DUCHESS ALBIEAN REVALDE: #WeComeTogether to fight false narratives that harm the LGBTQIAP+ community and prevent us from flourishing with our well-beings.
#WeComeTogether to reclaim our own narratives, witnessed by history, to pave a better future for all of us.
False narratives, misinformation, disinformation, and negative historical revisionism are all political apparatuses that stand at the foundations of attacking our human rights. It mechanizes the oppressed to go against one another, especially those who express dissent against the oppressor, in a systematic deception; confusing us of what is truthful. These apparatuses make it easier for us to point fingers within our ranks as multisectoral advocates, activists, and general masses, when they should be directed towards the common enemy; the oppressor. This is why to fight these ills also entails our constant pursuit of the truth in our society.
To me, the greatest manifestation of these is the very fact that LGBTQIAP+ rights are still not recognized by a lot of people as basic human rights. Some legislators would even think that we are worse than animals. Some still think of rights as pie-charts wherein more rights for the LGBTQIAP+ community will be lesser rights for the straight community. However, the very thought of our well-being being placed in constant fear and discomfort due to stigma and discrimination already manifests how we are far from having our basic human rights. To fight for our rights merely entails equality because many of the "rights" people enjoy today, are still privileges to those who fit the cis-heterosexist and patriarchal mould of our society.
It is also false for various institutions to say that being LGBTQIAP+ threatens the society and they are only protecting us when they impose bilateral and cis-heterosexist policies. It is rather flourishing for people of diverse SOGIE when we are affirmed of our SOGIEs. It promotes our well-being which also causes us to be more engaged, empowered, productive, and developed individuals who forge positive change in our society. To genuinely protect us, rather implies the opposite of these exclusive bilateral and cis-heterosexist policies and to the creation of inclusive ones such as, the SOGIE Equality Bill.
Also one of the greatest stigmas placed upon the LGBTQIAP+ community is to sex. Some people hate the thought of us owning our sexual selves and cannot comprehend the difference we might have from "straight" people when in fact, our sexual practices, not defining the entirety of our SOGIEs, can also be present in cis-heterosexual relationships. Even given the prior statement of Sen. Pacquiao on animals being better than the LGBTQIA+ people because they atleast determine and choose heterosexual pairing, it is also false because over 1000 species has displayed homosexual bonding and pairing. It is natural to be LGBTQIAP+ and it will never undermine one's humanity. There is nothing wrong with owning our sexuality as long as we practice it safely and consensual.
The same stigma has caused a backwards approach to treating various sexual health issues such as HIV-AIDS. It was stigmatized as a "gay-disease" when the truth is, it can be acquired by anyone of us regardless of our SOGIE if we do unsafe practices that can transmit the virus. It was even thought of as a "death-sentence" but with the interventions done to treat it, people living with HIV can now undergo treatment and live their lives normally just as anyone else. The misinformation and stigma brought upon this has killed way more lives than the virus itself.
May we get to be constantly reminded that our pride stands at the foundation of the pursuit to our truth. Lives have been taken because they were dedicated to seek and fight for this truth and, in a persisting oppressive status quo, it still means our lives as well. May we learn from our history, how pride is both a celebration of our feats in this plight and a protest for its persistence until no one of us is left behind.
In the present times where we are threatened of a systemic negative historical revisionism, where many of our narratives may be twisted, let us hold on to the history of our plight, let us hold on to how all of our efforts are essential, let us hold on to our denomination, and know where our fingers should be redirected at. This, to me, is #WeComeTogether. 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️💖
#HSCPRIDE2022 #PRIDE2022 #PRIDE #WeComeTogether #A11Together
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