Coming out, tolerance vs. acceptance, and more: What are the issues faced by LGBT+ members today?

Just in time for Pride Month, Perci Cendaña, president of Babaylanes Inc., talked about the current pressing issues being faced by Filipino LGBT+ members of today.

In an episode of “The Mangahas Interviews,” Cendaña talked about the higher visibility of LGBT+ in the Philippines versus the equally high pushback it gets, among other important topics.

According to the LGBT+ advocate, social media has opened many opportunities for the queer community “to share their experiences and narratives.”

“Habang tumataas 'yung visibility, tumitindi rin 'yung pushback,” Cendaña said.

(While visibility increases, the pushback also is becoming more intense.)

“Nakikita natin ito sa iba pang bahagi sa mundo. ‘Yung mga conservatives, 'yung mga misogynists, 'yung mga homophobic, 'yung mga transphobic forces sa ating lipunan, patuloy na namamayagpag so nakakabahala,” he added.

(We see this also in other parts of the world. The conservatives, misogynists, homophobic, transphobic forces in our society continue to make their views known so it causes concern.)

Tolerance vs. acceptance

Cendaña also talked about the difference between “tolerance vs. acceptance” in the LGBT+ community in the Philippines.

“Kung isasalarawan ang sitwasyon ng [LGBT+] sa Pilipinas, ito ay isang sitwasyon ng tolerance,” he said. “Alam naman natin na ang tolerance, hindi keri iyan, hindi nakakaganda. Kasi ang tino-tolerate lang natin, 'yung mga bagay na ayaw natin.”

(If we will describe the situation [of the LGBT+] in the Philippines, it is a situation of tolerance. We know that tolerance is not okay, nor does it solve the problem. This is because we tolerate what we do not like.)

"Ang ating pong initutulak, 'yung pagtanggap, acceptance. Kasi 'pag acceptance, kinikilala na mayroon tayong pantay na karapatan,” he added.

(What we are pushing for is acceptance. Because with acceptance, one acknowledges that we have equal rights.)

Coming out

When it comes to coming out, Cendaña said it has two levels: coming out to yourself and accepting it fully and coming out to others.

“Iyong mas mahalagang hurdle at mas mahirap na hurdle sa coming out ay iyong pagtanggap sa sarili,” he said.

(The more important and harder hurdle when it comes to coming out is accepting yourself.)

“Kailangan nating maunawaan na mahirap na proseso iyong pagtanggap sa sarili. Iyon iyong unang challenge, coming out is accepting, coming to terms with who you are,” he added.

(We need to understand that the process of accepting yourself is hard. That is the first challenge — coming out is accepting, coming to terms with who you are.)

Cendaña also said that once you have entirely accepted yourself for who you are, the next challenge is coming out to your loved ones and other people that matter.

“Ang pinakamahirap na coming out more than sa trabaho ay sa pamilya,” he said.

(The hardest thing when it comes to coming out is doing so before your family. That is harder [than coming out] in your workplace.

READ: Happy Pride Month: 5 celebrities who bravely came out loud and proud

READ: Father's Day 2023: How drag queen NAIA fosters a more accepting relationship with her dad

On Saturday, LGBT+ members and allies gathered at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City (QC) for the PridePH Festival.

On the same day, the QC government announced the launching of the country’s first “care card” that would authorize LGBTQ+ couples to make medical decisions for their partners. —KG, GMA Integrated News