Beauty pageants and queerphobia in the Philippines, with Samantha Beltran | The Coconuts Podcast | Oct 8, 2021 WTF is Up in Southeast Asia + Hong Kong

This week, we spoke with Coconuts Manila's own Samatha Beltran about the queerphobic reactions to Beatrice Luigi Gomez being crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2021. Gomez identifies as bisexual and she's the first openly queer winner - something that unfortunately didn't sit right with some in the devoutly Catholic and pageant-crazed country.

Other stories include:

BREAKING: Bali airport to start welcoming foreign travelers on Oct. 14 | 'We don't care anymore': Bangkok bar reopens to sell newly legalized drug | Hong Kong just saw its hottest September on record | Bras are a 'source of deceit' and should be ditched, Islamic website asserts | Penang dessert cafe lets patrons play 'Squid Game' | PH's pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai showcases the best of contemporary art | COVID-19 self-test kits 'moving fast' due to 'elevated' Singapore demand | Trial delays to cost Myanmar heartthrob another 6 months in prison: lawyer

The Coconuts Podcast delivers impactful, weird, and wonderful reporting by our journalists on the ground in eight cities: Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Yangon, and Bali. Listen to headline news and insightful interviews on matters large and small, designed for people located in - or curious about - Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.