It is the Pride month for the LGBTQIA+ community here in Manila.
Its a big event where most LGBT people and supporters came to rally on the streets of Metro Manila waving the rainbow flag. The pride march is an annual event to give empowerment to the local LGBT community. This year's theme is 'Rise Up Together', which sets the rainbow flag to fly on June 30th. And the organizers are gathering donations to make this event successful for every LGBT individual.
Every march we make is a struggle of hope to have a better place for the LGBT community.
To stop violence to our kind and discrimination. For visibility and equal rights.
Since Philippines has a conservative culture, and though it is a normal scene of today to see LGBT individuals in public, there are still some people who explicitly mocks us.
Just recently, I myself experienced this bluntly discrimination in public.
I attended this company summer outing just this May.
We were on our way back home, the bus had a stop for the passengers to do their bathroom calls.
I lined up on this public bathroom. I am next in line to the female bathroom door.
Then there's this woman, about aged 40 or so, she came and lined up next to me.
She had her scrutinizing look at me. She looked at the bathroom door sign where it says "FEMALE".
Then she looked back again at me. Eyed me from head-to-toe. And after, she said "This is for the Females".
Since its normal for me to be mistaken as a boy, I just smiled at her and politely told her that I am female and that I lined up on the correct bathroom door.
What she said and what happened next surprised me.
She said with a fierce voice that I should have lined up with the male's bathroom since I chose to be male looking.
Then she shoved me aside and declared that she's going in next instead of me.
I was dumbfounded by what she did, but instead of buying her hostility, I just politely step aside and gave way.
I thought to myself that though we are already in the Millennial era and LGBT is already known to most, there are still people like her who indisputably discriminates people like us.
Its a disappointing experience for me honestly.
As a person, I believe that gender is not a qualification for someone to show kindness and respect to others.
I am sure that I am not the only one who experience such discrimination.
That's why this pride march is very important to every LGBT individual here in PH.
We deserve better.
We deserve safety.
We deserve respect.
We deserve kindness.
We deserve life.
We deserve LOVE.
Just as the theme goes for this year.. We all should rise up together to achieve this..
Quote for the Soul:
"This world would be a whole lot better if we just made an effort to be less horrible to one another." - Ellen Page