17/04/2026
𝐴𝑃𝑅𝐼𝐿 𝑆𝑃𝐸𝐶𝐼𝐴𝐿
𝐒𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐧𝐚 𝐀𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐫: 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧
𝐵𝑦: 𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑎 𝐸𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝐺. 𝐵𝑒𝑟𝑑𝑖𝑑𝑎
𝗦𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗻𝗮 𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝗴𝘀𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗴𝗮 𝗸𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼—𝗺𝗴𝗮 𝗸𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝗸𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮 𝘀𝗮 𝗸𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗹𝗮.
The vibrant celebration of identities and pride pulled off the stage as 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗚𝗮𝘆 𝗸𝗮 𝗱𝗮𝗶: 𝗔𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀, 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗮𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗻 partake last April 12, 2026 via Zoom digital suite through 𝗚𝗮𝘆 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆: 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, which sees the cultural lens of q***r-discovery through films and local and international research. Another set of learnings and insights was further deepen during 𝗦𝗮 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗯 𝗮𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗮𝘀 𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗿: 𝗛𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶 𝗻𝗮 𝗕𝘂𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗮𝗸𝗹𝗮 held last April 14, 2026 at Br. Ritchie Fernando, SJ, Hall (RFH) at Ateneo de Zamboanga University which further deepens the realities of gay men through an extensive panel interview, highlighting stories from different speakers. The event was spearheaded by fourth year BS Psychology students as a requirement for their LGBT Psychology class, and was brought together by participants from different partner organizations such as El Fuente PH and Ateneo Peers’ Circle, along with 4th year students from the Psychology Department.
Attendees experienced a vibrant atmosphere from the fun activities set in the venue. Partnerships from Art Co, Ateneo Music Club, Bead Basket, Sweets by Niza, and Leo Magpantay captured different moments from sweet and tasty foods, handmade crafts, charming performances, and a craft corner that also added to the overall vibe of the event. Aside from activities that the organizers prepared, the most awaited segment was the panel discussion enriched by various perspectives and backgrounds by different speakers, Jerome Remillete, Kenneth Dagalea, and Rence.
“𝘿𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙙, 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨”, was what Mx. Rence shared giving a new angle to look against the narrative that q***r individuals are compelled to come out and let people know their identity. It shifts the normalized niche that sharing your identity is a responsibility, but instead it emphasizes a deep connection where you don’t have the responsibility to announce your true identity, but rather welcome people who chose to accept you as who you are. Not only that, the talk highlighted their stories from their childhood backgrounds, societal influences, who they are today and how they find joy and pride as they fully embraced their identities as human beings.
A realizing truth to hear that despite the different gay men experience from challenges triggered by society despite the continuous fight that they have against stigmas and discriminations. That is why the passage of the SOGIE Equality bill is very important. That is why the talk reminds us to fight for the rights and representation of the community not just to sugarcoat things, but to advocate for a society that promotes social justice on every sexual orientation.
For an event like this, it doesn’t only show us the realities of a half-filled acceptance for the LGBTQIA+ community. It gave us new insights, perspectives and stories to carry when fighting for their rights and life in the society. It reminds us that we are citizens that deserve protection, equal treatment, respect, dignity, and love whatever sexual orientation that we have. The story doesn’t just end with corners of the event, but it must be brought to different people for it not only to live, but to thrive and be finally heard.
𝗦𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗻𝗮 𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝗴𝘀𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗻—𝗸𝗮𝘆𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘁 𝗸𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝗸𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗼 𝘀𝗮 𝗸𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗴𝗮𝗽. 𝗦𝗼 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗻𝗱 —𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹.
🖼 CL Bustamante
