INTRODUCING OUTRAGE MAGAZINE, THE ONLY LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, QUEER & INTERSEX (LGBTQI) PUBLICATION IN THE PHILIPPINES.

Headquartered in Makati City, it was launched in April 2007 to highlight LGBTQI-related stories in the Philippines or those affecting LGBTQI Filipinos; with most articles written by LGBTQI Filipinos, as well as LGBTQI allies.

Listed in the Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF), Outrage Magazine was founded by Michael David C. Tan, a graduate of the University of Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia, who now serves as its editor. Tan won the 2006 Catholic Mass Media Awards for Best Investigative Report.

On average, our Website alone now gets well over 2.5 MILLION hits per month on average (with approximately 100,000 of them unique hits), while our Facebook page (not counting our other online presence) getting over hundreds of thousands of unique visits per week

MISSION

As the only LGBTQI publication in the Philippines, Outrage Magazine has always been clear about its missions, i.e.:

1. 1. 1. To tell LGBT stories by providing coverage toLGBTQI-related issues for them to be known by: A) LGBTQI people; and B) non-LGBTQI identifying people (particularly since mainstream media continues to largely ignore these LGBTQI issues);
      2. To mainstream LGBTQI issues by facilitating discussions between LGBTQI people and our non-LGBTQI counterparts; and
      3. To actually help develop programs that will deal with the very issues we raise.

DIVERSIFICATION OF SERVICES

Since 2010, Outrage Magazine has gone beyond simply reporting.

We also make the news.

We believe thatLGBTQI voices need to be heard, particularly when mainstream media does not treat our issues the right way. And so we bring these issues up.

In March 2011, for instance, we made news when we criticized Channel V Philippines’ censorship of Lady Gaga’s pro-gay song ”Born This Way” by removing the pro-LGBTQI content (“No matter gay, straight or bi, lesbian, transgendered life, I’m on the right track, baby“). As Tan said then, “Not everyone likes ‘Born This Way‘, much more agree with Elton John when he said this is the new ‘gay anthem’. But for a song that even Lady Gaga herself said is a celebration of being different — to be butchered to remove highlighting the celebration of what makes LGBTs different — from others is reprehensible. Plain and simple, this is homophobia in action.” The story was picked by ABS-CBN News, GMA Network, Fridae.com,Queerty, and Examiner, among others.

Then in July 2011, we tackled gay panic defense as used in the Philippines.

And then in July 2012, we raised an anti-transgender treatment of a mainstream media.

We host/co-host programs for LGBTQI Filipinos.

In March 2012, for instance, we partnered with Rainbow Rights to develop a training program (on human rights and on HIV) for the Deaf LGBTQI members of Pinoy Deaf Rainbow (the pioneering organization for Deaf LGBTQI Filipinos).  This program was helped informed by a research our key people did that highlighted how the needs of Deaf LGBTQI people continue to be neglected.

And then since  2012, we headed (with Bahaghari Center for SOGIE Research, Education and Advocacy) the “I dare to care about equality” campaign, which formed part of the celebration of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) 2012. The campaign was supported by TV personalities Boy Abunda and Atty. Adel Tamano, veteran journalist Cheche Lazaro, Sen. Chiz Escudero, actress Angel Aquino, and rugby player Jon Morales. We also headed the “No Different” campaign, which formed part of the Transgender Day of Remembrance in 2012.

We host/co-host programs to celebrate our allies.

Outrage Magazine gives recognition to LGBTQI allies through our annual Bahaghari Media Awards and Bahaghari Ally Awards.  We know that in our fight for equality for all, all the help we can get matters, so that – just as the cliche goes – giving credit where it’s due should be done.

We host/co-host events for the LGBTQI community in the Philippines.

Outrage Magazine holds LGBTQI-related events, including the 4th LGBTQI National Conference in 2017 that gathered over 150 LGBTQI leaders from all over the Philippines to discuss the issues affecting them and how they want to move forward; and #KaraniwangTAO, an ongoing photo exhibit featuring “common” LGBTQI people who – otherwise – do not have opportunities to share their stories.

We give face to minorities within the already minority LGBT community.

We are proud to say that we have been giving face to those who continue to be neglected even from within the LGBTQI community – such as the Deaf LGBTQI Filipinos, and the senior men who have sex with men (MSM) who are actually also neglected in existing programs.

And then since March 2013, we launched “More than a Number“, eyed to give a human face to those infected and affected by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in the Philippines. This is because – for the longest time – HIV-infected (and affected) Filipinos have been lamenting how they cease to exist to become the codes assigned to them.  So with “More than a Number”, we highlight that “yes, every individual story counts, and we want to hear and share these stories,” Tan said. “Because while the numbers tell us the extent of the effect of HIV in the country, the same numbers do not tell the full story.”

We give LGBTQI- and HIV-related trainings/workshops/discussions.

Since March 2012, Outrage Magazine developed a training program for the Deaf LGBTQI Filipinos (called “Deaf Talks”). This has already been implemented in Luzon and in Mindanao (in southern Philippines).

And since 2014, Outrage Magazine developed Pink Ink as a tool to educate, initially, student leaders about LGBTQIA-related and HIV-related issues. Pink Ink was subsequently renamed “Bahaghari Talks” to signify the broadening of its reach, with other beneficiaries including media practitioners, faith-based organizations, HIV advocates and activists, and LGBTQI community organizers, among others.

We conduct researches.

Outrage Magazine also produced content for such publications as the “Being LGBT in Asia: Philippines Country Report” (for USAID and UNDP), the first such material that comprehensively looked at the history of the LGBTQI movement in the Philippines and where its leaders see it is headed; and #PreventionNOTCondemnation, a study on HIV-related efforts of member churches of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP).

Tan himself wrote, among others, the Media Reference Guide on LGBTQI Pinoy (for USAID) that is recommended reading to guide those providing media coverage to the local LGBTQI community.

We continue to look for ways to help the LGBTQI community in the Philippines, and NOT only by reporting on the issues affecting us; but ensuring that steps are taken for these issues to be dealt with.

And so – with that – the outrage continues…