A few months ago, I attended the annual Metro Manila Pride March as part of my job of covering national events for the publication as its Photo Section Editor. I went to the march only in mind to take a couple of impressive photos and adding good shots to my portfolio in mind. The assignment to the march was merely another day at work, another coverage. But attending alongside my co-editors and friends who went to the march as allies and members of the community itself opened my eyes to the fact that the march is not just another piece to feed to the masses; it should not be just that. Pride March is a celebration; it is a protest.
The country has made steps in providing safe spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community, but we evidently still have a long way to go. Even though the Pride March was a lively event, discrimination and intolerance were still apparent outside the march. Beyond the walls of the stadium, few of the rallyists condemned the peaceful gathering and protested that homosexuality is a sin. I found their cries hypocritical, considering the same “religious” doctrines they use to condemn the “atrocity” of homosexuality also urges everyone to love one another.
I saw many on their way home removing their make up and taking off their rainbow stripes. I even met a few familiar faces in the march who hail from homophobic families. Since they know that their families do not approve of their attendance to Pride March, they kept their attendance to the march a secret. I am privileged knowing that I can go to the march easily with the permission of my parents. It bewilders me knowing that something as simple as that means a thousand more to others. In all honesty, I felt bad that I went to the march indifferent, knowing now that I could have at least marched on behalf of many who do not have the liberty to march that day. I can now see it as something bigger than just another day at a coverage.
Another important point to ponder on is that we may be surrounded by people who actively express their advocacies regarding certain issues, but we must not turn a blind eye on the large chunk of the population who are full of hate. We can easily call them out as “uneducated”, yet we fail to question if they did have the capacity of being properly educated on such issues.
Unless we reach out to educate others, their beliefs stand no hope of being changed. If we keep on dismissing others due to their “uneducated” views without trying to reach out, we are not contributing anything to the cause. We cannot give up on the “uneducated” as it may not be entirely their fault that they do not have the opportunities and resources to be educated properly on these issues. If we reach out to educate them in building proper knowledge on such issues, then through time, they should be able to make the same “educated” stances.
If I was never surrounded by people who had strong stances for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community, then I would probably still have a shallow grasp on the issue regarding their rights. Painfully, I admit that even with the adamant tools and knowledge on national issues, I barely used it to fight for certain advocacies. I am grateful that I was moved by the influence of others. Yet, I still believe I have a lot to do and that I have the potential to take greater action to fight for my advocacies.
Many of us are apathetic, selfishly thinking that there is no use caring about certain issues that do not affect us directly. We take advantage of our freedom, not knowing that others are being robbed of theirs. Many of us can walk on the streets freely, but we tend to forget that for the LGBTQIA+ and other minorities, walking on the streets freely without being shamed and harassed still needs to be fought for.
