LADLAD CRIES FOUL ON BANNING OF GAY PERFORMERS IN PUERTO GALERA

THE partylist for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Filipinos, Ladlad cried foul on the alleged banning of gay performers in Puerto Galera. The party has called for a dialogue with the local officials in the island if the news report were true.

“I will personally visit Puerto Galera and have a dialogue with the local officials about this matter,” said Ms. Bemz Benedito, first Congressional nominee of the group.

Last Sunday, Ladlad members reacted to news reports saying that bar owners were complaining to the local government officials of Puerto Galera for disallowing gay talents to perform in a show due to lewdness. The owners reportedly were alarmed because their coffers will surely get affected because their patrons are always looking for the gay performers.

“This is a clear violation of their right to work,” Benedito said. “Ladlad will oppose the approval of this measure,” she added.

On the same report, the chairman of one of the towns of Puerto Galera already refuted the claims of the bar owners, saying that they were only reprimanding the gay performers to tone down the language they are using on stage.

Ladlad further said, the remedy is an ordinance to prohibit children and an age cap on who to allow in entering such comedy bars. Prejudice must not set in this case especially to gay performers.

“In a comedy bar, children should not be allowed because of the sensitivity of the language being used in this kind of entertainment. Besides you cannot control the performers on what to say and do on stage,” Benedito stressed. “In television, you have an agency that reviews and classifies programs that suits the right age of its viewers,” Benedito added.

Read More

PAPA don't PREACH! Gay marriage is not a threat to humanity's future.

Once again, the infallible pope gave a statement against Homosexuality. The real threat to humanity is the removal of basic human rights and that is the right to love.  I'm a believer of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs in which a person will not get into self actualization or the completeness of being if he cannot get all his needs.  Please see the diagram below:

Let's say for example, a member of the LGBT community is deprived of his needs, he would not have self-esteem and be self-actualized. He would not function as an individual, or worst, as a citizen of his country. This will lead to discomfort and anxiety which will eventually be an emotional burden to that person. The church pays attention to its moral standards and do not look at the wholeness of an individual:  Psychologically, Physically, and Spiritually. 


Having said that homosexual acts are sinful, it lays a foundation of fear that what an LGBT person's actions are against the will of God and will punish him, (on the other hand, the Pope said that pedophilia is normal, when in our current society, even Psychologist would say that pedophilia is not a normal behavior). This causes confusion when it comes to what it right and what is wrong because the church is being bias to its teachings (the CBCP even accepted luxury vehicles even if they were teaching that corruption is wrong). 


According to the Pope, the family unit is fundamental for the educational process and for the development both of individuals and states; hence there is a need for policies which promote the family and aid social cohesion and dialogue. Now, who defines what a family is? The church? That a family should have a father and a mother, and children?  A family should be a principal institution bonded by love  nourishing each other with acceptance and affection. A family headed by homosexual couples can indeed be as good, or even better, as a heterosexual family if and only if there is no social and cultural stereotyping and stigma caused by the moral standards set by the catholic church and the patriarchal society.


Homosexual behavior is normal. No argument should be laid on the table because it is no longer associated to any psychological disorder or any illness, unlike prior belief since prehistoric time and the reign of patriarchy.  When it all comes down to it, the problem lies with the acceptance of the catholic church to what is considered normal in this age of advancement in human rights regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. The church should lay their hands OFF any state policies because it kept on being a hindrance to our development as a nation, now that is a bigger threat to humanity. 






Source: 
http://ph.news.yahoo.com/gay-marriage-threat-humanitys-future-pope-200603840.html

Gay marriage a threat to humanity's future - PopeVATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict said on Monday that gay marriage was one of several threats to the traditional family that undermined "the future of humanity itself".
The pope made some of his strongest comments against gay marriage in a new year address to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Vatican in which he touched on some economic and social issues facing the world today.
He told diplomats from nearly 180 countries that the education of children needed proper "settings" and that "pride of place goes to the family, based on the marriage of a man and a woman."
"This is not a simple social convention, but rather the fundamental cell of every society. Consequently, policies which undermine the family threaten human dignity and the future of humanity itself," he said.
The Vatican and Catholic officials around the world have protested against moves to legalise gay marriage in Europe and other developed parts of the world.
One leading opponent of gay marriage in the United States is New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, whom the pope will elevate to cardinal next month.
Dolan fought against gay marriage before it became legal in New York state last June, and in September he sent a letter to President Barack Obama criticising his administration's decision not to support a federal ban on gay marriage.
In that letter Dolan, who holds the powerful post of president of the U.S. Bishops Conference, said such a policy could "precipitate a national conflict between church and state of enormous proportions."
The Roman Catholic Church, which has some 1.3 billion members worldwide, teaches that while homosexual tendencies are not sinful, homosexual acts are, and that children should grow up in a traditional family with a mother and a father.
"The family unit is fundamental for the educational process and for the development both of individuals and states; hence there is a need for policies which promote the family and aid social cohesion and dialogue," Benedict told the diplomats.
Gay marriage is legal in a number of European countries, including Spain and the Netherlands.
Some Churches that have allowed gay marriage, women priests, gay clergy and gay bishops have been losing members to Catholicism, and the Vatican has taken steps to facilitate their conversion.
In 2009, Benedict decreed that Anglicans who leave their Church, many because they feel it has become too liberal, can find a home in Catholicism in a parallel hierarchy that allows them to keep some of their traditions.
The Vatican has since set up "ordinariates," structures similar to dioceses, in Britain and the United States to oversee ex-Anglicans who have converted and be a point of contact for those wishing to do so.
(Reporting By Philip Pullella; editing by Tim Pearce)

Read More

News: Bading, lapnos ang balat nang buhusan ng kumukulong tubig ng ama

A pitiful scenario when a father assaulted his gay son by splashing a boiling water who suffered from a first degree burn because he can't accept his son's sexual orientation and gender identity.

Read More

Goodbye Bading!

I read this tweet from Jonas Bagas: "Happy New Year! Ang magpaputok ng Goodbye Bading, suuupooot!!! Joke lang. Lol."

"Goodbye Bading"?!

What is that? A firework? I really thought that is was just a joke but it's not. "Goodbye Bading" is real.  Filipinos are creative and are well known for their sense of humor but come to think of it. This is not FUNNY.

This is a form of DISCRIMINATION against gay people. "Goodbye Bading" is not a good name to be given for a firework. Why not "Goodbye Malas"? Unless these people thinks that the word BADING (Gay) is synonymous to MALAS (Jinx) or better yet a believer of the idea that gays are "salot sa lipunan" (pest in the society). People are sometimes insensitive. 

This firework costs Php. 1,500.00. Why not place your 1500 in your wallet to attract more good luck for this year instead of buying this stupidly named firework.

Below is a news I found about how LGBT people like me reacted about "Goodbye Bading":

Source: http://www.bomboradyo.com/news/latest-news/90839-goodbye-bading-na-paputok-inalmahan-ng-mga-nasa-third-sex

'Goodbye Bading' na paputok, inalmahan ng mga nasa third sex 
Thursday, 29 December 2011 07:28Umalma ngayon ang grupong tagapagtaguyod ng karapatan ng mga lesbian, gay, bisexual at transgender (LGBT) o kilala bilang grupong Ladlad matapos gamitin sa pangalan ng isang paputok ang “Goodbye Bading.”


Ayon sa pahayag ng grupo, masyadong offensive sa mga katulad nilang nasa third sex ang naturang tawag sa isang mapaminsalang paputok.


Humingi na rin sila ng tulong sa PNP para hulihin ang mga nagtitinda at gumagawa nito, matapos malamang isa sa mga illegal firecrackers ang nasabing produkto.
Sinasabing P1,500 ang presyo ng Goodbye Bading kaya kakaunti lamang ang nagtitinda nito sa mga karaniwang firecracker stand.

And just a correction, can everyone please do not refer to the LGBT people as 3rd sex because there is no such thing. We only have a diverse gender identity. That's too much negativity to start the year.

For my fellow LGBT individual who felt discrimination in their lives, here is a song for us. Happy New Year!

Read More

Mae & Rio: Two Stories of Discrimination

From Ang LadLad YahooGroups

Posted by Ate Pau ( Tue Jul 29, 2008 1:40 pm):

To most of us, this weekend would have been spent having fun, taking a rest and relaxing. Not to Mae and Rio, two women of transgender experience, who had to spend this weekend worrying about the coming week. Mae, who is just a week in training for a call center job, is afraid she might lose her recently acquired employment while Rio, who is on her third year in Nursing school, is agonizing about not being able to graduate despite doing well in school and just having a year to go. Both women are nervous about what the new week will bring. Both women are being punished for their transgender status.

MAE

When Mae attended her pre-employment orientation, she was informed that she could dress female as long as she followed the company’s dress code. So that’s exactly what she did. From Monday to Thursday last week, she dressed in business casual. On Friday, she wore a blouse over black pants and sneakers. Needing to use the bathroom upon arrival at work Friday afternoon, she rushed to the women’s bathroom as was her wont.

Five minutes later while powdering her face in front of the bathroom mirror, Mae heard the voice of a security guard ordering her to get out. The guard stood by the bathroom door barking reasons at Mae why she did not belong to the women’s bathroom. Shocked, Mae tried to explain to the guard that she was female. The guard was belligerent, however, and threatened her if she did not step out.

Humiliated and scandalized by the growing number of onlookers, Mae thought she had no choice. She left the bathroom in tears. Later, Mae’s trainer told her that the company had an unspoken rule that bakla employees were not allowed to use the women’s bathroom. Mae said that she understood that if by bakla the trainer meant men who identified as male and presented as such and were attracted to other males. Mae tried to explain that she did not identify as one and that her gender identity was female as evinced by how she presented in public. Moreover, Mae pointed out the company’s core values which included belief in diversity. Mae thought this explained the company’s allowance for employees to wear the clothing of the gender they identify as. If the company lets her dress as female because that’s how she sees herself and is seen by others, then why can’t she use the corresponding bathroom?

The trainer could not give Mae clear answers but promised Mae that she would do something about it. Mae decided to raise her concerns with the Human Resources (HR) department. Today, July 29, 2008, Tuesday, Mae is set to meet with HR. Mae is apprehensive about this impending meeting. This weekend it’s all that she could think about.

RIO

For five semesters, Rio attended Nursing school wearing the women’s uniform. All her classmates and teachers referred to her as Miss Rio and she looked forward to finishing her studies and becoming a nurse. Rio has spent the last five semesters happy in the university which her boyfriend also attends.

Sometime in July, after one of the security guards saw that Rio’s name on her ID was male, Rio was asked to go into the Office of Student Affairs (OSA). There the OSA Head discussed the next steps to take regarding Rio’s “true” identity. The OSA Head decided that from then on Rio should be addressed as male and required to wear the men’s uniform.

Rio protested and made it clear to the school official that she did not identify as male, which is why she did not once come to school as one. The OSA head argued that until Rio’s gender in her official documents remains unchanged, the school is officially treating her as a man.

Rio decided that her best recourse was to meet immediately with the President of the university to discuss her case. The President’s secretary scheduled a meeting for July 28, 2008, Monday. In the mean time, last Thursday, Rio showed up in school dressed as she had always been the last three years. The security guard, who let her in, in the past, now refused her entry. According to him, the OSA head left instructions to make sure that Rio came in wearing the prescribed uniform for male students. Feeling shamed and helpless, Rio just went back home. Already, she has missed two days of classes. This weekend, nothing else but her imminent meeting with the university President has been on her mind. Rio spent the last two days, restless, anxious and afraid. Like Mae, she fears for her future.

Education and employment remain the two crucial areas where Filipino transgender people struggle for full participation. Despite comprising a big chunk of the total population and being acknowledged as part of a culture that dates back to pre-colonial times, transgender citizens of this country continue to face hurdles in trying to finish school and being gainfully employed. It’s time to put a stop to this oppression. It’s time to open the doors to full transgender inclusion.

(Click on the Icon to Join)

Read More