“ I did not come out. I certainly did not come out on the Miss Universe Philippines stage. I simply reiterated my truth.
I am bisexual. While who I love, and have loved, does not define the core of my being, I am a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community.
This journey is dedicated to every single person who has been pigeonholed, discriminated, or dehumanized for their gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation. May we no longer be silenced by fear, but empowered by our truth and the support of our allies.
Photo: Noel Benjamin Fernandez
Suit : Oscar James
HMUA : Bernadeth A. Agbo
Creative Director : Rabie Ian Biongcog Pogoy
Assisted by : Michelle Joy Padayhag
normannorman.com 
Who is stopping her from showing the world who/what she actually is?
If that was her desperate attempt to get noticed .
, she had succeeded by immensely .
Congrats !!!
“This journey is dedicated to every single person who has been pigeonholed, discriminated, or dehumanized for their gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation. May we no longer be silenced by fear, but empowered by our truth and the support of our allies.” Very powerful words to reverberate worldwide from the Miss Universe stage! In the light of this week’s Pope Francis’ declaration on same-sex unions, Billie is simply echoing the right of all legitimate children of God to be included in the Table of the Lord– whatever the gender identity, expression or orientation. My Christian faith tells me that God’s Kingdom is for everyone, and no religion nor culture nor politics can deny anyone access to His Grace. I sincerely pray for success in Billie’s risky journey and in the perilous pilgrimage of the millions worldwide who are similarly situated, and persecuted even by homophobic cultures.
She’s now in my top 5…
I hope she releases diversely styled glampics where in hopefully one of which she’d be wearing a big-ass wig to prove that she can be a gorgeous chameleon and she also looks beautiful with thick long hair…. And I want different expressions please including one with a full smile which I rarely see on her pics…
Sorry, but it can also be called a cult.
@ scorg Matapang si Manong today. 🙂
Let us all endeavor to achieve minds that are sound and free.
Have a peaceful weekend. Share energy.
This is a quick retort to @Marmar Yakik’s comment below. It somehow got misplaced here.
This girl is so brave. I guess one of the semi slots is already made for her!
She had the best interview.
That’s all!
I hate that she had to reveal her sexual orientation . She didn’t have to . It’s a distraction more than anything
You are not in the position. Its her life. If she thinks she will perform well without the baggage then let her. Remember life in general would be better if you don’t have anything to hide.
She is a public figure right now and everyone has the right to form an opinion about what she lays out publicly
I agree, she doesn’t have to announce that she’s bisexual everytime. Tama ng ang isang beses. If she wins MUP, then ang magiging introduction nya sa MU….
“Billie Hakenson, bisexual, Philippines!” Ganern?
Ate gurl. Ang sabi “tell something about yourself”. Mali bang sabihin nya yun if yun naman sya talaga? Kung require sa introduction sa MU ang gender why not. Sama mo pa ang ecomic status mo. Sama mo na zip code.
so what’s your problem with that? it’s her liberty to introduce herself whatever she wants.
She’s top 6 for me along with Bella Sandra Pauline Michelle and Alaiza
Hay.. im loving this girl.. hugs to you Billie. Pope Francis also made a statement and the way he mentioned FAMILY and no one deserves to be thrown out. It was a bit triggering for me but perhaps in a good way, as not everyone in the LGBTIQ+ community has a loving and accepting family and a safe home. Some needed to find that family elsewhere as they were thrown out or the roads and doors to home were shut for them.
Felt this statement of yours, “May we no longer be silenced by fear, but empowered by our truth and the support of our allies.”
Listening to your interview and Pauline’s somehow make me want to pull my hair in different directions. The other girls are also good. You two are just my personal favorite. I relate this to how I also take or taste food. When I eat or taste food for the first time, I usually close your eyes to savor. There are food that will bring me back to my memories of home, childhood, lola, inay, tatay, the kwentos. Making me want that meal with simplicity and authenticity. On the other hand, there are also those that brings fireworks to my palate and my brain, giving a flavor of surprises, something I am not accustomed to yet the taste is just wonderful, delicious and beautiful. So beautiful to resist. That’s how you and Pauline made me feel.
Though home and simplicity is so close to my heart, Im putting my cards on what seems to be the unfamiliar, the beyond the box, beyond the coastlines.. off to sail an adventure. hope you can take us with you on the bigger destinations and surprises ahead of you. Good luck, Billie.
I’m of two minds about her ‘truth’. It would have been more compelling if she were outright gay because in the spectrum of sexual orientation, it certainly hasn’t been the bisexuals who have been historically punished, attacked and discriminated against.
So I don’t really get the point of her declaration except perhaps if she believes that her orientation is on the level as someone who is 100% gay for example or a transsexual- but I think it’s not really.
It did however, grab the panel’s attention or the public for that matter and she is well-spoken enough to prove that there’s more to her than her declaration or ‘truth’. And perhaps if that was the whole point of it then she has succeeded.
But that aside and focusing on the more crucial aspect of beauty, she isn’t physically compelling enough. The short hair actually works because if you look up photos of her with long-hair, it’s a totally different person and an even less compelling one. With long hair, she looks old and bears a resemblance to that comedian Kakai Bautista.
Ms Bautista is pretty, but it’s a face that will never, ever win a MU crown- just saying.
If I were to judge the ladies from that preliminary interview performance alone, she got the crown. It was only with her that I felt exhilarated.
Paki-endorse po kay Hakenson…
What is her opinion on Pope Francis’ “bomb” regarding sex-sex unions?
In effect, sinabi ng pinuno ng Iglesia Katolika na heterosexual unions lamang ang may karapatan’g maisakatuparan sa simbahan. If you’re gay, well, off to the Town/City Hall or Courthouse for you. 🙂
Iglesia ni Kristo- out of touch, morally stagnant Christian rightist group whose myopic political endorsements have done more harm than good to the Philippine political system.
You’re not INC are you @Flor? Apologies if you are- nothing personal lol
If one or few people believe in something – that’s called delusion, but when millions believe in something – that’s called religion.