One way for Filipinos who are able to travel overseas can tell how bad our public transport system is, is by comparing the trains. We were invaded by White people in 1521, but – even now – we still only have three train lines.
@outragemag Check #LondonUnderground #trains in #London, aware it could be unsafe for #LGBT ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine
UK, as an example, has the London Underground. Managed by Transport for London, this started in 1863 as the world’s first underground passenger railway. It now has 11 lines with 250 miles (400 kilometers) of track, with its 272 stations serving around five million passengers every day.
This isn’t a perfect system. Obviously, this is London-centric. It only serves the Greater London area, and some parts of the adjacent counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire in England. This is like saying na wala ngang LRT or MRT sa Bulacan o Cavite o Antipolo eh, and this lack highlights the exclusion of those also in need of proper public transport.
Looking at London’s train system through the LGBTQIA+ lens is actually disheartening… particularly if we talk not only about possibly meeting booking while riding trains. In 2023, London TravelWatch released a report that revealed that when LGBTQIA+ people used public transport:
- One in five (21%) experienced hate crime in the past year while travelling on public transport in London
- Four in five (82%) respondents changed their behavior or appearance to ‘fit in’ so they avoid abuse or harassment when travelling
- 65% of those who experienced abuse or harm when travelling in London said bystanders witnessed the incident but did not intervene
Lesson learned lang din: that even in spaces that better people’s lives, like a working train system, there are minority sectors that could be disadvantaged. And so this must always be considered to make sure all spaces are truly inclusive.
But off we go for more LGBTQIA+ rampa…
