First Pride March
Last Saturday, June 27, 2015, Alla and I decided to still drop by the 21st Metro Manila Pride March. Yes, you read that right - drop by. We have been wanting to go there and march, planning for it since May but a week before the Pride March, we got the flu. We didn't want to march and inflict thousands of people with the flu especially the elderly and HIV positive people. We stayed for a mere 30 minutes, right before the march started and what we saw was amazing!
So many people were there. The happy, excited, proud energy of everyone was overflowing. It was so nice to see different brands proudly supporting the LGBTQI and to see what each organization is focused on. We're still on high just seeing everyone, what more if we actually stayed and marched.
With proud faces all around, you can also feel the struggles that everyone faced or are still facing and you know that there is an understanding that while we celebrate who we are, what we stand for and what we've achieved, there is that undertone of remembering what we've been through, what we are still going through and what we still need to do.
The Philippines still has a long way to go but we're not hopeless. One of the biggest takeways I have here is - this was I think one of the biggest turn-outs for Metro Manila Pride which is amazing! Because we are here. We exist and we must show everyone that we do. Another one was finding out that Batangas and Cagayan held their own first pride marches. I applaud that. I hope all cities, towns and provinces will soon do their own.
I strongly recommend participating in our Pride March. Feel the pride, the struggles and the hope. Be aware. Be more concerned. Do not wait for things to happen. Speak up, stand up, do something.
