UP Babaylan x Gay Games VIII : Cologne, Germany (PART 2)

Hender Gercio was part of the Philippine Representatives to the VIII Gay Games held in Cologne, Germany. She competed in the Road Races Event of the Gay Games.

"The Gay Games is the world's largest sporting and cultural event organized by and specifically for LGBT athletes, artists, musicians, and others. It welcomes participants of every sexual orientation and gender identity, at every skill level.

I was fortunate enough to participate in the 5K road race as one of the recipients of the Roy M Coe Scholarship Fund. A million thanks to Paul and Derek of the Federation of Gay Games Scholarship Committee for helping with my travel arrangements, and to the lovely couple Markus and Birgit for welcoming me into their lovely home. 

I have made so many new friends during this trip. To Team Philippines, Queer Comrades, and the random hot people on the streets of Cologne, I love you all and auf wiedersehen!"

UP Babaylan x Gay Games VIII : Cologne, Germany (PART 1)

Hender Gercio was part of the Philippine Representatives to the VIII Gay Games held in Cologne, Germany. She competed in the Road Races Event of the Gay Games.

"The Gay Games is the world's largest sporting and cultural event organized by and specifically for LGBT athletes, artists, musicians, and others. It welcomes participants of every sexual orientation and gender identity, at every skill level.

I was fortunate enough to participate in the 5K road race as one of the recipients of the Roy M Coe Scholarship Fund. A million thanks to Paul and Derek of the Federation of Gay Games Scholarship Committee for helping with my travel arrangements, and to the lovely couple Markus and Birgit for welcoming me into their lovely home. 

I have made so many new friends during this trip. To Team Philippines, Queer Comrades, and the random hot people on the streets of Cologne, I love you all and auf wiedersehen!"

UP Babaylan Recruitment for 2010

This semester, we made several posters for our Recruitment. The goal was to make one poster for each college. This way, we are able to recruit more applicants for the semester. We made seventeen (17) designs for the posters. Check them out...
 

UP Babaylan On Air

February 24, 2010

[From L to R: Nica (Co-host), Hender (Punong Babaylan), Athena (Executive Producer) and Harry (Co-Host)]

Last February 8 (Monday) 3PM, our current president Hender Gercio was featured as the guest speaker in the live radio program "Sabi Ko, Sabi Niya" that aired on DZUP 1602.

The theme of the show was about LGBT 101 and relating it to the Philippine scenario. Hender tackled LGBT terminology, media portrayal of LGBT people in the Philippines, and the continued struggle for equal rights of LGBT Filipinos.

DZUP is a radio station owned and operated by the University of the Philippines, Diliman. It broadcasts from the Media Center of the College of Mass Communication, UP Campus, in Quezon City. It is being used as a laboratory for the Broadcast Communication students of the university.

We hope that many (students and people from outside UP) were able to learn from the episode. Thank you DZUP for giving Pinoy LGBT youth the opportunity to reach out to a wider audience. Here's to the next media guesting!

Babaylan at Kapihan

January 22, 2010

by Mae Emmanuel Hernandez

Indeed, LGBT rights are human rights. UP Babaylan, the premier LGBT student support organization, was invited to participate in Kapihan on Human Rights at the Ateneo Professional Schools in Rockwell Center, Makati City last January 12. The event was organized by the Philippine Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism. It is a two-part forum series that focuses on human rights issues that affect each sector of the society. The Kapihan was the first of the forum series.

The objective of the event was to convene all sectors of the society and discuss every sector’s issues and concerns. These were integrated and documented as a civil society input to be presented at the second part of the forum series. The second forum will invite the presidential hopefuls and the participants of the Kapihan to further discuss the issues.

As one of the participants, I was able to share some ideas and concerns that I seemed necessary and needed urgent attention. I was also given the opportunity to present it to the entire forum. Below is the summary of the pertinent issues that we came up for the LGBT sector:

General Issues
- Discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation;

- Violence (hate crimes)

- Homophobic and Transphobic society

- Non-recognition of rights (marginalized groups)

- Education and awareness

Prioritized Issues
- the passage of Anti-Discrimination Bill

- adoption of the Yogyakarta Principles

Present Situation
- COMELEC rejected Ang Ladlad as party-list rep.

- pending bills that are anti-LGBT

- masculinity/femininity test in schools

- court cases on transgender issues

Recommendations
- LGBT sensitivity training for all LGUs/gov’t. agencies

- inclusion of LGBT topics in existing modules/mechanism

- more legal actions/legislative measures

- passage of ADB

- mainstreaming of Yogyakarta principles

- employment opportunities for LGBT people in media

The Kapihan forum opens doors for all the marginalized sectors of the society to air their views and needs and to recognize their rights as citizens. Being the LGBT community, it is our duty to fight for what is for us and to fight for the life we truly deserve. Thus, it is the government’s responsibility that all rights of human beings, regardless of gender identity and sexual orientation, are ensured and protected.