<< LAUNCHING >>
The SOUL group was launched a month in advance of the June Pride month at Café Hon in Quezon City on a full moon. During its launch on May 7, 2001 its first activity was a poetry reading entitled "Kalibugan ng Buwan" (Lust of the Moon).
The poetry reading featured the performance/reading of erotic materials. This activity was held to take up a statement addressed to the Philippine Movies and Television Rating & Classification Board (MTRCB) that of redefining the gist of censorship in films for the advantage of the Filipino masses' education on gender harassment and exploitation.




Acknowledgements:
Paula of Café Hon
Lesbian Advocates of the Philippines (LeAP!)
Mei V. of Ricky Lee's Writer's Studio
Maita B. of Women Supporting Women Center (WSWC)
Pinky S. of Women's Features Service (WFS)
Vince B. of DTD Publishing
Blenchie and the Girls band
Friends from the Remedios AIDS Foundation
Friends from the Women's Crisis Center (WCC)
Friends from UP Ugat
Friends from UP Quill
SOUL special friends
SOUL sisters

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<< AIDS CANDLELIGHT >>
Last May 21, 2001 the Remedios AIDS Foundation (RAF) staged the 18th AIDS Candlelight Memorial and Mobilization Ceremony at the Paco Park. The International AIDS Candlelight Memorial is said to be the biggest yearly grassroots AIDS event that honors the memory of those lost to AIDS. This year's theme is "One Voice, Many Faces, United For Life."
The highlight of the memorial service was the Lotus Ceremony and Names Reading.




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<< FERNANDINA FORUM >>
Are the media afraid of the church?
This was the concern raised at a forum sponsored by the Women's Feature Service (WFS) Philippines on May 30, 2001 at Ciudad Fernandina in Greenhills. The forum bared the attitude of media and the church on reporting reproductive health issues.
Those invited to the forum were members of the media and representatives of women and health organizations.




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<< 1ST DILIMAN SUNDAY WORSHIP >>
The first worship service for lesbians, gays and their friends, was celebrated by Fr. Richard Mickley and Rev. Edgar Mendoza in Diliman, Quezon City last May 19, 2001. The morning worship was attended by people of diverse gender orientation, many of who identified themselves as lesbians.




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<< PRIDE MARCH >>
Manila's June 2001 Pride March was successfully celebrated on June 30 at Malate. The observance of the Pride Month was made possible through the efforts of the Task Force Pride, with this year's convener, The Library Foundation.
The theme of this year's Pride is "Rainbow family, celebrating diversity."


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<< POST PRIDE MARCH PROGRAM >>
The traditional post-Pride March program ensued. The Show was held at the Remedios Circle, also in Malate. This year's emcees were Percy & Ging.





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<< SOUL AT THE PRIDE MARCH SOUL >>
made its virginal appearance at the Manila Pride March. The contingent rode a black pick up truck. Purple balloons, Pride posters, the official SOUL streamer and a string of rainbow-colored paper flowers adorned the truck. Visible on top of the truck is the SOUL purple flag courageously waved by a member of Soul's Thursday Girlfriends.