A Writer from Manila

You do not understand. 

You do not understand because you refuse to understand anything that falls outside your realm of experience.

(And perhaps that will be the frailty of your empathy: that you, as a person who has lived with so much privilege, must always use yourself as the measuring stick of what it means to be human.)

You scoff and say: who are these people, and why are they out in the streets? Don’t we let them live? What else are they asking for? 

You laugh. You sneer. You mock. 

You look at us with disgust, as if we do not share your humanity.

You want us to remain quiet.

In hushed voices you speak of your brother or sister, “Ewan ko nga kung sa’n nanggaling yan, wala namang bakla (o tomboy) sa pamilya namin.” 

You speak of your children: “Kapag nakatikim ‘yan ng lalaki (o babae), titino din iyan.“

You call us names. 

Salot. Kadiri. Abnormal. Makasalanan.

You tell us what sad lives (and afterlives) we will have. 

And sometimes, when names aren’t enough, you throw us off buildings instead. 

Or gun us in our own homes. 

Or choke us until we’re dead. 

​

You do not understand because you’ve closed your eyes and shuttered your hearts. 

You refuse to stand beside us.

Yet here we are, knocking.

We’re calling your name.  ​

We’re here. 

Will you open the door? 

Will you let love in? 

The Filipino lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community reiterated their call for openness and acceptance as they took to the streets for the 22nd celebration of Manila Pride March.  With the theme “Let Love In,” the pride march is the culmination of the groups’ love campaign, which began in 2014 with the theme “Come Out For Love kasi Pag-ibig Pa Rin.” – Rappler 

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