Why Ang Ladlad?

Nasa balota na, mga pangalan
ng party list pagpipilian

Last Thursday, April 8, 2010, the 15-member Philippine Supreme Court unanimously decided that Ang Ladlad - a network of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersexual Filipinos, and their heterosexual supporters, can run for party-list elections for Congress on May 10, 2010.

This is historical for pro-LGBTI movement here in the Philippines because if Ang Ladlad will get the 2% threshold of the total votes casts, they can be represented in Congress up to a maximum of three seats. Ang Ladlad has five nominees: Bemz Benedito (MA Sociology, Ateneo de Manila University, Lecturer-Researcher), Germaine Leonin (Lawyer, UP College of Law), Cris Lopera (NGO leader and officer from Mindanao), Naomi Fontanos (MA Education, UP Diliman, Lecturer, Open University), Dexter Macaldo (Media Officer)

One would ask, “Why will I vote for Ang Ladlad?”

You don’t have to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or intersexual to vote for Ang Ladlad. If you believe and support the following reasons, itiman, i-shade ang loob ng bilog na hugis itlog.

1. If you support the Anti-Discrimination Bill that gives LGBTI Filipinos equal opportunities in employment and equal treatment in schools, hospitals, restaurants, hotels, entertainment centers, and government offices and support for the Anti-Discrimination Bill, then vote for #89—Ang Ladlad Party List.

2. If you think setting up of micro-finance and livelihood projects can help poor and handicapped LGBTI Filipinos, then vote for #89—Ang Ladlad Party List.

3. If you believe in re-filing a law, the Anti-Vagrancy Law, that has been used by unscrupulous policemen to extort bribes from gay men without ID cards, then vote for #89—Ang Ladlad Party List.

4. If you believe that there should be centers that offer legal aid and counseling, as well as information about LGBTI issues, HIV-AIDS, and reproductive health and homes for old and abandoned LGBTIs, as well as young ones driven out of their homes, in the key cities/metropolitan areas of the Philippines -- Baguio, National Capital Region, Cebu and Davao, then vote for #89—Ang Ladlad Party List.

I am gay and I am one of the few lucky and fortunate Filipinos who have a loving family, accepting friends, and supportive co-workers irregardless of my sexual orientation. But there are thousands of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgenders, and intersexuals who are fighters and survivors of homophobia and discrimination.

For the future of your LGBTI brothers or sisters, sons or daughters, ang bilog, ang bilog, sa tapat ng #89—Ang Ladlad Party List, ‘yan ang dapat nating markahan.

For the future of your LGBTI nephews, nieces, cousins, and relatives, ang bilog, ang bilog, sa tapat ng #89—Ang Ladlad Party List, ‘yan ang dapat nating markahan.

For the future of your LGBTI friends, frenemies, BFFs, lovers, exes, almost lovers, ang bilog, ang bilog, sa tapat ng #89—Ang Ladlad Party List, ‘yan ang dapat nating markahan.

For me, ang bilog, ang bilog, sa tapat ng #89—Ang Ladlad Party List, ‘yan ang dapat nating markahan.

Gets mo ba? Gets ko na!
Gets na gets na talaga!