Fridae

The Progressive Organization of Gays in the Philippines (Progay) leads its annual multisectoral Pride Parade on Sunday, with members dressed up to the theme of the Maytime Filipino feasts of flowers "Flores de Mayo" to demand the realization of gay rights and welfare by candidates who are running for national and local positions.

Some forty urban poor gay youth from the towns of Navotas, Valenzuela and Malabon dressed in angel wings symbolizing the call for clean elections marched in Caloocan City today to advance human rights for gays and the inclusion of gay issues in the elections just two days away.

The Bayan Muna partylist nominees and local candidates pledged to file ordinances and bills that would promote increased recognition of gay men and women in society and training projects for the gay youth. Party supporters held high posters with messages that denounced homophobia and discrimination and upheld acceptance of gays by family and the law.

Marching behind the homosexual contingent, about fifty of their friends and families and different organizations of women, workers, government employees and student youth who handed out paper flowers to market vendors and passersby. Appeals to parents and families to fight domestic violence and verbal abuse against gays especially in macho households were written on the colored petals.

"We throw our full support to the call for politics of meaningful change espoused by Bayan Muna in Congress and local councils. The party not only promised to push for legal reforms but helped organize many chapters of Progay and lesbian groups all over the country," ProGay secretary Oscar Atadero said.

Wen Luarez, president of the Damdamin ng Baklang Nagkakaisa (Dambana) said the widespread unemployment and contractualisation among gays in the city is compounded by refusal of employers to hire gays because of discrimination. "Most think we are not to be trusted with money or our duties," complained the young gay leader who was forced to stop schooling because of grinding poverty.

Atadero reported that the militant gay movement has scored modest gains in acceptance and respect from the public seven years after the group held the first pride parade in Asia. The tradition dates back to 1969 in New York where the first open street rebellion by gays against police brutality inspired homosexuals to come out of their closets and declare pride in their sexuality.

By participating in the call for clean and honest elections the gay and lesbian marchers hope to demonstrate to the public that homosexuals are an important part of the nation and their concerns are to be taken seriously. The crowd named Wigberto Ta�ada, Francis Pangilinan, Winnie Monsod, Ramon Magsaysay and Perfecto Yasay among the senatorial candidates gays will support for their readiness to champion gay issues.

Despite having filed an anti-discrimination bill last year, Pwersa ng Masa candidate Miriam Defensor-Santiago was rejected for being a hypocrite and a liar. The ousted president's wife Luisa Ejercito was also dumped for calling gays "abnormal" in a press interview.