Little known fact: the bloggers here on 8Asians do more than just huddle alone at their desk and desperately mash away on their keyboards to churn out posts for you to read. Sometimes, we actually talk to other human beings and appear on other API blogs. At least, some of us do.
Congratulations to Efren who was featured on Film-Am Ako in an interview about his Filipino background, representing other Filipino Americans as a blogger in the LGBTQ community, just like Jeff last summer (except for the LGBTQ part).
I met up with Efren to gather his thoughts on his feature with a few [completely unoriginal] questions of my own. Interestingly, what I got was a totally different side of our famous contributor. Actually, now that I think about it, Efren is kind of a bitch. A bitchy diva. Ugh.
Please tell us who you are.
Huh? We’ve hung out in real life already, I’ve been on 8A for over 2 1/2 years, and you don’t know who I am?
How did you get into blogging and become a part of 8asians?
I got into blogging because I was bored and I wasn’t being enough of a media whore, and all the cool kids were doing it, like Ernie and Joz (who I heard is a TOTAL bitch in real life). But then I realized that I actually had a life so I don’t blog on my flanflanflan blog anymore unless I’m being really emo, or want to fuck with people’s heads. Hence, I go on facebook and twitter.
What does being Filipino-American mean to you?
That I can be prim and proper in front of white people because I can speak proper English–but then I can go hella ghetto on your ass and freak people out. And you know that we all dance and sing right? I can do karaoke and dance when I’m drunk enough–and I’ve still never forgiven Joz’s Yoshi for making me do a duet of Endless Love and Phantom of the Opera. The emotional scars are eternal.
What are you experiences as a Fil-Am in the LGBTQ community?
That I have to call out everybody on their shit. I remember during my days of ill repute in LA that people spread rumors about me because I wasn’t like the other Filipinos (meaning I only speak English, I’m not anorexic, and I’m not a queeny bitch). I think they’re all just haters because I got more booty than all of them because I actually had a personality. . And don’t get me started on the crazy rice queens who think that my life will be complete if I do them–bitch, please.
What words of advice can you offer to Filipinos who have yet to “come out of the closet” and come to terms with their sexual identity?
We all know–you may think that no one knows, but we all know. We secretly take bets to see when you’ll finally come out. I was so obvious when I was closeted, but once I came out, I found it funny that people couldn’t figure out that I was gay. What do I need to do–tattoo it on my forehead?
What do you feel needs to change with Filipinos and how the world views Pinoys?
That they need to get over themselves. For reals. I know so many of us who are overcompensating and look down on people like me because I only speak English, or that I’m too dark. But I’m proud of who I am, and I don’t have to change my name or my accent to show that I can speak English (even though you STILL have the accent) or pretend that I’m Asian and Spanish. I have no need to pretend that I’m something that I’m not. And it annoys me that so many Filipinos think that the world revolves around them because of who they are–you’re not the only diva in the room.
Do you look up to any famous Pinoys as role models?
Role models are just people who haven’t been knocked off their pedestals–seriously, who needs that pressure? I prefer to look to people as who they are. We all fuck up anyway, and you can learn shit from people’s good qualities–and their bad qualities!
Alright, ENOUGH. That Efren thinks he’s so high and mighty, just because he was on the front page of Fil-Am Ako. Someone needs to take this queeny bitch down a notch.
