As a passionate advocate of inclusion, I believe everyone deserves to be accepted and respected regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or any other differences. This advocacy is personal to me as my late brother was deaf and gay, and I witnessed firsthand how he struggled with discrimination and prejudice. That is why I fully support organizations such as Best Buddies Philippines, which promotes inclusion and supports individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
In celebration of the International Transgender Day of Visibility, the non-profit organization PridePH launched an online campaign to promote inclusivity in Philippine schools. The #MakePHSchoolsInclusive campaign features a harrowing video entitled “Batang Hinarang sa Lupang Hinirang,” which sheds light on the discrimination and difficulties that transgender students face in schools.
Photo: Ad Hoc Marketing
The video showcases Jelai Balbaera, a transgender student who was forced to present herself as a male student during a flag ceremony. Jelai’s experience is unfortunately not unique, as many transgender students continue to be barred from being free and expressing themselves fully in school, despite the Department of Education’s memorandum recognizing the rights of teachers and students with diverse sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual characteristics (SOGIESC) in 2017.
Photo: Ad Hoc Marketing
PridePH National Convener and Miss Trans Global 2020 Mela Habijan believes that transgender students and teachers deserve respect and recognition in schools. Habijan hopes that this campaign will urge schools to follow the DepEd memorandum and create a new memorandum directly stating that transgender and non-binary students and teachers have the freedom to express themselves as they are in schools. Moreover, DepEd should impose sanctions on schools that do not comply.
However, Habijan acknowledges that the fight for the rights of transgender students in the Philippines is far from over. The video serves as a reminder that more needs to be done to protect and recognize the rights of transgender students.
Ad Hoc Marketing, a creative marketing agency, spearheaded this campaign to raise awareness and promote change. The agency intentionally presented the sad realities of transgender students in the Philippines to create a sense of urgency for real change.
In conclusion, the #MakePHSchoolsInclusive campaign aims to promote inclusivity and respect for diversity in Philippine schools. Everyone, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation, deserves respect and recognition for who they are. To watch the video, visit facebook.com/tfpridePH.
