Rough Groove

Miss Calendar Gay

In the run up to the local fiesta in our local barangay which has St. John Bosco as the patron saint (and a familiar one at that as I went to a Don Bosco school for my high school and college education) in the closing days of January, a Miss Calendar Gay was held in one of the streets one Friday night. Made of a makeshift stage, several contestants from various places around the metropolis as well as Laguna and even one, from Mindanao, competed. I have not yet seen this kind of alternative pageant and so decided to do some coverage, even at the sidelines.

These two contestants were busily preparing for the pageant with an assistant, a bevy of friends, onlookers and the plain curious thronging around. With this kind of attention, surely, they acted regally, a prima donna savoring the seeming adoration.

During the presentation, I never imagined that these men were so like women, in bearing, curves, and demeanor. Alas, when the mouth opens and a deep voice emanates. But so much for that, while the entertainment is dished out for all the audience to jeer, gaze, and probably admire too, one message that these contestants give: they are also people worthy of respect, not to be made fun of.

I left before the show ended. Actually, I was quite disappointed with my photography that night. The light was just bad that even with my Canon EF 50 mm 1.8, I still groped with good shots since I want to minimize my ISO to just below 800 but sometimes forced to 800 and even 1600! The location I was in was not that good too. But on hindsight, I still need practice and be prepared next time.