Tomorrow is the first of December, and that means it's time for the annual Metro Manila LGBTQ Pride March. But this year there are actually two Pride Marches - one organized by Task Force Pride (TFP) in Malate and another organized by the Quezon City Pride Council and naturally in Quezon City. And while some have started to ask why there have to be two marches as if this was somehow a bad thing, I'd like to stress that this isn't bad at all.
In other countries we see different LGBTQ Pride festivals and marches hosted in different cities - not just states or political territories like NCR / Metro Manila but in actual cities. It's a great sign of support for the LGBTQ community and a good venue for getting more support for our fight for equal rights and full recognition in the eyes of the law.
For TFP, this marks the 20th year of LGBTQ Pride Marches in Metro Manila. The Metro Manila Pride march is the oldest LGBTQ Pride March in Asia and that's a lot to be thankful for indeed. We still have a long way to go in terms of national recognition and advancing any national legislation to protect the rights of the pink community, but that doesn't mean we should stop fighting.
For Quezon City this is the first LGBTQ Pride March to be officially hosted by the. Given the many moves by the city to support the LGBTQ community including a rather sweeping anti-discrimination city ordinance, there's a lot to be said about Quezon City as being a pro-LGBT city. And these efforts definitely deserve some support.
So whether you march in Malate on December 6 or you march in Quezon City on December 13 or both - stand up and be recognized! Show support for LGBTQ Rights! Whether you're a member of the community or a straight ally who wants to show support for your LGBTQ friends, then be sure to join at least one of the Pride Marches this year.
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