It takes me a while to remember that LTFRB and LGBTT are different animals. That LTFRB is Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and LGBTT means Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transexual and Transgender, as Aida Santos, whom I encountered in the palengke one day, told me. That the Positron Emission of St. Luke’s Cathedral building is not the same as the emission test of gasoline stations.
While my closest pals are mostly gay (men), I have only a few lesbian friends. One of them is Monique Wilson who brought to the Philippines Eve Ensler’s “Vagina Monologues” many years ago. Her partner of millions of years is Rossana Abueva, who is the sister of my daughter-in-law Lanelle. Monique and Rossana have a jurassic picture of themselves in my garden, wearing antique saya from my baul.
I never judge people by their sexuality. I like people who have their heart in the right place (left of center). I love a few machos, but they have unfortunately gone out of style. In my time, (1930s on) guys were the ultimate “Don’t question my masculinity!” machos. They are on the extreme left side of the gender scale.
On the extreme right were the women who never pushed their rights, stuck to prescribed women’s roles and never believed they could be equal to men. Somehow the two extremes sort of got mixed up in the middle and resulted in a real cool hybrid. Some call the women “activists,” the guys “Renaissance gentlemen,” the rest are the certified middlesex. (Am not really sure my classification is correct.)
Shout-out
I love them all. I will ride my wheelchair and join in the QC Billion Women Rising Parade for Anti Violence against Women (and I wish also for Jennifer Laude). I joined Gabriela for the reproductive rights bill and for the ousting of Marcos. I will join all women in a shout-out of “I love you!”
Tagalog—Mahal kita! Iniibig kita!
Ilonggo—Palangga ta guid ikaw!
Bicol—Namumuutan ta ka!
Kapampangan—Kaluguran da ka!
Ilocano—Ay-ayatin ka!
Pangasinense—Inaro ta ka!
Chavacano—Ta ama yo contigo
Tausug—Kalasahan ta kaw!
Masbatenyo-Naila ako sa imo!
Hiligaynon—Naluyag ako sa imo!
Ifugao—Pin pinhod-ah!
Ibaloi—Anshemek taka!
Cebuano—Gi gugma kita!
Ivatan—Ichaddaw ko imo!
ALSO OTHER LANGUAGES
French—Je t’aime!
German—Ich liebe dich!
Swiss-German—Ch’ha di ga’rn!
Italian—Ti amo!
Latin—Te amo!
Spanish—Te quiero! Te amo!
Irish—Taim I’ngra leat!
Hawaiian—Aloha wau ia ’oe!
Russian—Ya lyublyu tebya! Ya vas lyublyu! Ya tebya liubliu!
Romanian—Te iubesc!
Japanese—Kimi o ai shitaru! (Anata wa, dai suki desu)
Korean—Tangsinul sarang ha yo!
Taiwanese—Gwa ai lee!
Chinese—Wo ei ni!
Hokkien—Gwa ai di!
Malay—Saya cintamu!
Malay/Indonesian—Saya cintakan awak! Aku sayang engkau!
Thai—Phom rak khun! Ch’an rak khun! Khao raak thoe/chun raak ter!
Javanese—Kulo tresno marang panjenengan! (formal); Aku terno kowe! (informal)
Tamil—Nan unnai khadal likeran! Naan unnai khadalikkeren!
But I love you most of all, Google!