Monique Wilson and longtime girlfriend to wed in London

(Monique Wilson turns her back on the stage to devote more time as global director of One Billion Rising, an international movement helping women victimized by all forms of sexual violence.Photo: Rossana Abueva's Facebook)


Ikakasal na ang stage and film actress-turned-activist na si Monique Wilson sa kanyang longtime partner na nagngangalang Rossana Abueva.

Gaganapin ang kanilang wedding on Sunday, June 14, sa Notting Hill in West London at 12:30 pm.
Legal ang same-sex marriage sa United Kingdom noon pang March 2014.

Sa wedding invitation na naka-post sa Facebook account ni Abueva, ito ang nakalagay:

“After seventeen years together, come celebrate our seven year civil partnership into a more revolutionary commitment: marriage (in the eyes of the law), but really — the reaffirming of our radical union with those who have lived and laughed, cried and celebrated, rallied and protested, created and adventured with us these last seventeen years. Ignite and plant more fires with us!”

Matagal na naging issue ang pagiging gay ni Monique noong natapos siyang lumabas sa Miss Saigon sa London kunsaan understudy siya ni Lea Salonga as Kim noong 1989.

Nag-out ang 45-year-old actress/singer/activist tungkol sa kanyang pagiging lesbian noong 2012.
Naging aktibo si Monique sa global movement na One Billion Rising kunsaan maraming natutulungan ito na mga kababaihan na naging biktima ng rape at iba pang sexual violence.

Ang founder nito ay si Eve Ensler, ang playwright ng pamosong The Vagina Monologues.

Isang award-winning actress si Monique, pero dahil sa advocacy na ito ay tinalukuran muna niya ang pagiging isang aktres at singer para mas mabigyan niya ng sapat na panahon ang One Billion Rising kunsaan siya ang nakaupong global director nito.

Ang kanyang partner na si Rossana ay based sa Singapore at nagtatrabaho bilang executive director for global product management sa Standard Chartered Bank.

Pagkaka-describe nga ni Monique sa kanilang pagsasama ni Abueva. “She has been the wind and river of love that have been the motor, the fuel, the core of everything that I do.

“She has not only helped spread my feminist wings both artistically and politically, and to fly as high as those wings can take me – but also rides every challenge with me with a love that truly has no boundaries – and with a generosity of heart that has allowed me to keep opening my heart to keep loving others.

“I am so deeply and profoundly blessed to share and touch both the skies of revolution and art with her.”

Si Monique ang magiging ikalawang Filipino female celebrity na magkaroon ng same-sex marriage sa ibang bansa.

Nauna na rito ang former child star at singer na si Aiza Seguerra at ang former beauty queen na si Liza Diño na ikinasal sa San Francisco, California, USA. -- PEP.ph