'Di dapat ikahiya ang love!': YouTube stars Michelle Fox and Kramer Ford on how they unashamedly share their love online
On YouTube, Michelle Fox and boyfriend Kramer Ford are known for their funny vlogs and makeup challenges, but their videos do more than make people laugh. The couple wants to inspire others in the LGBTQ+ to live their love out in the sun.
When I sat down with the pair for a Zoom interview, I immediately noticed how they finished each other's sentences—a testament to the strong connection they've built in their four years together.
Michelle and Kramer met in their home province of Samar while the former was on vacation, and connected on Facebook Messenger to keep in touch.
"Hinanap ko siya sa Facebook kasi malandi talaga ako," Michelle admitted. "Nung pagbalik ko dito sa Manila, na-miss ko siya."
"Ini-stalk niya ako and ang usapan namin, punta ka dito ng Maynila at ipapasok kita bilang model," Kramer added.
"Tapos pinasok ko siya sa puso ko," the girlfriend jested.
The two shared that it was Michelle who did the courting, even though before that she wasn't the type to look for love. She was, however, no stranger to the struggles trans women face while dating.
"Karamihan talaga, into realidad to, ang straight na lalaki, pag nagmahal ng isang trans—karamihan lalo na dito sa Pinas—ang habol nila ay pera. 'Yun yung nagustuhan ko [kay Kramer] kasi hindi siya ganun. Pinamulat ko rin sa kanya na 'wag dapat ganun," the vlogger said.
"Kailangan magmahal ka as mahal mo, hindi magmahal ka para buhayin ka," she added.
On dealing with misconceptions and 'bad spirits'
Nicknamed "Vavaeng Marangal," Michelle started posting on YouTube in December 2017 and now has over 887,000 subscribers on the platform. She posts videos ranging from makeup tutorials, beauty tips, as well as travel vlogs. She later introduced Kramer to her fans.
While the couple was wholly accepted by each other's families, they had to deal with judgment from people outside of their relationship. They shared that people questioned Kramer's sexuality, but this was something they simply shrugged off.
"Sinasabi [nila] na siguro 'di siya straight dahil pumapatol sa trans pero deadma. As long as we know kung paano patakbuhin relasyon namin," Michelle said. "Wala kaming pinapapasok na bad spirit."
"'Di namin pinapatulan," the boyfriend added. "Tuloy-tuloy lang 'yung pagmamahal namin. Actually ang dami eh. Minsan masasakit pa yung binabato sakin but it's okay."
They don't just face, as Michelle would put it, "bad spirits" online, they also see them in person.
"'Pag nasa public, iba yung tingin sa [aming] dalawa pero wala naman," Kramer said. "Wala naman silang ambag sa amin."
On sharing their love online and inspiring others
For Michelle, documenting their relationship online through vlogs is like their "diary" and she shared about how she has been told by fans that sharing their love story online is inspiring.
"It’s time na to show people kung ano kaming dalawa para to inspire other LGBTQ na trans kagaya ko na wala ka dapat ikatakot as long as wala kang tinatapakang tao, maganda yung samahan ninyo at ugnayan niyo sa isa’t-isa," she said. "Why not share to the public kung ano at kung gaano kasaya yung samahan?"
"'Di dapat ikahiya yung love," she continued.
"'Wag mong pigilin sarili mo kung san ka magiging happy," Kramer added.
For the couple, their mantra continues to not pay any mind to the negative things people say about your happy and healthy relationship, as long as you're happy.
"'Wag mong isipin 'yung mga sasabihin ng tao sa kung ano ikakaligaya mo. Go lang. Diva! You are the main character of your own story!" Michelle concluded.