Last September 8, 2015, the advocates of gender equality and the UPLB students together with the UPLB Babaylan shouted their call to be heard by society: to be understood, to be accepted, to be absorbed by equality.
As
a freshman student taking up SOCSC3 (Gender and Sexuality), we were required by
our professor to join the Pride March. At first, I thought that only the LGBT
can be part of the march but then I was surprised that I myself can not only witness it, but also take part of
it. According to the upperclassmen, Pride March is the most colorful annual
event organized by the UP Babaylan. It is being held in the different UP
Campuses such as UP Diliman and UP Los Banos. Its main goal is to speak out for
the LGBT community’s rights as individuals and to be considered in the society
for them to take part on their societal roles given their preferred
genders.
It was my very first time to join an
event like this. We marched along the streets of UPLB holding such colorful
balloons, placards, umbrellas, and cloths. Some people dressed up as fairies
and mermaids. Ate Papat, one of the activists, even braved herself by just
wearing a skirt and putting body paint all over her upper body. I witnessed how
passionate they were to express and celebrate their identity.
I am not part of the LGBT community but it was
a nice experience to support their cause. To understand, consider, support, and
welcome them are just simple acts but I believe that it meant a big thing for
their community. I was with a lot of people during the assembly. My blockmates,
roommates, and other friends were also there to join the march. Since my
closest friends and I brought our cameras with us, we decided to document the
event and blog it afterwards. In this way, we believe that we can also promote
their advocacy through posting it in our blogs.
I believe that the Pride March is just one of the events promoted by the LGBT Community to be heard by the society. Events like this help the LGBT assert their rights by making them able to speak out in behalf their community. Their call for equality through these makes them stronger and dauntless in facing the challenges that they are encountering and about to encounter. Being supported by people who are not part of their community makes them feel more welcomed and understood, not discriminated because of the things that they engage with that is not considered normal by most of the people.
I believe that the Pride March is just one of the events promoted by the LGBT Community to be heard by the society. Events like this help the LGBT assert their rights by making them able to speak out in behalf their community. Their call for equality through these makes them stronger and dauntless in facing the challenges that they are encountering and about to encounter. Being supported by people who are not part of their community makes them feel more welcomed and understood, not discriminated because of the things that they engage with that is not considered normal by most of the people.
Issues regarding the lesbians, gays,
bisexuals, transgenders and other genders that are yet to be discovered are
being rampant nowadays; most especially here in the Philippines that the state
is greatly influenced by the Church. Pride march is just one of the ways that
the LGBT community does to step out of their comfort zone and face these issues.
Supporting their advocacies that are morally right is a good way to know them
more and have a good judgement of the current happenings.
Good read! Keep it up Rica :) Miss you! - Jasper <3
ReplyDeleteThank you Jasper!! Miss you too :)
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