Burning bright for equality
The LGBTQIA+ community is more than just a side character to complete the narrative. They are humans who deserve rights that heterosexuals don’t even have to fight for
The Tiger Committee emphasized that “though the Philippines was hailed as one of the gay-friendly countries in the world, the country holds no national policy to protect the community from hate crimes and acts of discrimination and harassment that continue up to this date.”
This fact alone shows that the struggles of the Filipino LGBTQ+ community is far from over, and thus the LGBTQ+ Pride Month still remains a protest, which was affirmed in the LGBTQ+ youth organization’s celebration of it, which was held online because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Known for its colorful and lively celebrations, Pride serves as a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community to be with each other and be who they truly are without any judgment, discrimination and prejudice,” the Tiger Committee explained. “Heavily rooted to the Stonewall riots where resistance against police oppression and fight for equal rights have been present, it has an important purpose up until this time: a call to move forward. It is a call to the national government to lobby and pass laws that recognize and fight for the rights of the community.”
“The LGBTQIA+ community is more than just a side character to complete the narrative. They are humans who deserve rights that heterosexuals don’t even have to fight for,” the group, which aims to create a safe space for all, particularly, the LGBTQ+ community, added.
The Tiger Committee also encouraged the sector to “educate yourself, influence others to learn more about the fight for equal rights and call the national government to pass the anti-discrimination bill. After all, as Micah Bezant said, ‘No pride from some of us without liberation for all of us.’”
To set a celebratory mood for and add color to the occassion, the organization released their Pride Playlist on 9 June on Spotify. The specially curated list included songs from LGBTQ+ icons such as Lady Gaga, RuPaul and Troye Sivan.
The Tiger Committee also uploaded informative posters on their social media accounts to enlighten the public on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) and LGBTQ+ issues.
On 11 June, they posted about outing people and that it is not right to out someone regardless of your relationship with him/her. Outing is a “forced exposure of a person’s orientation.”
“Often, people who are outed feel blindsided ad forced to reveal a deeply personal part of their identity without their consent and under someone else’s terms,” they said.
“We must all be sensitive and understanding that it is and will never be our place to come out for people, no matter how much we think we have their best interests in mind. Outing is a long and difficult road, and the best support that we can give is to be with them as they step forward,” they added.
The 15 June posters were about laws and ordinances that protect the LGBTQ+ community including the SOGIE Equality Bill, which still is not passed by the government.
They also listed ordinances passed by local governments such as the barangay antidiscrimination ordinances of Bagbag and Greater Lagro, both in Quezon City; the municipal and city ordinances of San Julian, Eastern Samar; Angeles City, Pampanga; Antipolo City, Rizal; Bacolod City, Negros Occidental; Baguio City; Butuan City, Agusan del Norte; Batangas City, Batangas; Candon City, Ilocos Sur; Cebu City, Cebu; Dagupan City, Pangasinan; Davao City; General Santos City; Mandaue City, Cebu; Quezon City; Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; San Juan City; Vigan City, Ilocos Sur; and the provincial ordinances of Agusan del Norte, Batangas, Dinagat Islands and Iloilo.
Using the right pronouns was tackled on 20 June. “We cannot always determine the gender of the person just by looking at them and because of the limited pronouns, misgendering can happen,” their post informed. “Making a mistake is absolutely fine. The best thing to do is to apologize to them in private. We have to be inclusive in using pronouns too because it is their expression of who they are.”
The 25 June poster was about LGBTQ+ Pride Month, emphasizing that “the fight for equal rights does not end on 30 June.”
To delve deeper into LGBTQ+ issues and concerns, the Tiger Committee also conducted two webinars. The first one, on 17 June, from 5 to 7 p.m., was “Kulay ng Kasarian: Webinar on Gender and its History,” which aimed “to create a conversation regarding the gender spectrum and emphasize the importance of gender sensitivity.”
This webinar featured speakers Kana Takahashi, founder of UST Hiraya and
Maya; the Feminist Collective, and secretary general of Philippine AntiDiscrimination Alliance of Youth Leaders (PANTAY) Philippines, and
Niq Maravillas, program associate for communications and advocacy at the Forum for Family Planning and Development.
Takahashi discussed genders and sex characteristic, which is a classification based on biology, anatomy and genetics, and their issues; if the Philippines is gender-equal and gay-friendly, discrimination; and types of discrimination such as heterosexism, monosexism and cissexisim.
Maravillas touched on history of the LGBTQ+ sector in the Philippines from the pre-colonial time to the Spanish colonial and American colonial periods, as well as milestones such as the establishment of Home for the Golden Gays; the First National Lesbian Rights Conference, held 7 to 9 December 1996, Silang, Cavite; the first LGBTQ+ Pride March in the country; the formulation of the PAP (Psychology Association of the Philippines) LGBT Nondiscrimination Policy Resolution in October 2011; and the Anti-Discrimination Bill.
On 24 June, “Kaakibat: Webinar on Gender-Based Discrimination and Harassment and Laws for Gender Equality” was held, featuring PANTAY co-convenor Jael Gonzales and Award-winning filmmaker and educator Cha Roque, who affirmed that the struggle “is far from over” and encouraged to further the fight for equality and against gender-based discrimination and violence.
Gonzales talked about the SOGIE Equality Bills, pointing out that “our laws don’t recognize SOGIE and if they don’t recognize SOGIE, they cannot penalize SOGIE-based violence and discrimination,” while Roque advocated to put an end to the stigma attached to the LGBTQ+ community by creating films that “inform, challenge and mobilize” people towards the creation of safe spaces.
Roque said that gender-based discrimination starts from little things such as insensitive and homophobic comments and statements, which are really dangerous especially when uttered by people in power or with influence. This “normalizes gender-based discrimination and “incites a culture of hate — a culture of violence.” She encouraged people to educate themselves and their friends.
The Tiger Committee additionally had “Sulong: Pride Month Kinaadman 2020,” a Twitter discussion on 21 June, at 8 p.m., tackling the importance of the LGBTQ+ Prude Month, equality, inclusivity and other issues, and balancing education with entertainment. They also hosted watch parties for two LGBTQ+ films: Die Beautiful on 13 June and A Secret Love on 25 June.
The Tiger Committee also joined other groups and the community in denouncing the harsh treatment of Pride protesters on 26 June. Led by LGBTQ+ organization Bahaghari, a group of activists marched from Morayta Street to Mendiola Street. The police violently dispensed the peaceful protest and arrested 20 people, who were detained at the Manila Police District and released on 30 June.
“Ang Pride ay isang protesta. Sa kabila ng ating pagdidiwang ay nananatili pa rin itong isang pagkilos at sigaw para sa pagkakapantay-pantay at mga nararapat na karapatan na dapat matamasa ng komunidad ng LGBTQIA+ (Pride is a protest. While we celebrate, it still remains a movement and cry for equality and rights that be enjoyed by the LGBTQIA+ community),” they said. “Ang pagdulot ng pasalita at pisikal na karahasan at paghuli nang walang wasto o balidong rason sa mga mapayapang nagpoprotesta ay paglalapastangan sa karapatangpantao at malinaw na halimbawa ng pang-aabuso ng kapangyarihan (The verbal and physical abuse and arrest without valid reason against a peaceful protest is a violation of human rights and a clear example of abuse of power).”
The celebration concluded, though, with a hopeful note and a renewed strength to keep up the faith and fight.