Text by Artha Kira Paredes and photos by Luis Liwanag, VERA Files
It was a night away from the" immoral" taunts, discrimination and homophobia that has haunted every gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender at least once.
Smiles from painted faces, roars of cheers and barks of laughter and inspiring testimonies from members interspersed with musical performances was how the LGBT party-list group Ladlad celebrated its eighth- year anniversary.
They have many reasons to celebrate.
Ladlad Chairperson Bemz Benedito said the anniversary celebrated eight milestones.
First was its founding on September 1, 2003.
Second was its first Pride March in December 2003.
Third was the writing of its Constitution and By-Laws on March 25, 2004.
Fourth was its filing of its party-list papers in September 2006.
Fifth was the Commission on Election's rejection of its accreditation for lack of national constituency.
Sixth was its participation in the campaign to give justice to JanJan, the victim of Cebu rectal canister scandal in April 2009.
Seventh was its filing for accreditation on September 2009.
Eighth was Comelec's rejection of its party-list application for accreditation on November 10, 2009, which the group to bring the case to the Supreme Court, which, April 8, 2010, ordered the poll body to grant Ladlad's application for party-list recognition.
Despite the recognition,Ladlad didn't get enough votes to gain a congressional seat.
Benedito emphasized to the 260 members who attended the celebration the need for LGBT representation in congress. The party-list will have its last chance to gain a congressional seat in 2013.
Jack Hernandez, Naga, Camarines Sur Coordinator supported Benedito's call for a representative in congress because "The happiness we want for ourselves, the happiness our parents want for us, the happiness our brothers and sisters want for us, the happiness our friends and bosses want for us, sometimes depend on the laws or the interpretation of the laws of our land."
Benedito said Ladlad members can feel proud with the fact that theirs is "the only political party" of LGBT people in the world.
Dubbed "Metamorphosis", the celebration held at the Astoria Plaza in Ortigas on Sept. 24, "signified positive changes and transformation the organization is going through in terms of structure and image," Edmond Osorio, treasurer and in charge of special projects and events management said.
He said the theme also means that they "expect more changes to happen."
Among the prominent guests were Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño, author of the anti-discrimination bill and former Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal who supported Ladlad's accreditation in Comelec.
Casiño, who said he was attending as Beki (slang for gay) Muna representative , said he was a supporter of the cause LGBTs even as a student activist.
"One cannot claim to be for human rights, one cannot claim to be a democrat or a representative of the marginalized unrepresented sectors kung hindi niya ipinaglalaban ang karapatan ng mga LGBTs at ang paglaban sa diskriminasyon (if he does not fight for the right of the LGBTs and against discrimination), he said.
Larrazabal, on the other hand, revealed it was a fierce battle in the Comelec over Ladlad's application for accreditation as party-list party.
"At some point it became a battle of good and perceived evil , what is morally acceptable against what is deemed as morally reprehensible," he said .
Ladlad's vision is "a society free from gender and sexually-based oppression, prejudice, discrimination and stereotyping."
Its number one platform is the passage of the anti-discrimination bill that will make "discrimination against LGBTs a criminal act."
TV personality Boy Abunda, senior party adviser ,was presented with a recognition for his unstinting support and inspiration to Ladlad.
(VERA Files is put out by veteran journalists taking a deeper look at current issues. Vera is Latin for "true.")
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