Happy Pride! To celebrate our LGBTQ+ community all over the world, we asked them and their allies about movies, shows, music, and podcasts you can watch and listen to, along with books you should read.

This list is also a good start to understanding the lives and struggles of our beloved LGBTQ+ community. You may refer to this article — Pride month or not! Here’s what’s Now Playing at Her GadgetMatch!

Videos to watch

Pride Conversations

MJ: Google concluded the Pride Month with a live stream entitled Pride Conversations, comprised of powerful members of the Filipino LGBTQ+ community sharing their remarkable and inspiring stories — from tales of coming out to their journey in owning their sexuality.

Movies to see

Love, Simon

MJ: A modern classic in today’s generation, Love, Simon is about yearning, secrets, and struggle of everyone in the LGBTQ+ community — coming to terms with your identity and getting out of the closet.

Prayers for Bobby

MJ: A heart-wrenching, tearjerker film that every parent must watch, especially when their religion and faith get in the way of truly loving their child.

The Half of It

MJ: Lighthearted yet revolutionary, The Half of It explores an introvert’s young love, sexuality, and loving in secret expressed through a love letter.

Holding the Man

MJ: Raw, honest, and genuine. It’s difficult not to weep after watching a touching piece tackling a love affair weathering the struggles of coming out in the 70s and 80s — remembering the horrors the stigma surrounding AIDS caused.

Free Fall

MJ: Jokingly known as the German version of Brokeback Mountain, Free Fall is a complex, hot, and passionate story about a married man’s internal struggles of falling in love with a colleague.

Blue Is The Warmest Colour

MJ: Blue Is The Warmest Colour is a moving film portraying a French teen’s beatific, intimate attachment to another woman.

Metamorphosis

Vincenz: Intersex is one of the minorities in the LGBTQIA+ community. This is a locally-produced indie film that shows how one explores and discovers him/herself. Just like the process of metamorphosis, s/he finally accepts and reveals who s/he really is to the eyes of many.

Sila-Sila

Vincenz: A depiction of complicated homosexual relationships: from hook-ups, break-ups, losing people you value the most, and even getting back together. A slice of life that shows laughs, joys, and tears of gay people throughout their relationship with their friends, family members, and partners altogether.

Shows to binge-watch

Queer Eye

Chay: The Fab 5 spreads love in Pennsylvania back in the US in the latest season of our favorite feel-good makeover series. Whenever I’m feeling distress or despair — especially during these difficult times — Queer Eye is the series that never fails to restore my faith in humanity.

Pose

Chay: House Evangelista is back for another season of ball culture, voguing, building new relationships and rekindling old ones, and confronting crises LGBTQ+ people of color faced in the ’80s. Prepare not just your favorite bag of chips but your box of Kleenex as well!

Love, Victor

Chay: If you enjoyed Love, Simon and find yourself wanting for more a spinoff series premiered on Hulu this month. Love, Victor tells the story of a new student at Creekwood High School — the ups and downs at home, making new friends, and exploring his sexual orientation.

Looking

MJ: Being in your late twenties and early thirties can be mind-boggling. Such is the case in Looking, where three best friends in San Francisco tell their explorations in love and in life while each taking separate paths.

One Day at a Time

MJ: A refresh of a hit sitcom in the ’70s, One Day at a Time is a modern comedy that has an upbeat take on tales of coming out yet still portrays the struggles of coming to terms with your sexuality within a family.

TharnType The Series

Vincenz: Not your typical sugarcoated Thai BL series as it eradicates homophobia as well as how they openly portray the sexual desires of two men. Expect a rollercoaster of emotions when you watch this series.

Gameboys

Vincenz: One of the first Filipino BL series that is timely and relevant — especially during this pandemic. Can you believe two gamers ended up falling for each other even with just a series of game battles, chats, and video calls? In my own thoughts: “Sana all hindi pang-quarantine lang“.

Hello Stranger

Vincenz: What would you do if you were paired up with someone you truly dislike? Hello Stranger exhibits unexpected love at an unexpected time, reminding us that love simply happens for everyone, regardless of your orientation.

Albums/Songs/Podcasts to listen to

Music Universal: PRIDE

Chay: Pop icon and ally Carly Rae Jepsen and artist and activist Mark Kanemura put together a Pride-themed playlist featuring music from different artists and eras that celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and our right to express our true selves. This 90-minute playlist is perfect when you’re working out, experimenting in the kitchen, or walking to your neighborhood cafe for your iced latte fix!

Chromatica

MJ: Lady Gaga’s return with “Chromatica” has sent the LGBTQ+ community reeling over the nostalgia evoked by this eccentric album — bringing back the days of dancing to Gaga’s fabulous and bizarre pop music we loved.

Help by 10cm

Vincenz: Although the music video only showed minor scenes of how people consider same-sex relationships in public a taboo, the song’s message should dig deeper into our minds and hearts that we should ask for somebody’s help when all of these deep-seated issues come in mind.

Oh my God by (G)I-DLE

Vincenz: Originally a Now Playing: Volume 3 entry, he message of the song this time is clearer because it’s in English — and we can’t deny it’s all about two women having love and affection for one another.

Books to read

What If It’s Us?

MJ: Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera’s novel about two men stumbling upon each other in New York City is a refreshing take on common, gay love stories. It tackled love, signs, and universe — reminding us that we meet people in our lives for a reason.

Call Me by Your Name

MJ: A powerful, coming-of-age, and tale of coming out stirring a pot of raw emotions. Call Me by Your Name explores sexual awakening, yearning, and obsession over the course of summer in Italy, in the year 1983.

Now Playing is the GadgetMatch team’s favorite games, movies, TV shows, and more each month. If you’re curious to know what we’re into at the moment, this is what you should check out. So grab your popcorn, get some drinks, and enjoy what’s now playing!

Being an entrepreneur isn’t purely paradise.

Sure, it’s empowering to make your own money, work on your own schedule, and tell the world about your new venture. We get how dazzling and proud you can be when you are your own boss.

But the glossy stories of successful women entrepreneurs are just the tip of the iceberg. What many people don’t know is that behind the triumphant posts on social media, entrepreneurship entails countless days of hard work, struggle, and sleepless nights.

If you’re on the quest of starting your own business, let us remind you that a smooth sea has never made a skilled sailor. Although there might be a stormy sea ahead, you will get through it as long as you equip yourself with the right skills and investments.

If you’re ready to hop on your entrepreneurial journey, here are things you need to keep in mind.

Dress up like a boss

The first thing you need to do is show the universe you’re ready to be an entrepreneur. Get in the habit of looking put together, and dress like you’re already a boss!

Start wearing versatile outfits that work well in between your meetings with suppliers, clients, and partners. You can dress in similar tonal colors and match it with appropriate metals to look sophisticated.

Your phone also says so much about you, so it’s ideal to pick a color that represents confidence, simplicity, and elegance. It’s not just a gadget anymore, it’s a fashion accessory — one that can make or break your outfit.

If you’re having trouble deciding a color, white always works best. It’s chic, bold, and flexible; you can pair it with silver or any color you’d like and you’ll still look fabulous.

Learn how to get organized

From your day-to-day essentials to your smartphone’s apps, being organized is a surefire way to achieve success in business and in life. You won’t waste time searching your stuff when everything is in order. You can finish your tasks, and stay on top of your to-do lists.

Moreover, having an organized life can help you be sharp-witted and pragmatic. You’re less likely to be scatterbrained, allowing you to focus on your business’ survival.

Invest in an affordable yet powerful smartphone

No, you don’t need an iPhone or a premium Android smartphone to run a business. All you need is a phone smart enough to do the job for you, without making your wallet cry.

If you’re serious about being an entrepreneur, you need to stop getting carried away with the latest handsets. Owning the latest gadget won’t help you bring more money. To some, it might even be a liability since most people opt to pay in installments.

Frankly, smartphones depreciate easily over time. The smart decision is to get the best midrange phone you can buy — one that’ll bring value for your money.

One fine example is the Redmi Note 9 Pro, which retails for PhP 12,990. For the price it commands, it seriously packs a punch: It has a practical design that doesn’t look cheap, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner for quick access to your phone, and an excellent screen with perfect viewing angles.

Moreover, it’s powered by Snapdragon 720G, a 6GB RAM, 128GB internal storage, and a massive 5,020mAh battery. This ensures effortless multitasking and a hiccup-free usage for the whole day. It also has a quad-camera setup capable of taking decent photos for your business’ social media accounts.

Going digital isn’t the end-all-be-all

Most entrepreneurs capitalize on the internet and social media to run their business. While it’s true we’re all going digital, it doesn’t mean you need to do everything on your phone.

Start using notebooks and leather organizers in planning around your business. Writing helps with memory retention! Sometimes, you have to jot your notes down, plan your schedule old-school style, or write your ideas and strategies to expand your empire.

Make sure you have time for yourself

Running your business 24/7 isn’t enough for entrepreneurs. Sometimes, you’ll wish there are more hours in a day, so you can grow your business and tend to your personal errands. However, putting in more hours doesn’t translate to being successful.

Eventually, you’ll burn out and you’ll deplete the energy required to run your business. Sometimes, you need to take a step back and make time for yourself. Do the things you love, even if it means you need to binge-watch multiple episodes of your favorite K-Drama.

As long as you recuperate, you will have the energy to power through whatever obstacle you’re facing. When you take care of yourself, you take care of the future — both for your business and yourself.

SEE ALSO:

Redmi Note 9 Pro Max review: Perfect, like you’d expect it to be

At a time where working remotely is becoming the new norm, one might find it difficult to maintain a work-life balance.

The thin line separating work and leisure blurs when you’re working from home. There’s a constant need to stay updated and connected, yet our mind and body require us to step away from our work machines so we don’t burnout.

Thankfully, some gizmos are here to help us achieve work-life balance. For instance, the Huawei MatePad Pro is a powerful device that can help you organize your life and enjoy it to the fullest. To help you get on track, here are some tips on how you can utilize this premiere tablet using several apps.

Binge-watch your favorite shows

When you find yourself burning out, it’s time to step back and allow yourself to relax. You can watch some of your favorite films and TV shows through iFlix and Viu, which are accessible via AppGallery, or through Netflix via APKPure.

Stream your favorite YouTubers

Sometimes, the easiest way to unwind is to watch your favorite YouTubers. You can access YouTube using the Huawei Browser, just like you would on a Desktop. Although, you can add a shortcut to your MatePad Pro’s home screen for easier access — making it seem like you still have a YouTube app.

Play some games to unwind

There are games you can play, too. The crowd-favorite Asphalt 9, the social media craze Adorable Home, Ball Hop, Naruto: Slugfest, and many more are available through the AppGallery.

Read books while listening to music

When the day ends, it’s highly relaxing to read ebooks you can buy online. You can dive into the story when you use reading apps like ReadEra while you play your favorite tunes on Spotify, accessible via APK.

Sort your finances

At least once a week, make it a habit to sort your finances. Most banks have their apps available already on the AppGallery, such as Security Bank, CIMB Bank, RCBC, BDO Bank, Metrobank, UnionBank, and EastWest.

For quick online purchases and other transactions, GCash and PayMaya are also available.

Stay connected with the world

Most of the popular instant messaging apps are available through the AppGallery. For instance, you can use Viber and LINE — which pride themselves with end-to-end encryption. There’s also WeChat and Snapchat, which are popular in some parts of the world.

As usual, Facebook is still a staple to connect with other people. You can get it through their official website. Messenger and Instagram are also available via APKPure.

Get entertained by creators

If you want to be entertained by creators and ordinary people like you, you can download Kumu, TikTok, and WeSing via AppGallery.

Hone your creativity

For those who want to hone their creativity, the AppGallery has multiple apps for creatives such as Concepts, Canva, APRIL, and Desygner.

If you’re getting into digital arts, you can practice your skills using Adobe Sketch, AutoDesk SketchBook, Adobe Draw, MediBang Paint, and ArtFlow. These apps can be downloaded via APK!

Do work wherever you want

If you need a breather but you have a deadline to finish, you can take your work off your desk and bring it through the MatePad Pro. The AppGallery has multiple productivity apps that let you get your work done, such as Office, WPS Office, OfficeSuite, and Docx Reader.

Never miss an email again

When there’s a work emergency, you can hop on easily without going back to your work machine. Through Huawei’s Email app, you can access Gmail, Yahoo, or even your Outlook email accounts.

If you need to use Google’s services, you can access it via Huawei Browser. Use Google Search and Google Drive effortlessly. Treat the tablet as if it was a Desktop!

Plan leisurely activities

There are a lot more you can do using the MatePad Pro! You can plan your future travels using Agoda, Booking.com, Trivago, and Traveloka. If you love indulging yourself and your loved ones with good food, make sure to download Eatigo and Booky. On the other hand, shopaholics can enjoy Shopee and Lazada.

These apps are all available via AppGallery, so make the most out of life and reap your rewards for working hard.

Apps you don’t want aren’t here?

Some apps are still finding their way to the AppGallery. You can search them on the app and add it to your wishlist, and Huawei will surely do their best to make it happen.

Visit here to find more about the Huawei MatePad Pro.

This feature was produced in collaboration between Her GadgetMatch and Huawei Philippines.