggap na tanggap ang mga bading. Pero iba ang kaso ng mga lesbiyana. Ilang araw na lang ang hinihintay ni Nickie Mossman bago lumipad patungong Hong Kong upang mag-lounge singer. Pero ang pinapangarap na kasaganaan, may mapait na kapalit. Kasabay ng kanyang paglipad ay ang pagtalikod sa pagkataong dinala niya ng apatnapung taon. Lesbiyana si Nickie. At kung hindi raw niya itatago ang pagkatao, hindi siya makapagtatrabaho bilang singer sa Hong Kong. Sa dokumentaryo ng I-Witness ngayong Lunes, kikilalanin ni Sandra Aguinaldo ang ilang lesbiyanang Pinay na patuloy na naghahanap ng pagkakakilanlan at pagtanggap sa lipunan. Tulad ni Nickie, nahihirapan si Jessie Cocuera sa kanyang bagong trabaho bilang artista. Starstruck finalist si Jessie, at sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon ay naranasan niyang magsuot ng mga pambabaeng damit! Alam ni Jessie na malilimitahan siya sa mga roles kung tuluyan siyang magpapaka-tomboy, kaya tanggap niyang kailangan niyang magpakababae sa ngalan ng trabaho. Tinaguriang “lipstick lesbian" naman si “Dorothy," babaeng hindi mo aakalaing tomboy dahil sa hitsura, pero sa loob ay pusong lesbiyana. Para maiwasan ang mababang pagtrato, pinili raw niyang itago ang katotohanang ito. Si Dorothy ay isang commercial model at beauty queen. Ngayong Lunes, sundan ang paghahanap ng kalayaan at pagtanggap ng mga lesbiyanang Pilipina sa I-Witness ni Sandra Aguinaldo, ika-4 ng Hunyo, Lunes ng gabi pagkatapos ng Saksi, sa GMA.