From the Stonewall riots in 1969 to the first pride march in the Philippines in 1994, the LGBTQIA+ have come a long way in fighting for their rights and reclaiming their pride. The popularization of movies and series (BL & GL) that showcase LGBTQIA+ love and struggles are proof that the LGBTQIA+ is slowly getting accepted in society. LGBTQIA+ in politics, LGBTQIA+ celebrities, and the showcase of LGBTQIA+ stories in social media is a manifestation of the decades-long struggle of the LGBTQIA+.
Although we still have a long way to go to be truly accepted in society, the efforts of our queer ancestors play a huge role in our current liberation. To honor and learn about their legacy, IMGLAD conducted an Online Rainbow Session entitled History of LGBTQIA+ Movement: Gains and Lessons to provide a space to learn and discuss the queerstory (Queer History) of the LGBTQIA+.
This online rainbow session was conducted via Zoom and Facebook Live with Mr. Jhay De Jesus, spokesperson of True Colors Coalition (TCC), and the iDEFEND National Coordinator discussing the History of the LGBTQIA+ Movement: Gains and Lessons and Mr. Jhon Loyd, IMGLAD Project Officer presenting the initial results of Intersectional LGBTQIA+ issues. The session was attended by members of IMGLAD Iligan, Rogongon, Kolambugan, SND along with LGBT friends and allies from Palawan State University.
Prior to the discussion of the first topic Prof. Jazelle Dyana Lizz Zerrudo, Head of the College of Arts and Humanities extension office at Palawan State University gave a message of solidarity, stating her full support to the LGBTQIA+ and their initiatives.
To start his discussion, Mr. Jhay presented a video during the book launch of Sa Amapola sa 65 na Kabanata, a book written by Ricky Lee. During the book launch, Jon Santos was invited as a guest impersonating Oprah Winfrey. The video was about the “Alamat ng Bakla” or “The Legend of the Gay”, it showcased the gender fluidity of the LGBTQIA+, and how despite the struggles and discrimination, we get to choose who we are. This served as a great starting point to talk about the History of the LGBTQIA+ Movement: Gains and Lessons.
The topic brought light into the history of the LGBTQIA+in the international and national context. Dating back to Eleanor Marx speaking on the rights of women and the LGBT, to the LGBTQIA+ witch hunts during World War 1, to the stonewall riots, all the way to the first Pride March in the Philippines and the establishment of LGBT organizations in the country, the LGBTQIA+ has faced numerous struggles of hate crimes, abuse, discrimination, stigmatization, and marginalization across history. These issues, instead of tearing us down, have only made us stronger and motivated us to work harder for our liberation.
Now, despite lacking national Anti-Discrimination legislation, cities across the Philippines have taken initiative in establishing these ordinances within their local. Now, despite cases of hate crimes and homophobic and transphobic violence, numerous human rights and LGBTQIA+ organizations are forwarding the LGBTQIA+ initiative in their locale and across the Philippines. And although many would argue that the LGBTQIA+ is tolerated and not accepted, many members of the community are hopeful that this tolerance is a step toward acceptance.
The journey towards creating an LGBTQIA+ safe and inclusive society is far and challenging but this path has already been charted, what we need to do now is to continue and hopefully see it to the end.
The issues that the LGBTQIA+ face are not only many but also intersecting with other issues. During Mr. Jhon’s presentation, he shared the Intersecting LGBTQIA+ issues identified during IMGLAD’s implementation. These issues were categorized into the macro and micro scales.
On the macro-scale, regarding legislation, the lack of a national Anti-Discrimination bill was identified by the majority to be a major problem. Discrimination across multiple sectors of society plays a huge role in the LGBTQIA’s lack of access to opportunities and rights which is why national legislation that defends the rights of the LGBTQIA+ is needed. In public spaces, LGBTQIA+ members feel unsafe as they are often catcalled and targets of hate speech. Another issue identified is economic opportunism and how large corporations use pride month or the LGBTQIA+ to sell products without actually supporting the community’s initiatives. Lastly, in the health sector, LGBTQIA+ members have limited access to medication. At the height of the pandemic, persons living with HIV got delayed in receiving their medication, and upon receiving it, the medication expired.
On the micro-scale, there was a common theme across the information collated during the focus-group discussion and this was that members of the LGBTQIA+ face discrimination and bullying in immediate social institutions such as schools and workplaces. Restricting the gender expression of LGBTQIA+ members through enforcing binary dress codes is an example of the discrimination faced in immediate schools. The lack of opportunities for jobs and promotions is another example of issues in the immediate workplace. And even within the immediate family of LGBTQIA+ members, they face rejection and abuse at the hands of their own relatives. Members also experienced identity crises and internal homophobia as they felt torn between conforming to society’s norms and roles or staying true to their hearts and colors.
These intersectional issues show that there are multiple layers of oppression that affect the LGBTQIA+, as such, our solutions should be holistic in tackling these problems.
As part of discussing these intersectional issues, members proposed solutions addressing these challenges. Members highlighted that symposiums and seminars regarding LGBTQIA+ topics are important in raising local awareness. Capacity building trainings and workshops are another activity that serves towards strengthening members to forward the advocacy. Lastly, it was also mentioned that collaboration with LGU units can offer opportunities to integrate advocacy within the community. All of these suggestions serve towards opening up spaces for political discourse and making sure that members are ready to participate in these, additionally, raising awareness within the local can allow community members to empathize with the LGBTQIA’s struggles and hopefully encourage them to respect and advocate for the rights of those with diverse SOGIESC.
The members also suggested that IMGLAD should prioritize the following in the next five years: Continuation of IMGLAD's engagement with communities; Capacitating the existing LGBTQIA+ organizations; And increasing partnerships with local and national organizations. These point toward continuing and improving IMGLAD’s current initiative.
One of the discussion points of the FGD which was presented was “what should IMGLAD prioritize in the next five years?”. In the next five years, members saw that it was important to continue improving and implementing IMGLAD’s current initiative. Specifically, continuing to engage with local grassroots communities, capacitating existing LGBTQIA+ organizations, and increasing partnerships with local and national organizations.
Lastly, in tackling intersectionality, what IMGLAD does beyond the project was also discussed. As mentioned, in regards to improving IMGLAD’s initiative, to go beyond, members recommended initiatives to map and support local3 LGBTQIA+ organizations along with strengthening efforts to capacitate and raise awareness on the LGBTQIA+ advocacy to these organizations most especially, to IMGLAD chapters. This provides more opportunities for IMGLAD and local LGBTQIA+ organizations to grow and continue the advocacy together.
After the topics, it was stressed in the open forum that there is a strong need to educate others on our issues, rights, and struggles to solve the stigma and discrimination. Educating others allows opportunities for members of the community to understand that we are all one and the same.
“What we can do bilang miyembro ng community na ito is to exist loudly within our means. Tayo po ay titindig, tayo ay mabubuhay according to our own term sa kakayahan natin” Tin, a member of IMGLAD said during the discussion. The path chartered for us by our ancestors is the reason why we in the present enjoy certain rights and privileges. However, the path that they have started is not yet finished, Despite all the efforts and initiatives that led us to today, we can see that there is still a need to continue this path. However, through our collective persistence to educate and convince the masses of our plight we are sure to get there one hard step after another. Let us exist loudly and show society that we are valid and deserving to be part of the narrative now, yesterday, and tomorrow.
In the spirit of IMGLAD creating safe spaces, these photos are posted with the consent of the participants.
IMGLAD is currently implementing a project entitled "IMGLAD to Consolidate Pride in Mindanao." This project is hosted by Mindanao Peoples' Peace Movement (MPPM) and supported by Voice. This activity is under the project’s three-pronged strategy, Unfurling the Pride along with IMGLAD’s pride month initiative.
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