UP Babaylan : A Toast for IDAHO 2013.

"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious idiocy." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

The LGBT community has had much to celebrate in the last year. In the Philippines alone, Cebu, Angeles and Davao join a growing number of cities with anti-discrimination ordinances. Denmark, Uruguay, France, New Zealand and Brazil now accord the same marriage rights to same- and opposite-sex couples. Institutions both large and small have begun to take on LGBT-affirmative regulations. Just as policy has evolved to cater to the entire spectrum of society, so too has the discourse in public and private spheres. We are undeniably making steady progress toward a more informed and inclusive world.

University of the Philippines Babaylan, the premiere LGBT student organization of the UP system, takes pride in its legacy of educating to end hate and indifference. The last 20 years have been a journey with the UP community to end ignorance, foster discourse, and create a more humane, more just society for everyone.

We pledge to continue this legacy.

UP Babaylan is one with the LGBT community across cultures and borders in this festive commemoration of each new step taken and new victory won. But let us not rest on our laurels. Last year, our battle cry was for gender-sensitive policies in the places where we study and work. Our vision is to make every office and classroom a safe space for our LGBT brothers and sisters. We are making progress, but the trip is far from over.

Let us keep educating. Let us keep informing. Let us keep ending the hate. A safe, inclusive world might not be here yet, but now -- more than ever -- that dream is within reach.

Today we raise our glasses to thank our allies -- LGBT and straight alike -- for all their hard work, without which the last year's milestones would not have been possible. Let us toast to the victories we have earned, and the victories that we will earn in the coming year.

UP Babaylan

IDAHO 2013

UP Babaylan : Maligayang Araw ng mga Ina

After receiving feedback about our Mother's Day post that featured Thomas Beatie and his partner, we have decided to remove it. We thank our friends and allies for pointing out how the poster's message could be interpreted as transphobic, and we sincerely apologize to our trans(men) followers who may have been offended by it. We have taken the said poster down in the spirit of respect and solidarity.

UP Babaylan x IDAHO Philippines : History of the Toast

Wanna make history on May 17? Then join IDAHO Philippines as we toast against discrimination at 8pm, Cubao Expo! Get updates at www.facebook.com/idahoPH

UP Babaylan x IDAHO Philippines : What is IDAHO?

Alam mo ba kung tungkol saan ang IDAHO? Alamin mo dito tapos tagay tayo sa May 17!

Like the page (www.facebook.com/idahoPH) to find out more about IDAHO Philippines.

UP Babaylan x IDAHO Philippines : Cities and Provinces with an Anti-Discrimination Ordinance

Help us create more safe spaces. Share a toast with IDAHO Philippines on May 17, 8pm, Cubao Expo! Like our page to get updates: www.facebook.com/idahoPH

UP Babaylan X Take the Test feat. Mae Emmanuel

"Wag basta basta maniwala sa mga sabi-sabi... alamin ang totoo. Hindi nakakatakot ang HIV... ang mas nakakatakot ay maling impormasyon and kawalan ng educasyon tungkol dito. Take The Test and KNOW YOUR STATUS! Be Worry-Free!"

P.S. Kudos to the covergirl, our beloved alumna Mae Emmanuel, a fierce advocate!

UP Babaylan x IDAHO Philippines : TAGAY FOR IDAHO

UP Babaylan shines bright like a diamond!

Congratulations to the graduates of batch 2013! You made it! 

As you begin the new chapter of your lives, always remember to shine bright like a diamond. The world is yours to conquer. Life will not always be peaches and cream, but we hope that the pressures of life make diamonds out of you. Be beautiful like the diamonds in the sky!

And to our very own dear graduates, Jen, Chichan, Ace, Will and EJ, UP Babaylan has changed your lives, now it's your turn to change the world. 

UP Babaylan x USC Gender Desk : Book Donation for the Gender and LGBT Studies Section of the UP Center for Women's Studies Library

The UP CWS Research and Publications Department commemorated Women's Month in its own sublime way, made possible with the gracious donation of women's and LGBT studies books from the Gender Committee (AY 2011-2013) of the UP Diliman University Student Council. Thank you, USC, for the wonderful stack!

We would like to invite students, academics and everyone interested in gender and sexuality studies to pay our library a visit to take advantage of these excellent educational materials. Conversely, we would also like to call on those who may want to find their books a new home and share them with the community. Help us enrich our library resources so that we could best serve the people as the university hub for gender- and sexuality-related issues. 

In photo (L-R):

Mr BJ Eco, Punong Babaylan, UP Babaylan
Ms Pat Bringas, Gender Committee Head, USC UP Diliman
Ms Hender Gercio, Research Associate, UP CWS
Prof Eric Manalastas, Deputy Director for Research and Publications, UP CWS
Dr Sylvia Estrada-Claudio, Director, UP CWS
Ms Adrienne Maguddayao, Researcher, UP CWS
Ms Ardis Gonzales, Librarian, UP CWS
Ms Heart Diño, Chairperson, USC UP Diliman

UP Babaylan x Embassy of Canada : Advancing the Campus Rainbow Agenda

Who is considered a transgender? What's the difference between sex and gender? How about sexual orientation and gender identity? Most would probably say the differences are negligible, when in fact, they are not. These seemingly innocuous questions were some of the hottest discussion points in a forum that wanted to explore young Filipinos’ notions of these complicated issues.

The forum, entitled "Advancing the Campus Rainbow Agenda," tackled the issues of sexual orientations and gender identities (SOGI) in the context of human rights. The target audience: student leaders of various colleges and universities. More than 140 members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in the country have been killed in the past fifteen years making them a sector highly vulnerable to violence. These killings were allegedly motivated by hate and anti-gay sentiment.

"We are targeting the student leaders because they are in a position to facilitate change by echoing insights learned here to their fellow students," said Ramil Andag, an officer of Babaylanes Inc., an organization of alumni and former members of Babaylan, the first gay student organization based in the University of the Philippines in Diliman.

The forum here was straightforward in giving clear suggestions on how to avoid discrimination: Empowerment, meaning individuals should find that they are able to accept themselves and find their voice; organization — showing that grouping together is an assertion of strength; education — increasing public acceptance of LGBTs for the community in general; and mobilization — referring to the need for LGBTs to advocate for their rights and welfare.

"The lack of knowledge (about SOGI issues) among the general public leads to several implications," said Perci Cendana, another member of Babaylanes and the first openly gay chairperson of the UP Diliman Student Council elected in 1997. "Stereotyping, invisibility, marginalization, stigma, and inequality. These ugly implications contribute to the vicious cycle of prejudice and discrimination."

Citing data gathered by the Philippine LGBT Hate Crime Watch, Prof. Eric Julian Manalastas of the University of the Philippines' Department of Psychology, said from 1996 until last year, 144 LGBTs had been killed violently. In 2011 alone, 32 gays and lesbians were violently killed.

"There were 58 deaths from multiple stab wounds, 25 from multiple gunshots, while six died from torture," Manalastas said. Hate, he said, was a common reason for the high number of gays and lesbians being targeted. Andag said, "It is hoped that student leaders may eventually advocate for school policies that are for equality and nondiscrimination."

The forum was co-organized by the University of the Philippines, Babaylanes, Ateneo de Davao Legal Public Interest and Legal Advocacy Center, Davao City Integrated Gender and Development Division and the Embassy of Canada in the Philippines.

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/philippines/eyes_abroad-coupdoeil/students-etudiants-glbt.aspx?lang=en