MANILA, Philippines – Let’s face it! Today’s generation is open-minded when it comes to sexual activities. We’ve all heard in the news about unwanted pregnancies and the spread of AIDS and HIV. We’ve also heard so many times the reminder to use protection and know our bodies. With this in mind, MAC Cosmetics, together with SexAndSensibilities.com, recently sponsored a beauty and sexual health workshop at Rustan’s Makati to coincide with MAC’s latest campaign “From Our Lips,” whose endorsers are Cyndi Lauper and Lady Gaga.
Gay Lao, brand manager for MAC Cosmetics, said that this was the first time MAC worked with a partner to encourage women to make their own choice. The company has been active in donating sales from their Viva Glam lipsticks to the MAC AIDS fund, which sponsors those infected with the disease in various countries.
“It’s our heart and soul. Basically, we won’t function without it. We create products to sell to make sure we would be able to help improve the situation of those living with HIV and AIDS,” Lao said.
Guest speaker Wanggo Gallaga, writer and an HIV positive, encouraged everyone, man or woman, to undergo testing and protect themselves. “If you think you are at risk, have yourself tested. If you don’t know if you are at risk, it’s time to find out. Information is our only weapon. The more you know, the better chances of you being alive and staying unaffected.”
Ms. Chloe (not her real name), representative of Babae Plus, echoed Gallaga’s words. She encouraged partners involved in intimacy to get themselves tested to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS in the country.
A makeup demo followed, showcasing one of MAC’s latest looks.
Ana Santos, editorial director of SexAndSensibilities.com, said the workshop was just one of the many ways to spread the awareness that women have the right to make choices with their bodies.
Santos noted, “It’s your right to say no to your boyfriend, a lover or husband. It is your right to decline/oppose sex without a condom even if it is a boyfriend, a lover or a husband that you are turning down. It is your body, your right, and your pleasure. It is your right to choose when to have kids, how many or none at all.”
She also told women to love themselves first. “We rarely hear anyone ever saying ‘Mahalin mo muna ang iyong sarili (love yourself first).’ I inject the word muna here to stress the importance of loving ourselves first before we can love another. Doing that will be an ultimate guide for us to make the right decisions and take rightful control when it comes to our bodies, our relationships, and our sex lives.”
Santos and Gallaga encouraged those who are sexually active to practice the ABC — Abstain, Be Faithful, and use a Condom to protect themselves.
So, what does beauty have to do with sexual health?
Santos replied, “It’s all about completing ourselves; making ourselves look and feel pretty; it’s about being safe physically and emotionally. It’s all about self-love.”