As people spilled onto streets during the Pride parade and rainbow colors dominated our feeds over the past weekends, a question hangs over outsiders looking in: What’s the purpose of having Pride Month, anyway? The answer is short and sweet: To remind all people on the spectrum that the fight for gender rights and equality should continue throughout the year.
Turbocharging queer awareness through a mainstream platform, Spotify unveiled Glow Hub, an initiative “showcas[ing] a rich trove of music and podcast content that spotlights LGBTQIA+ voices worldwide.”
The music-streaming app invited drag queens Marina Summers and “Queerfully Yours Podcast” hosts Richard Remorta and Warren Daniel Osinaga, popularly known as Chardie B and Poca, to shed light on the importance of queer representation in mainstream media.
“Amplifying underrepresented queer voices throughout the year is important. Platforms like Spotify enables listeners to discover and support these diverse talents who use their art form and music to express their identity. I am honored to be one of the first few queens in the Philippines to put out my music, and I hope this inspires a new generation of queer artists who are free to be and express who they are,” Marina, who is also Spotify’s Glow x Pride Southeast Asia ambassador, said at a media brunch event on June 27 to promote the Glow Hub project.
“We are passionate about creating a safe space for our listeners where they can find answers to questions they may be afraid to ask,” Chardie B said. “We are seeing how our podcast offers companionship, affirmation, and a reminder to our community members and allies that we are not alone in our journeys. This energizes us to continue creating more content for them,” Poca added.
To access queer-made content on Spotify and support the LGBTQIA+ community beyond Pride month, go here.
