Diversity and Equality Philippines (diversityandequality.ph)

a reply to a yahoogroup message

Dear all,

Yes, it’s true that the Stonewall Riots–the event that marked the birth of the gay rights movement in the US and in the world–happened on June 28, 1969 and in the following year was commemorated by marches in New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The marches however were initially called either “Gay Freedom March” or “Gay Liberation March” and not what we now know as “Pride March”. It was only in the 80′s with a shift in the gay movement and the take over of “less radical” activists that “Gay Liberation” and “Gay Freedom” were replaced with “Gay Pride”.

We also have to note that the organizers of the first marches were militant organizations like Gay Liberation Front which was for example dedicated to gay rights and also to the broader social ideals of the time, which included peace, equality and economic justice.

The First LGBT Pride March in Asia that happened on 26 June 1994 in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines was organized by Progressive Organization of Gays in the Philippines (PROGAY Philippines) and Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) Manila. Both of these organizations are militant in their own right–not only embracing equal human rights but also social, economic and spiritual justice in the Philippines.

In 1995 MCC, ProGay Philippines and other organizations held internal celebrations. In 1996, 1997 and 1998 large and significant marches were organized and produced by Reachout AIDS Foundation, all of which were held in Malate, Manila, Philippines. In 1998, the year of the centennial commemoration of the Republic of the Philippines, a Gay and Lesbian Pride March was incorporated in the mammoth “citizens’ parade” which was part of the official centennial celebration. That parade culminated in “marching by” the President of the Philippines, His Excellency Joseph Estrada, at the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta Park in Manila.

In 1999, Task Force Pride Philippines (TFP), a network of LGBT and LGBT-friendly groups and individuals seeking to promote positive visibility for the LGBT community was born. Since then TFP has been organizing the annual Metro Manila Pride March. In 2003, TFP decided to move the Pride March from June to the December Human Rights Week to coincide with related human rights activities such as World AIDS Day (December 1), Philippine National Lesbian Day (December 8), and International Human Rights Day (December 10).

In 2005, the First Manila Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Freedom March took place on December 10 along España all the way up to Plaza Miranda in Quiapo, Manila. Concerned that the prevailing economic and political crisis in the country at the time presented threats to freedoms and liberties of all Filipinos, including sexual and gender minorities, LGBT individuals and groups, non-government organizations and members of various commmunities and sectors organized the LGBT Freedom March calling for systemic and structural change. Members of the Organizing Committee included TFP, Lesbian and Gay Legislative Advocacy Network Philippines (LAGABLAB), K2B Gay, Lesbian Advocates Philippines (LeAP), Lunduyan, Order of St. Aelred (OSAe), Pro Gay, Rainbow for Change, and concerned individuals (which included yours truly).

We have a colorful history of Pride and marches lead and organized by the LGBT community here in the Philippines. However, to say that the 2009 Manila Pride March being organized by TFP for December is a celebration of the 15th Anniversary of the First LGBT Pride March in Asia, is indeed a misinformation. It would be even more of a misinformation because to me TFP is a “conservative” organization compared to say the Gay and Liberation Front that organized the First Gay Liberation March. Some members of TFP believe in advocating for broad issues of social, economic, gender, environmental justice in combination with the LGBT struggle, but as a network TFP is still predominantly mellow, “exclusivist” and myopic about equality and rights. At one TFP meeting I heard one “activist” saying, “kaya lang naman tayo marami sa Pride March ay dahil sa merong ‘straight’ na sumasali” (the reason why we are many at the Pride March is because many straights are joining). And then another TFP “member” even said, “ayaw kong makipag-martsa sa mga nanlilimahid” (I don’t want to march with someone who is in ragged clothes or is like a beggar)–this coming from someone who claims to believe and advocates for equal human rights. Still others believe in spending thousands on a dozen or so pageant contestants over the participation of grassroots and community-based LGBTs.

Many in TFP now only see the Pride March as a display of glitz and glam and no more of the grim determination embodied in the Freedom and Liberation Marches. Some are simply oblivious to the fact that here in the Philippines, a Third World country, the ones who badly need their equal human rights protected are the bakla, tomboy, bayot in the community and the majority poor Filipinos living below global standards. In this country, not only do we need to be freed from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity but more importantly we need to be freed from structural and systemic discrimination and inequality that perpetuates poverty.

We need Pride Marches that contribute to bringing about real and lasting change for all Filipinos equally.

In my individual capacity, I have been involved with TFP since 2000 and it’s been a struggle convincing my colleagues to take on a more progressive stance about equality and the Pride March. Others I’m sure feel the same way. Change is the most permanent thing in life but at this point, I doubt that changes will happen especially seeing that TFP nowadays only entertain parties, pageants, programs and selfish interests–business and political.

For diversity, equality and justice,

Bruce Portugal Amoroto
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Bruce Amoroto
President-Coordinator, Philippine Forum on Sports, Culture, Sexuality and Human Rights (TEAM PILIPINAS)
Vice President, GLISA Asia Pacific
Member, Gay and Lesbian International Sport Association (GLISA) International Board of Directors
team-pilipinas@yahoogroups.com

http://diversityandequality.ph

http://teampilipinasorg.multiply.com

+63-916-2826781
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TEAM PILIPINAS is a member of Gay and Lesbian Asia Pacific Sport Association (GLISA Asia Pacific)
http://www.glisaap.org http://www.asiapacificoutgames.org

Tags: 2009 Manila Pride March, discrimination, equality, Liberation/Freedom March, philippines, Stonewall Riots

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