Hype

Bringing Pride home

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on several renowned physical movements and events, the Metro Manila Pride (MMP) persists with its efforts to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community regardless of the setting. With the Philippines having celebrated Pride March for the past 26 years—making history in 1994 as the first Asian country to celebrate the event—the MMP continues to break records as the largest Pride demonstration in Southeast Asia.

However, with health measures and social distancing guidelines in place, the MMP released a statement last May 11 to announce that its physical March and Festival would be cancelled for public safety reasons. Nonetheless, the MMP has made it possible to celebrate Pride regardless of where one might be—by moving the event and its initiatives online this month.

From the streets to your screens

Throughout June, the MMP conducted various online community Pride initiatives that one could celebrate remotely from their home. These events were promoted on their social media accounts and varied in niche from mindfulness and movement classes to celebrations of LGBTQIA+ artists and activists. Additionally, the MMP released informative infographics regarding various local issues that concern the LGBTQIA+ community such as the concepts of cisheteropatriarchy, transmisia, and transmisogyny. These collaterals were released in the hopes of raising awareness and correcting misconceptions of identities within the LGBTQIA+ community, which would eventually serve as a stepping stone for their thrust for the year.

Under the banner of MMP’s manifesto “Sulong! ‘Wag Patinag!: Tuloy ang laban para sa pantay na karapatan (Onward! Do not be intimidated!: The fight for equal rights continues),” the MMP asserted that in the face of adversity, the image of Pride will always remain: It is a movement of the LGBTQIA+ community that Filipinos have historically fought alongside other marginalized sectors to champion human rights.

The MMP hosted the initiative via a livestream on their Facebook page on the same day that the physical Pride event would have happened. Numerous personalities from varying walks of life such as spoken word poet Juan Miguel Severo, Kapamilya actress Kathryn Bernardo, and Congresswoman Sarah Jane Elago expressed their support for Pride.Vice President Leni Robredo was another notable speaker among the celebrities and representatives who attended the online Pride March and Festival. During her speech, Robredo encouraged the LGBTQIA+ community to continue the fight for equal rights and representation, assuring audiences that all the effort would one day pay off. “Sa pagbuo natin ng isang bago at mas makatarungang mundo, wag sana kayo panghinaan ng loob (As we try to form a more just world, may you not lose courage),” she encouraged the livestream attendees.

Photo courtesy of Metro Manila Pride’s Twitter

The fight continues virtually

Amid these trying times, Pride persists to be a movement necessary for all to honor—especially as its roots of resistance against police brutality and tyranny remain relevant to this day. Pride can be traced to  June 1969, when New York City gay bar Stonewall Inn was raided by policemen, followed by the patrons fighting back. The uprising then sparked rallies and riots in the days to follow. Since then, Stonewall continues to be recognized as a catalyst of the gay rights movements around the world.

It has been 51 years since the Stonewall incident, yet police brutality and widespread discrimination against the community  continue to pervade contemporary society. Just one day shy of MMP’s main digital Pride program last June 27, 20 individuals were arrested at a Pride March in Mendiola despite observing physical distancing and public health protocols. The rally was dispersed on grounds of the Public Assembly Act. However, human rights lawyers had previously stressed on the eve of Independence Day that the public health law did not prohibit rallies.

Social media users were quick to condemn the arrest with the hashtag #FreePride20, which coincided with the MMP releasing a public statement in solidarity with the detainees, stressing the questionable grounds of arrest. While the protesters were released from illegal detention five days after their arrest, the MMP continues to insist that now is a time to resist against oppressive regimes by rising above the noise and calling for equality. In a post-online March statement, the MMP asserted, “Sa harap ng pananakot at dahas, hindi nila kayang lipulin ang ating mga kulay, ang ating mga tinig (Despite intimidation and violence, they cannot destroy our colors [or] our voices.)”

Whether the causes of Pride are fought in Stonewall or Mendiola, one thing remains true: Pride doesn’t end in June. It persists to be a year-long commitment of fighting tyranny and oppression.

If all goes well, MMP hopes to conduct a physical March and Festival next June. As we await the day that it is safe enough for the LGBTQIA+ community and allies to return to the streets they once marched on, we welcome Pride into our homes in the meantime—and find ways to resist together wherever we may be.

You might like these!
Hype

Back in focus: Digicams snap to trend anew

DIGITAL CAMERAS, affectionately called ‘digicams,’ are making a strong comeback. In an era dominated by smartphones and DSLRs, these relics of the past are drawing the attention of a new generation, rediscovering a vintage take on capturing memories. Their grainy, simple, and often imperfect image quality offers a unique charm, contrasting the polished precision of […]

By Ashley Lumauig and Hans Dominic Periodico

October 2, 2024

By Ashley Lumauig and Hans Dominic Periodico • October 2, 2024

Hype

CONquest 2023: Bridging fans and creators alike

GAMING AND pop culture convention CONQuest Festival 2023 is finally coming to Manila from June 2 to 4 at the SMX Convention Center, Conrad Manila, Mall of Asia (MoA), and National University MoA.  CONQuest goes beyond the typical creator convention as it bridges the gap between fans while highlighting the local esports scene. Through the […]

By Mika Layda

June 1, 2023

By Mika Layda • June 1, 2023

Hype

Remembering home in the words of a stranger across the internet

“TO BE loved is to be changed.” The statement became the internet’s obsession for a little while, even if all it took were a few words and two images of a stuffed toy. Through its simple construction, the statement was able to highlight a person’s capacity to love in a way that surprised everyone who […]

By Tan Dela Cruz

May 18, 2023

By Tan Dela Cruz • May 18, 2023

Exposé

The true-blue truth behind Ateneans’ BeReals

SOCIAL MEDIA has seen many changes throughout the years, from the radical changes in the way it functions to the expansive shifts in the demographics using it—pointing to how its relationship with its users continues evolving. Whereas posts on social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok are heavily curated, one new platform has risen to […]

By Jana Torres, Raffy Serafica, Mikay Tormon and Jia Parma

January 14, 2023

By Jana Torres, Raffy Serafica, Mikay Tormon and Jia Parma • January 14, 2023