Gaya sa Pelikula: "Sasalubungin ka namin 'pag handa ka na."

Gaya sa Pelikula: Kasi hindi natatapos ang Pride sa Hunyo.

“Sasalubungin ka namin 'pag handa ka na.”
That one line — soft, patient, unconditional — has lived rent-free in my heart since the first time I watched Gaya sa Pelikula. I saw the series years ago, but here I am, in July, thinking about Karl and Vlad like I just finished it yesterday.

Gaya sa Pelikula (Like in the Movies), written by Juan Miguel Severo and directed by JP Habac, was never just another BL series. It was a quiet revolution — unapologetically Filipino, unapologetically queer, and unapologetically real. With Ian Pangilinan (Vlad) and Paolo Pangilinan (Karl) bringing heart and soul to their roles, the series wasn’t just about love — it was about becoming. About choosing authenticity over fear. About allowing yourself the possibility of joy, even when you’ve spent your whole life hiding.

I remember watching it in a time when I needed it — when I still couldn't find the words for some things I was feeling. When the idea of being fully seen still scared me. But the show didn’t rush me. It held space for all of it — confusion, longing, denial, desire, and hope. It understood that coming out isn’t just about saying “I’m gay” — it’s about unlearning years of silence, letting go of shame, and slowly learning that you’re allowed to want to be loved out loud.

One of the most powerful things Karl ever said was, “Ang hirap pala no'n... 'yung pilit mong kinukulong 'yung sarili mo kasi iniisip mo hindi ka matatanggap.”
That line cracked something open in me. Because it’s true — how often have we locked ourselves away, not because people told us directly to hide, but because we grew up believing that hiding was the only safe option?

And then there was Vlad, who countered that fear not with force, but with care.
“Puwede namang hindi mo na lang pilitin. Puwede namang magpahinga ka muna.”
In a world that demands we come out loudly and proudly — sometimes before we’re ready — Gaya sa Pelikula reminds us that it’s okay to move at your own pace. That healing isn’t linear. That it’s valid to rest.

And that’s what makes it special even now, even in July. Because June — with its parades, hashtags, and rainbow merch — can feel overwhelming. Like you’re supposed to be “out and proud,” even when you’re still figuring it all out. But not all queer journeys fit the Pride mold. Not everyone is ready to wave a flag. And that’s okay.

Some of us are still in our “condo stage” — like Karl — just beginning to explore what it means to feel safe in our own skin, let alone in front of the world. Some of us are like Vlad — bolder, louder, maybe more free, but still carrying wounds.

And some of us? We’re somewhere in between.

Pride isn’t just about celebration. It’s also about survival, softness, community, and remembering that you are already whole — even before the world sees it.

So if you’re not out yet, or not sure, or still scared — this is for you:
You’re not too late.
You’re not behind.
And just like Karl and Vlad, you deserve a love that sees you, waits for you, and welcomes you when you’re ready.

Because in this chosen family, in this beautiful queer narrative we’re writing together, one truth always remains:

Sasalubungin ka namin 'pag handa ka na.