With the theme “Embracing Diversity Towards Equality,” the University of the Philippines Diliman community united to celebrate its annual UP Pride Week last September 10-13, 2019. This year, it reaffirmed its call for Congress to pass the SOGIE Equality Bill, and for the adoption of the UP SOGIESC Policy, a university system-wide policy on equality and non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC).
“The goal of UP Pride is to be a safe place where people can celebrate who they are. But at the same time, it’s also a platform for the LGBTQI community to spread awareness on issues that affect us most, such as the urgency to have a national anti-discrimination law and a university anti-discrimination policy,” said UP Pride 2019 co-head Isabela Rivera.
From September 10-13, 2019, different activities were held to educate the UP community on various LGBTQI issues and celebrate LGBTQI art and culture.
It opened with the launch of the Anong Pangalan Mo Sa Gabi? Exhibit, a weeklong public display of excerpts from the book about LGBTQI struggles by UP Babaylan, Babaylanes, Inc. and the UP Center for Women’s and Gender Studies.
Following that were the SOGIESC and feminism workshop which promoted gender sensitivity among UP faculty, staff and students, and the Equality Talks: A Forum on the UP SOGIESC Policy & SOGIE Equality Bill which was graced by Senator Risa Hontiveros herself.
On its last day, a magnitude 5.3 earthquake did not stop 2,200 members and allies of the LGBTQI community from marching along the Academic Oval for the UP Pride March. The community culminated Pride with the celebration of LGBTQI talent in the UP Pride Night: PRIDEday the 13th.
UP Pride 2019 was brought to you by UP Babaylan, co-presented by Blued and Bliss, in partnership with Chalk.PH, UP Diliman Office of the Chancellor, UP Diliman Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs, UP Center for Women’s and Gender Studies, UP Diliman University Student Council, Office of Student Activities UP Diliman, and UP Diliman Office of Anti-Sexual Harassment. It was also brought to you by major media partners, InqPOP!, Manila Bulletin, WhenInManila.com and ClickTheCity, and minor media partners DZUP 1602 and TEAM Magazine.
For more information, visit the official UP Pride Facebook page. (https://www.facebook.com/uppride/). #UPTowardsEquality #SOGIEEqualityNOW
