Everything has an end. Even sadness. Napapagod din pala ang puso. And so its only fitting that I end this bittersweet part of my existence with a song... 

Love is ironic. Only when you hurt someone they realise they truly love you. We shall always fall in love with the people who break our hearts. Love gushes out of the ruptures of a broken heart and then sends shivers to the whole of our existence. Love has to come out somehow and that is usually through pain and hurting. A heart which is unwilling to be broken, is unable to love. Similarly, if you cannot break someone’s heart, it is a sign that they shall never truly love you.

“Ako si Ada at ako ay isang bakla - yun lang.” - This is how the protagonist sadly introduced himself at the onset of the show. His whole existence summarized by one word – “Bakla”. This is the sad effect of a culture that typecasts gay people as unfortunate freaks (“Ay, bakla!”) and how the label designates someone automatically into the “don’t take them seriously” category. Unfortunately, some gay people find themselves believing this to be true.

Here in comes the beauty of the powerful and moving story of ZsaZsa Zaturnah. This is a story about empowerment. It’s a story about transcendence. It’s a story of how a simple gay ‘parlorista’ who never experienced being loved his whole life became the embodiment of selfless love. And in the process of saving other people in spite of himself, Ada has come to love the real gay person behind the “perfect woman” that he had always wanted to be. Now this circumstance is not exclusive to Ada alone. I’d say all gay people at one point in their lives wanted to be someone else and had to endure a similar journey of self discovery.  Before being at peace with themselves, they had to learn to love despite the lack of it.

Gay people should never have to provide an excuse for their existence by downplaying, justifying or apologizing for how nature designed them to be. They should never have to say – “I’m gay but I’m a successful this or that” or “I’m gay but I’m happy”. Gay people are strong, courageous and profound individuals who have a knack for finding beauty and joy in the darkest and most unfortunate circumstances. And if that is not a super-power then I don’t know what that is coz undoubtedly, that is special – something to be really proud of.  

Yes, sexual orientation should have very little to do if not none at all with a person’s worth. But for gay people, it’s a glowing tribute to their resilience, fortitude and strength of character.

“Ako si Ada at isa akong BAKLA - yun lang. AT YUN LANG.”