Panthera Arma: Breaking barriers, one performance at a time | ABS-CBN

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Panthera Arma: Breaking barriers, one performance at a time

Panthera Arma: Breaking barriers, one performance at a time

Text and photos by Alec Corpuz,

ABS-CBN News

 | 

Updated Oct 29, 2024 03:45 PM PHT

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Seated behind a window draped with a thin curtain, Panthera Arma looks at her illuminated vanity mirror. With a steady hum, the electric fan keeps heat at bay on a Saturday afternoon as she brushes her hair hours before a performance in Quezon City, about a half hour ride from her condo in Pasig.

Michael Alan Tomas, more popularly known by her stage name Panthera Arma, is the first hard-of-hearing drag queen in the country.

“Ever since pa lang, fan na ako ng drag. Pero hindi ko siya ginagawa kasi feeling ko hindi ko siya kaya. Then after manalo ni Precious Paula Nicole, sa Season 1 Drag Race Philippines, dun ako nag start sa pagda drag,” she shares as she gingerly applies foundation to her face.

While shows like Drag Den PH and Drag race Philippines have ushered in the vibrant world of drag into mainstream consciousness, for Panther Arma, there are still misconceptions on what drag is.

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“Ang akala nila pag drag more on komedyante, more on yun nga mga stage sa barangay barangay.”

She adds, “ang hindi nila naiintindihan na merong drag na nasa bar na nagli lip synch, nagpe-perform, kumakantya and isa siyang work para sa mga LGBTQ+. Kasi akala nila ano lang sya, hobby. Pero yung iba, bread and butter nila yun.”

For Panthera Arma though, her main source of income comes from her day job working in finance for a non-governmental organization.

Acceptance

While acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community is already making headway, she still faces some challenges as a PWD. Common misconceptions as the audience thinking she cannot understand them, or not being able to do things they can abound. Unfortunately, some of the ignorance comes from the community itself.

“May mga drag queen na nagsabi sa 'kin na ‘wag mo na kausapin yan, di ka naman maririnig nyan.’” When encountering comments like that, Panthera Arma says she chooses not to pay them attention and reminds herself of her goal in drag.

“Yun ang gusto ko patunayan sa drag. Regardless of yung itsura, regardless of your age, regardless of your disability, puwede ka maging drag queen, and 'yun yung gusto ko gawin sa buong mundo.”

She adds that she wants to be an inspiration to other PWDs to try out drag.

“Kasi minsan ganun yun eh sa mga PWD, pagka sinabi mo sa sarili mong PWD ka, may limitation ka. so magandang ibigay kong message sa kanila na kahit PWD ka dapat wala kang limitation.”

Challenges as a PWD

Using a menagerie of brushes, Panthera Arma applies makeup to her face, slowly contouring her features, she draws her eyebrows and shares she did not get hearing aids 2017. “Late diagnose kasi ako,” she explains.

Growing up she says she didn’t hear ambient noises around her. “Akala ko ganun ang mundo, tahimik.”

She says getting hearing aids exposed her the world’s noise, both literally and figuratively.

“Nung nagkaroon na ako ng hearing aid, nalaman ko na ang mundo maingay. First time ko narinig ang aircon, first time ko narinig ang ingay ng MRT. First time kong nakarinig kapag pinagchi-chismisan ka sa jeep.”

Wearing hearing aid also impacts her performances.

“Ang dami mong maririnig pagka may hearing aid ka. Lahat ng klase ng sound maririnig mo.”

But since she has to wear them, she says she has to speak with the sound technician beforehand, “Nagtetest muna kami. Kapag okay siya, go. Kapag hindi, hinihinaan ko sya.”

She shares there was also one time when her hearing aid ran out of batteries. She was still able to hear some sound, albeit faintly, and was still able to perform. She credits this to her practices.

Setting aside a week to practice each time she has to go on stage. “Para at least, magkaroon man ng kaunting problems onstage, di ako mapapahiya.”

After some three hours of preparations, Panthera Arma heads to Quezon City to perform at the Ms. Dragdagulan 2023 Stars of Pride in Maginhawa, part of Pride Month festivities for Quezon City.

Accompanied by her mother, Panthera Arma wears her dress and puts finishing touches to her makeup. She greets other drag queens and supporters while waiting for her turn up the stage.

After some time, she gets up lit only by the giant screen behind her. A few moments later, an introduction video plays and then a message dedicating the performance to deaf, mute, and hard-of-hearing persons in the country appears behind her.

A brief pause then the starting chords of the song “Frozen” plays from the speakers around the venue. While mellow, the chords in combination with Panthera Arma’s appearance commands attention.

The decidedly slower-pace stands in contrast at first to the previous performances. However, as the crescendo builds, so does Panthera Arma’s movements.

Twirling about and flashing a big smile, she lets loose a dramatic rendition of the popular song, the lyrics apt in the moment. The choreography, lights, and sounds working in conjunction to get her message across. That being disabled does not mean being limited.

As the song ends, she smiles and waves to the crowd. Another performance under her belt.

Hearing-impaired drag queen Panthera Arma gets ready inside her home in Pasig before a performance in Quezon City on June 17, 2023.  Alec Corpuz, ABS-CBN News

Panthera Arma says she is the first hard-of-hearing drag queen in the country.  Alec Corpuz, ABS-CBN News

She says that while performing started out as a hobby, she eventually realized what her purpose was “Gusto kong gumawa ng history. Kasi wala pa sa Pilipinas kasi ang nagdadrag na hard-of-hearing.”  Alec Corpuz, ABS-CBN News

Makeup and brusher lie on the table as she prepares for her next performance. She says, the cost of makeup, clothes, and accessories can take a toll on some drag queens’ finances.”  Alec Corpuz, ABS-CBN News

“Usually pag drag queen, nag start sila 18 or 19.” She adds “Bihira sa drag queen ang same ng edad ko na 37, 38.“  Alec Corpuz, ABS-CBN News

Due to her age, she says she often gets mistaken for a seasoned drag queen.  Alec Corpuz, ABS-CBN News

Makeup brushes and other accessories lie in a case which Panthera Arma brings with her during performances.  Alec Corpuz, ABS-CBN News

“Usually kasi kapag sinabi mong drag nagli lip synch ka. Pero sa history ng pilipinas, ako yung kauna unahang drag queen na nagsa sign language,” she says.  Alec Corpuz, ABS-CBN News

Although not adept, she says she uses sign language to let deaf people enjoy her performances.  Alec Corpuz, ABS-CBN News

“Hindi ako fluent, pero learning. Ginagawa ko kasi sya para even yung mga mute, mga deaf, ma-involve sila, puwede nila ma enjoy ang drag.”  Alec Corpuz, ABS-CBN News

Panthera Arma and Abigaile Montomery wait for their turns to perform.  Alec Corpuz, ABS-CBN News

Panthera Arma says the Arma in her name comes from armadillos which are nearly blind and deaf.  Alec Corpuz, ABS-CBN News

“Ever since pa lang, fan na ako ng drag, pero hindi ko sya ginagawa kasi feeling ko hindi ko sya kaya. Then after manalo ni Precious Paula Nicole, sa Season 1 Drag Race Philippines, dun ako nag start sa pagda drag," she says.  Alec Corpuz, ABS-CBN News

She dedicates her performance to all deaf, mute, and hard of hearing people in the country.  Alec Corpuz, ABS-CBN News

“Yun ang gusto ko patunayan sa drag. regardless of yung itsura, regardless of your age, regardless of your disability, puwede ka maging drag queen, and yun yung gusto ko gawin sa buong mundo.”  Alec Corpuz, ABS-CBN News

She says her goal is to encourage younger PWDs to try out drag.  Alec Corpuz, ABS-CBN News

Panthera Arma smiles as she gets off the stage.  Alec Corpuz, ABS-CBN News

Panther Arma looks at a vide of her performance with her mother.  Alec Corpuz, ABS-CBN News

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