By Kate Montecarlo Cordova
Founder and Chairwoman
Association of Transgender People in the Philippines
Nasaan na ang mga trans leaders, trans organization, LGBTQIA groups and allied organizations shouting for human rights advancement?
Insidiously, the grassroots level ay nagkakagulo. Maraming attacks here and there. Although walang laman, substance kundi puro projection of hate and bigotry lang naman ang mga comments ng mga anti-trans, with some of them just manifesting deep-seated insecurities of their masculinity and femininity and sense of deprived power, may effect pa rin ito sa community.
So mga kapatid, remind ko lang, dumihan din natin ang mga kamay natin at isawsaw natin sa putikan kasi ang problema ay nasa putik.
Tama na muna yang pa-ek-ek natin sa mga politiko, sa mga high-level stakeholders, at limit muna natin oras natin sa crafting-crafting ng kung anek-anek na batas na isusulong.
Walang nangyayari sa mga batas na ipapasa kung ang buong sambayanan hindi naiintidihan kung bakit hindi pwede i-discriminate ang trans or any members of the LGBTQIA community. Remember, low quality education ang Philippines. Mababa ang antas ng edukasyon pati na rin sa critical thinking. Ibig sabihin, madaling madala ng fake news.
So focus naman kayo sa grassroots. Wala sa KPI ng funders ang solusyon sa problema ng bayan.
Mga trans leaders at LGBTQIA leaders, kaya kayo naging leaders kasi:
- Matatalino kayo
- Matatapang kayo
So, ilabas nyo na ang tapang at talino nyo. Mag-comment at mag-share ng thoughts nyo sa online debates tungkol sa trans issues. Aba, paano maliwanagan ang mga readers kung tahimik kayo?
Let me share with you my wisdom in advocacy and politics: Our advocacy (LGBTQIA) should divide political groups – forcing them to take a side – and not political color dividing us.
Inuuna nyo pa kasi ang paghalik sa paa ng mga politiko.
Stop! Don’t reply yet.
Yes, I understand the significance of creating allies. I understand the importance of building connections with different stakeholders. And that should be done simultaneous to mass education and trans community mobility and empowerment.
Because the level of awareness of grassroots trans communities is directly proportional to the effectiveness of transgender advocacy in the Philippines.
Leadership is not about occupying a position to fulfill the power you lost. Hindi ito recovery place para sa stardom. Leadership is about leading, showing people the vision, and clearing the path for others to follow.
Leadership in advocacy works is about courage, passion and principles. If you don’t have that, you can’t (or should not) lead any advocacy works. There is a clear difference between being a leader of an advocacy and merely holding a position in an organization. Sana malinaw ito at ma-inculcate sa isipan ng lahat.
True advocacy also rejects the politics within its own system. It rejects its tendency to let the assertion of personal/individual interests to power but encourages collective victory.
It is not (or should not be) a healing tool for someone’s insecurity and hunger for power.
If that is not the case, we will see more and more and more organizations steadily bifurcating naturally endlessly.
