LGBT activists in the Philippines marked the IDAHOT 2014, starting in the first week of May.

The Grand Reunion

Dubbed as a pre-launch of IDAHOT celebration in the Philippines, “The Grand Reunion: (L)ets (G)et (B)old (T)onight” party on May 3 was organized by LGBT Pinoy, Association of Transgender People in the Philippines and TransMan Pilipinas. Taking place in one of Manila’s famous clubs, and featuring icons from the country’s LGBT community, the party aimed to infuse the awareness of the Day within the Philippines’ LGBT communities and allies.

Young Queer’s Fashion Show performance at the Grand Reunion Party

Progressive faith communities take action

Faith-based organization, Metropolitan Community Church of Quezon City, Aurora, Cubao Center, were also amongst those who commemorated the Day. On May 14, they held another pre-IDAHOT event through faith-themed discussion titled “Embodying IDAHOT: Facing Biases & Inner Biatches Towards Personal Transformation & Effective Social Action.” On the Day itself they also screened LGBT-related short movies to church members.

Still in the theme of faith, Kapatid LGBT of Quezon City also marked the Day by inviting LGBT activists and allies from different communities in Manila and nearby provinces to hold a public march at Welcome Rotonda on May 16.

Student groups join the IDAHOT 2014

Student organizations were also actively involved in the commemoration of the Day. Among them was EU Bahaghari, a student organization of Enverga University whose vision is to support LGBT students to be at the future forefront of the LGBT movement. The organization produced a joint statement, together with other student student organizations, in support of equal rights for LGBT people. They also launched a “Pride Pedestrian Lane” in Lucena City, and organised a Gender Empowerment discussion and film screening.

HSBC Philippines’ staff wear purple

HSBC Philippines also marked the Day by encouraging its employees to wear purple on the last working day before the Day (Friday, May 16).

HSBC Staff Poster encouraging staff to wear purple for IDAHOT 2014

Another action of the Day took place in a form a beauty parade. “Trans-Santacruzan,” was mounted by ATP as the lead organisation in partnership with the QC Pride Council and other LGBT orgs, including Gandas Filipinas. The name Trans-Santacruzan is a play on ‘Santacruzan’, a festival which is traditionally held in the month of May to express the Marian devotion of Christians in the Philippines. An estimated 70 transgender men and women, including supermodel Geena Rocero, joined the parade.

The Trans-Santacruzan Parade | Courtesy of Ganda Filipinas

Art project and exhibition

GANDA Filipinas is also a partner of “Revelations,” a collaborative art exhibit featuring the work and images of LGBT artists and individuals. The exhibit opened at 9 p.m. on 27 May 2014, Tuesday at 71 Gramercy to mark the Day and the 10th anniversary of one of the very first LGBT-themed shows on TV (GMA 7) “Out!” and as part of the push for the passage of the Anti-Discrimination Bill (ADB) sponsored by Rep. Kaka Bag-ao among others in Congress and by Senator Bam Aquino in the Senate.