HOME is the place one will seek once they reach the twilight years of their life, but if you are an old queer with no immediate family to take care of you, where will you seek refuge?
This is the situation many of our elderly members in the LGBTQIA+ community have been facing for years.
Some aging LGBTQIA+ members were abandoned by their families, while others fled from their homes to escape from abuse and discrimination.
They are often called the “forgotten rainbows” bereft of elderly care because of rampant homophobia and transphobia in society.
But in the busy streets of Baclaran in Manila, a parlor shop has become a haven for many elderly queers, challenging the status quo that deems them as a burden.
This group called themselves the Golden Bekis, an organization that empowers the often forgotten part of the rainbow community.
In celebration of Pride Month, meet the ‘golden gays’ of the LGBTQ community. Welcome to the house of the Golden Bekis!
The birth of the ‘Golden Bekis’
For the Golden Bekis, it is the getting together of their elderly LGBTQ members that makes their only headquarters—a parlor shop in Baclaran—a ‘home.’
Golden Bekis was established in January 2021 by its current director, Kyle Mendrez.
According to Mendrez, its initial aim was to make elderly LGBTQ members more visible online during the pandemic.
“Initially, ang inisip lang namin is gumawa lang ng short videos, mga social media content, parang vlogs specifically for the elderly LGBT, mga konting comic strips [about] their daily life, trivias about their teenage decades,” he said.
Mendrez wanted to create a sustainable space for elderly LGBTQIA+ people to be productive despite old age.
However, he did not expect that the organization would bloom. Golden Bekis initially had around ten members during its first few months until they gradually grew bigger through frequent exposure to various public events.
Today, the organization has more than 30 members around Metro Manila. Among them are Mama Jo, Mama Brenda, and Mama Jesse.
Meet the ‘Mamas’
Before they became members of the Golden Bekis, Mama Jo, Mama Brenda, and Mama Jesse had to work extra hard to make ends meet.
48-year-old Joel Castillo, known as Mama Jo, has been a beautician for years. He once worked in a parlor shop in the streets of Baclaran, where he did hairstyling and other beauty treatments.
“Mahirap po kasi kapag beautician ka lang tapos umuulan at may bagyo. Wala rin pong kita kasi persyentuhan lang po ako roon,” shared Mama Jo.
Sometimes, he would only receive three hundred pesos income in a day, enough to make his stomach full.
Mama Jo has been alone for years since all his relatives are in the province. Today, he has a parlor shop, which serves as the head office of the Golden Bekis.
Meanwhile, Mama Brenda Quinones, 68, and Mama Jesse Hamor, 64, are both from Muntinlupa City. They were also beauticians like Mama Jo.
“Alam mo naman syempre nagkaroon ng pandemic. Imbis na malakas ang kita, nai-stop… nagse-service din ako pero bihira hindi katulad dati na wala pang pandemic,” said Mama Brenda.
Since their earnings were not enough for daily expenses, the two had to find a way to earn extra money by performing in bars or ceremonial events as impersonators.
“Kasi impersonator ako dati. One of the grand finalists ako ng ‘Gaya-Gaya Puto Maya’ sa Channel 7 noon. Ayon pinamuhay ko ‘yun,” Mama Brenda said.
“Minsan raket ko nagkakasama kami ni Brenda, nagsho-show kaming dalawa,” Mama Jesse shared, citing that they have been doing shows in Baguio and various cities in the metro.
The three were all recruited into the organization because of their old ‘beki’ friends who persuaded them to join and attend the general meeting in Baclaran.
Mama Jo and Mama Brenda have been in the organization for over three years, while Mama Jesse has been a member for almost a year.
Although the Golden Bekis is dedicated to all elderly LGBTQ members in society, the organization does not entirely close its doors to everyone.
Anyone can still be part of the organization as a volunteer, but the core members must still comprise elderly LGBTQIA+ people, according to Mendrez.
“Pag non-elderly, pinapakiusapan namin sila na maging manpower namin, for example, [sa] pagbubuhat ng mga materials from Divisoria, pamamalengke, pagtitinda sa bazaar… ang gusto namin e inclusive kami, pero syempre ang highlight pa rin namin is the elderly LGBT,” Mendrez said.
Shared struggles, shared laughter
As an old queer, it is the gnawing fear of getting sick when you are living alone that is most challenging, according to Mama Brenda.
“Syempre number one na challenging as a bakla e syempre tatanda tayo. Syempre kailangang mag-ingat. Pangalagaan ‘yung katawan, ‘yung health natin,” Mama Brenda said.
Meanwhile, Mama Jo and Mama Jesse said that being far from your family is the saddest thing when you are a “matandang bakla.”
“Minsan naisip ko [kasi] matagal na kong bumukod sa pamilya ko parang mahirap ata ‘tong ginawa ko kasi nag-iisa na ako sa buhay ko. Naiisip ko rin minsan ‘pag ako tumanda, syempre wala ako anak di ba. Iniisip ko rin ‘yon, paano ba ‘tong buhay kong ito pero okay lang, keri ko naman e,” shared Mama Jesse.
Thanks to Golden Bekis, the three of them found a place they could call their home and people with whom they could share laughter.
“Wala namang pagsubok na dumadating sa akin, sa aming samahan. Wala pa naman. Masaya nga kami e. Nagbibiruan lang kami hanggang doon lang. Biruan, lokohan, asaran pero wala kaming pikunan,” Mama Jesse said.
With the organization growing in numbers, the struggle to provide the finance and manpower needed to keep the organization alive has prompted Golden Bekis to temporarily halt producing online content and focus on tapping organizations for ‘livelihood initiatives.’
Golden projects
Joining Golden Bekis has helped Mama Jo, Mama Brenda, and Mama Jesse to get another source of income through livelihood projects offered by the organization.
The organization has tapped different groups and NGOs for support in helping the elderly queer members get the proper elderly care and welfare they deserve.
Ladlad Partylist, the first partner group of Golden Bekis, has been instrumental in the growth of the organization and its livelihood initiatives.
The party provided financial resources and linked Golden Bekis with various local and international organizations, which helped the organization further gain public recognition.
With the help of some groups, Golden Bekis was able to launch livelihood projects for the elderly gays.
“Nag-start kami, ang first namin e gumawa kami ng ‘yung tela gagawing wallet. Kami ang taga-lagay ng colored na designs. Next ‘yung porselas naman, marami ‘yon. Bubuuin mo ‘yon. Ngayon ang gagawin namin e ibibenta namin. Ayon ang [programa] ng Golden Bekis,” Mama Brenda said.
These products are displayed in public bazaars and markets. Also, whenever the organization is invited to public events, they take this opportunity to sell their products to the attendees.
The organization also allows the members to make use of their talents and skills. For instance, Mama Brenda and Mama Jesse have often been invited as performers in private and community events through Golden Bekis.
Other members were also tapped by companies and organizations to perform drag or dance performances and do beauty-related services.
Rainbow Care Caravan
Last June 20, the Philippine Information Agency – National Capital Region (PIA-NCR) launched its first-ever Rainbow Care Caravan: Ang Araw na Itech ay Para Sayis (This Day is for You), where Golden Bekis is among the invited organizations.
Held at Fort Santiago, Intramuros, the special event aimed to ensure “healthcare accessibility and social support” for the elderly members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
The initiatives offered free medical consultations, health checkups, and assistance in availing PhilHealth’s Konsulta program.
It also raised public awareness of the struggle of aging queer members with the help of the event organizers and partners, including the Intramuros Administration, Department of Health Metro Manila Center for Health Development, Philippine National AIDS Council, National Commission of Senior Citizens, and Bureau of Communications Services.
As part of the event, Golden Bekis had the chance to speak in front of the attendees about the mission of the organization and its colorful history.
Rainbow Care Caravan paid homage to Golden Bekis and Golden Gays, two known groups for elderly LGBTQIA+ members in the metro.
‘Unforgotten rainbows’
As part of the rainbow community, Mama Jo, Mama Brenda, and Mama Jesse observed the ‘apparent’ unity in the community today.
“Kase noon, kanya-kanya lang din. Pero ngayon, may pagkakaisa na, nagsasama-sama. Bawat okasyon, magkasama,” Mama Jo said.
“Dapat magkaisa, may unity para ang gay maayos, magandang ‘yung [LGBTQIA+ community] sa bansa. Ganoon ang gawin natin, magkaisa, magmahalan,” Mama Brenda added.
The three Golden Bekis members also have their message and hope for the LGBTQIA+ community in the country.
For Mama Jesse, she hopes all queers to have a comfortable living condition and to be happy in life.
Meanwhile, Mama Jo underscored the importance of respect for “kapwa.”
Mama Brenda, on the other hand, said that hard work is key to surviving and getting a decent life.
Golden Bekis is busy attending events and bazaars this Pride month, according to Mendrez. He hopes the organization will someday get its own permanent shelter.
But while they are still waiting for this to happen, they will have to settle for now with a parlor shop in Baclaran that has witnessed the growth of the members and the organization throughout the years.
If there is one thing that Mendrez and the Golden Bekis want to achieve, it is to make elderly LGBTQIA+ no longer the “forgotten rainbows” by giving them proper care and shelter.
“Lahat ng aspects na kailangan ng individual na nasa twilight stage, sana mapunan. ‘Yun ‘yung gustong i-aim ng community natin na narito kami para umalalay sa mga LGBT elderly on their twilight years and masabi natin na ang mga elderly LGBT natin are no [longer] forgotten rainbows,” Mendrez said.
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Managing Editor: Henrick Chiu
Creative Director: Sven Gaffud
Producer: Danica Rae Ulanday
Graphic Artist: Jadelyn Isiderio
Writer: Joshua Gerona
Video Editors: Lester Calulo and Jewel Trinidad
Videographer: Joshua Ramos
Assisted by: Karl Ferrer and Andre Corras
Makeup/Glam Artist: Nikki Caranguian Urfano
Location: Fort Santiago, Intramuros
Production Staff:
John Dave Brion
Angela Cantiga
Janine Mae Claro
Michelle Ann Javier
Timothy Libres
Pauline Mae Nello
Alysson Palencia
André Joseph Salamida
Angelique Kara Sorbito
Special thanks to the Intramuros Administration
