This is part of #KaraniwangLGBT, which Outrage Magazine officially launched on July 26, 2015 to offer vignettes of LGBT people/living, particularly in the Philippines, to give so-called “everyday people” – in this case, the common LGBT people – that chance to share their stories.
As Outrage Magazine editor Michael David C. Tan says: “All our stories are valid – not just the stories of the ‘big shots’. And it’s high time we start telling all our stories.”
“Lovi ang itawag mo sa akin (You may call me Lovi),” she said, her name derived from the Filipino actress who is the daughter of the late Fernando Poe Jr. “Matagal na akong kilalang Lovi (I’ve been known as such for a while now).”
Selling kakanin (snack foods) for a while now at the night market in front of Araneta Center, Lovi said of her work: “Enjoy din naman (This is also fun).” No, she added, she does not earn much – “at hindi naman amin ang kinikita namin; tindera lang kami (plus it’s not like we keep the earnings; we’re just the vendors).” But because it’s fun, many of her siblings also work as vendors.
She turned to serve some customers, teasing – and even flirting – with some of them. “Ganyan dapat (That’s how you do it),” she smiled, talking about her approach to serving.
Asked if she gets reprimanded for being different, Lovi’s smile widened. “Naku, hindi. Apat kaming ganito… reklamo pa sila (Of course not. There are four of us who are trans… they can’t complain).”
And then she turned serious: “Tanggap kami; at mas enjoy ang tanggap (We’re accepted; and it’s better to be accepted).”
