During an interview with a lesbian sociology student doing her thesis, the limitations of our financial resources for a nation-wide campaign was made quite apparent by her questions. I sensed the concern in this young lesbian activist's mind, but her sensible input on tapping the Filipino youth was a point well-taken. She reminded me of the survey conducted by PDI among the youth after the COMELEC's dubious reasoning that we are "threats to the youth". Indeed, the Filipino youth is a force to contend with for their intelligence and sense of public duty and responsibility. The simple task is reaching out to these young people whose minds were fortunately un-tarnished by prejudiced Catholic educations. So where are they? Most of them are ever-present in cyberspace and whether we like or not, technology and the internet is the way to go. Here's a practical suggestion - we take our campaign to cyberspace and take advantage of the internet's social networking sites.
Another interview with a gay PhD student from Singapore, made me remember AngLadlad's roots. By asking about our simple history, I realized our foundation in the Filipino LGBT Advocacy movement. Clearly good-intentioned, his questions made me reconsider AngLadlad's platform and imagine new ways of explaining its relevance to every Filipino, LGBT or not.
I also gave an interview to a group of MassCom students from FEU doing a project on investigative journalism. They wanted to document LGBT abuse and violence especially with transgenders. Recounting the numerous "horror stories" we've encountered through the years, I realized our work is never done, but everyday we meet potential allies and supporters in the most unexpected places. I earnestly asked these students to do justice to these life stories and to be true to the cause of investigative journalism.
Speaking with these young people, both LGBTs and straight, I renewed my faith in Philippine society. Change may yet happen in this lifetime.
This piece is for you, Sanie, Wendell, and Molly, et.al. You have unknowingly supported AngLadlad's cause without you realizing how significant your contributions were.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Questions
I am saddened by the recent blast of messages coming our way. Avowed LGBTs question us for our reasons about running for Congress, even suggesting that we don't need to go by the partylist route. I am wary of these commentaries. I am afraid they may even have succeeded in alienating votes for us.
It is unfortunate that many members of the sector we seek to represent know nothing about the struggles of the LGBT Community or of the LGBT rights advocates' efforts in the past decade or so. This "ignorance" can't be attributed to the fact that maybe they are un-affiliated or un-politicized, but maybe because they are affluent and comfortable enough where they are, that they don't experience the everyday discrimination or homophobia majority of our LGBT brothers and sisters still face. But ever wonder why Inday Garutay and BB Gandanghari can be banned from entering certain bars and clubs, why Janjan of the Cebu Canister Scandal was humiliated by medical professionals and students while seeking medical help, why many young LGBTs are sanctioned or disciplined by their schools, and even educated and skilled LGBTs can't get decent jobs because their sexual orientation is an issue with employers? And I haven't told you half the "horror stories" we've heard and experienced ourselves...
Part of the problem is the lack of appropriate laws which address the unique concerns of the LGBT Community. The Anti-Discrimination bill hasn't been passed by the Philippine Congress in almost a decade of filing and re-filing. On the other hand, there have been laws which have been passed that while they seek to protect children or women, they have unintentionally been detrimental to the LGBT Community. Old laws still prevail which impact negatively on Filipino LGBTs and these must be repealed if true gender equality is to be achieved.
The Philippine LGBT Rights Advocacy Movement has been around for almost 15 years. Our job hasn't gotten easier with B.Abante's bill punishing same-sex couples' co-habitation or Ruffy Biazon's bill further limiting marriage to "natural-born" men and women.
At AngLadlad's National Consultation last Feb27, your representatives were well-chosen. All are openly LGBTs, veteran LGBT advocates and developmental workers in their own right, from fields ranging from sociology, law, and HIV/AIDS work. And they all know what it means to be "marginalized".
Help us spread the word of what we stand for and what we seek to do for the LGBT Community. Choose AngLadlad as your partylist.
It is unfortunate that many members of the sector we seek to represent know nothing about the struggles of the LGBT Community or of the LGBT rights advocates' efforts in the past decade or so. This "ignorance" can't be attributed to the fact that maybe they are un-affiliated or un-politicized, but maybe because they are affluent and comfortable enough where they are, that they don't experience the everyday discrimination or homophobia majority of our LGBT brothers and sisters still face. But ever wonder why Inday Garutay and BB Gandanghari can be banned from entering certain bars and clubs, why Janjan of the Cebu Canister Scandal was humiliated by medical professionals and students while seeking medical help, why many young LGBTs are sanctioned or disciplined by their schools, and even educated and skilled LGBTs can't get decent jobs because their sexual orientation is an issue with employers? And I haven't told you half the "horror stories" we've heard and experienced ourselves...
Part of the problem is the lack of appropriate laws which address the unique concerns of the LGBT Community. The Anti-Discrimination bill hasn't been passed by the Philippine Congress in almost a decade of filing and re-filing. On the other hand, there have been laws which have been passed that while they seek to protect children or women, they have unintentionally been detrimental to the LGBT Community. Old laws still prevail which impact negatively on Filipino LGBTs and these must be repealed if true gender equality is to be achieved.
The Philippine LGBT Rights Advocacy Movement has been around for almost 15 years. Our job hasn't gotten easier with B.Abante's bill punishing same-sex couples' co-habitation or Ruffy Biazon's bill further limiting marriage to "natural-born" men and women.
At AngLadlad's National Consultation last Feb27, your representatives were well-chosen. All are openly LGBTs, veteran LGBT advocates and developmental workers in their own right, from fields ranging from sociology, law, and HIV/AIDS work. And they all know what it means to be "marginalized".
Help us spread the word of what we stand for and what we seek to do for the LGBT Community. Choose AngLadlad as your partylist.
Phil Laws for LGBTs
A recent exchange at Facebook questioned our motives for taking the partylist route. This smart-ass "avowed bisexual" opined that we can achieve our objectives through other means. His concerns could have been valid, but I seriously doubted his real intentions for bringing them up. With all his negativity and spurious remarks against AngLadlad, I decided it wasn't worth my breath to respond to him anymore.
A few days later I posted something of a background on the Anti-Discrimination Bill which floundered in Congress for years, and the politicians/legislators the Filipino LGBT Community put its hopes on. One can glean from the discussion the reasons why there still hasn't been an LGBT-friendly law that has been passed until now.
The participants of R-Rights' recent Gender Sensitivity and Human Rights Training hopefully understand things better now - why Filipino LGBTs still suffer discrimination and homophobia everyday, where they stand under Philippine law and what remedies are available to them, and what other recourse they have.
The answer is simple - we need new and better laws which address our own issues and protect our rights as Filipino LGBTs. If the veteran legislators tried to do this for us, wouldn't we be in a better position to speak about what we need and want for ourselves?
A few days later I posted something of a background on the Anti-Discrimination Bill which floundered in Congress for years, and the politicians/legislators the Filipino LGBT Community put its hopes on. One can glean from the discussion the reasons why there still hasn't been an LGBT-friendly law that has been passed until now.
The participants of R-Rights' recent Gender Sensitivity and Human Rights Training hopefully understand things better now - why Filipino LGBTs still suffer discrimination and homophobia everyday, where they stand under Philippine law and what remedies are available to them, and what other recourse they have.
The answer is simple - we need new and better laws which address our own issues and protect our rights as Filipino LGBTs. If the veteran legislators tried to do this for us, wouldn't we be in a better position to speak about what we need and want for ourselves?
Knwoing Who To Vote For
Young LGBTs have cajoled me into writing about LGBT-friendly legislators and politicians who have shown respect and recognition to the Community. Since I have been blessed to be one of those with the so-called "institutional memory" of the Filipino LGBT Advocacy Movement, I will oblige...so here goes.
Back when our advocacy efforts required constantly appearing on TV talk shows when there was nothing interesting going on in media, poor Danton Remoto was a featured guest on Channel 2. While he debated with the CBCP's token representative on religious grounds you would think Danton would get a more logical comment from the show's co-host and prominent lawyer. But no, when Danton insisted that gays are entitled to respect "because we are human beings too", Compañero blurted out, "Are you sure?" His two offsprings are now in the Senate and I am not sure if they share their late father's bigotry.
Miriam Defensor-Santiago has been a loose cannon ever since. Her legislative proposals included the Senate version of the anti-discrimination bill and an amendment to the Family Code provision on the validity of marriages celebrated abroad. People mostly remember that the latter measure since it would bar gay marriages held abroad from getting recognized in the Philippines. In all fairness to her, she has regularly employed members of the LGBT Community without prejudice to their sexual orientation.
The mother and son team of Loi and Jinggoy Estrada, were not much of a force to contend with at the Senate. Probably because of their affiliation, they were considered "light-weights" in the legislative arena. But along with Bong Revilla, they were the few brave souls who filed a Senate version of the Anti-Discrimination. That was the time when Kiko Pangilinan headed the Social Justice and Human Rights Committee and never once put the Anti-Discrimination Bill in the agenda for a TWG or hearing because "it was not a priority" of the Senate.
Bong, in spite of his macho image, acquiesced to his father's wishes and filed the bill because Ramon, Sr. insisted, saying, "kailangan nyan ng mga kapatid natin sa industriya." Simple words of support from a simple man.
In the House of Representatives, Akbayan representatives constantly pushed for the ADB. Etta Rosales even had a heated exchange with the notorious homophobe Cong. Abante once. It was such a pity, because back when other partylist reps from Bayan Muna and Gabriela sat in the House Human Rights Committee, the Committee's composition was superb. I remember when former UPLB classmate, Migs Zubiri presided over one of the Committee hearings, the measure was passed as is w/o much debate and was unanimously endorsed by the Committee for plenary.
These presidentiables who are now running for the highest office in the land, once graced an LGBT forum by LAGABLAB. As is their wont, they would promise you anything and everything. Representatives of Roxas and Gordon were present and assured us of support once in the Senate. These guys didn't file anything for the Community's benefit once they got the seats they wanted. They wouldn't even touch our legislative brief of the ADB with a 10-foot pole.
These are just some "historical" facts. The LGBT Community had put its faith in the hands of these legislators before. Some tried, some were clearly disappointing. Of late, we have somehow generated support from Loren Legarda and Joker Arroyo after the AngLadlad vs Comelec issue. But much is still to be seen from the rest of our legislators in terms of support for the Filipino LGBT Community.
Back when our advocacy efforts required constantly appearing on TV talk shows when there was nothing interesting going on in media, poor Danton Remoto was a featured guest on Channel 2. While he debated with the CBCP's token representative on religious grounds you would think Danton would get a more logical comment from the show's co-host and prominent lawyer. But no, when Danton insisted that gays are entitled to respect "because we are human beings too", Compañero blurted out, "Are you sure?" His two offsprings are now in the Senate and I am not sure if they share their late father's bigotry.
Miriam Defensor-Santiago has been a loose cannon ever since. Her legislative proposals included the Senate version of the anti-discrimination bill and an amendment to the Family Code provision on the validity of marriages celebrated abroad. People mostly remember that the latter measure since it would bar gay marriages held abroad from getting recognized in the Philippines. In all fairness to her, she has regularly employed members of the LGBT Community without prejudice to their sexual orientation.
The mother and son team of Loi and Jinggoy Estrada, were not much of a force to contend with at the Senate. Probably because of their affiliation, they were considered "light-weights" in the legislative arena. But along with Bong Revilla, they were the few brave souls who filed a Senate version of the Anti-Discrimination. That was the time when Kiko Pangilinan headed the Social Justice and Human Rights Committee and never once put the Anti-Discrimination Bill in the agenda for a TWG or hearing because "it was not a priority" of the Senate.
Bong, in spite of his macho image, acquiesced to his father's wishes and filed the bill because Ramon, Sr. insisted, saying, "kailangan nyan ng mga kapatid natin sa industriya." Simple words of support from a simple man.
In the House of Representatives, Akbayan representatives constantly pushed for the ADB. Etta Rosales even had a heated exchange with the notorious homophobe Cong. Abante once. It was such a pity, because back when other partylist reps from Bayan Muna and Gabriela sat in the House Human Rights Committee, the Committee's composition was superb. I remember when former UPLB classmate, Migs Zubiri presided over one of the Committee hearings, the measure was passed as is w/o much debate and was unanimously endorsed by the Committee for plenary.
These presidentiables who are now running for the highest office in the land, once graced an LGBT forum by LAGABLAB. As is their wont, they would promise you anything and everything. Representatives of Roxas and Gordon were present and assured us of support once in the Senate. These guys didn't file anything for the Community's benefit once they got the seats they wanted. They wouldn't even touch our legislative brief of the ADB with a 10-foot pole.
These are just some "historical" facts. The LGBT Community had put its faith in the hands of these legislators before. Some tried, some were clearly disappointing. Of late, we have somehow generated support from Loren Legarda and Joker Arroyo after the AngLadlad vs Comelec issue. But much is still to be seen from the rest of our legislators in terms of support for the Filipino LGBT Community.
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