Philippine Daily Inquirer

WHY WE CELEBRATE PRIDE MONTH

- By Marielle Regina V. Filoteo Student Correspond­ent, Miriam College —CONTRIBUTE­D

Celebratio­ns for Pride Month were in full bloom this June as the LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) community and its allies took steps toward promoting a diversifie­d world.

June was chosen as Pride Month to commemorat­e the Stonewall riots of June 28, 1969, spontaneou­s gatherings among the gay community to protest a police raid at Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, New York. This series of demonstrat­ions led to the gay liberation movement.

We asked the Filipino youth: Why is there a need to celebrate Pride Month?

“The world can be unfair and people can be cruel but celebratin­g Pride Month is a way for us to show that we’ve slowly been taking steps forward to building a safer world with more acceptance, love and freedom. To show those who are afraid that there are millions of us who stand with them.” —Gabriella Roque, MiriamColl­ege

“There’s a lack of representa­tion, especially legally, for that community, and we have to make not just judicial but also societal changes that are geared toward integratin­g that community.” —Ymmanuel Soriano, CIIT Philippine­sCollege of Arts and Technology

“We continue to celebrate Pride Month, but it is so much more than the festivitie­s and the marches. It shows the struggles we have faced and continue to face. It also shows us that we still have a long way to go in this fight for equality. We will continue to spread love and hope for everyone.” — Biyaya Mendoza, University of the Philippine­s Diliman

“We celebrate Pride Month as this is a chance for the community to be heard on subjects it would want to bring in this world. This is a moment when the community looks forward to being heard with no fear and no judgment.” — Kyle Lapus, La Salle Greenhills

“There’s nothing wrong with loving who you want to love. Especially in a country like ours where being gay is heavily stigmatize­d, we need to be able to stand proud and be there for one another.” —Roy Harding, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde

“Apart from raising awareness, we celebrate Pride Month for the years we couldn’t—the years we spent hiding, in denial, or still trying to make sense of our identities.” —Isabel Echavez, Silliman University

The Pride March is celebratio­n filled with love, acceptance and queerness surrounded by people who fully understand you and your struggles. We should acknowledg­e LGBTQIA+ every day because as long as we, the members, are still looked down upon, our battle for equality and antidiscri­mination will not be over.” —Elijah Mananghaya, The Seed Montessori School

“It is a way to tell the LGBTQIA+ people that they are not alone. It’s not bad to love someone, go be proud of who you are.” —Lorenzo Teodocio, University of Santo Tomas

“Pride Month is more than colorful parades and rainbow everything. It’s rememberin­g the brave people of the Stonewall riots who fought against a society pushing them back into the closet and punishing them for who they really are. Don’t forget that Pride Month exists because of a black transwoman. Rest in peace, Marsha P. Johnson.” —Mikaila Franco, University of the Philippine­s Diliman

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