Recognizing the need to offer an alternative Pride event due to the extreme commercialization of existing LGBTQIA+ Pride, Marikina is scheduled to host its first “independent Pride” on June 22, from 3:30PM at #39 QHall J.Molina St., Strip 70 Village Concepcion Uno, Marikina City.
While there are Pride-related events organized usually by larger GBTQIA+ and even non-LGBTQIA+ groups, and which are attended by most people, “over the years, these events have become more about sales, (focusing only) on the entertainment component. While the better-known events have a far reach, there are still people who have no idea about Pride’s history or are not comfortable with large crowds. Too many attendees go for the shows and less for the protest,” stated Angie Driskell, Minister Supreme of the Philippine Pastafarian Church, one of the organizers of the event.
“By organizing an independent march, this gives people an opportunity to join and still feel the personal connection with others around them. There is no pressure to make money off the event in order to make it happen and we can still deliver the message that the future is indeed inclusive.”
So, what makes an independent Pride… independent?
Mainly, “other LGBTQIA+ events… receive the support and sponsorships of their LGUs, businesses and so on; we are doing this on our own without any agreements or business partnerships in order to make this march happen,” Driskell said, adding that while they have coordinated with the necessary offices that will allow them to be legally held, “we are basically starting from scratch and our focus is to give people an option that is strictly about awareness and about the protest aspect of Pride.”
Driskell stressed the importance of reclaiming Pride from consumerism.
“The large-scale events that everyone is familiar with are fun, of course, but there seems to be less and less connection to the roots of Pride. We want the goals of the LGBTQIA+ community to be the focal point, and to be taken seriously by those in power to grant the rights they deserve. My hope is that there will be more events that are geared towards awareness and education regarding the rights of their community and that everyone supports those events rather than over-commercialized events.”
Driskell similarly lamented the gatekeeping of Pride to actually discriminate against LGBTQIA+ people – e.g. “I would also like to see more LGBTQIA+ vendors and less corporations at Pride events. The community needs to take its power and voice back from those who use Pride as a means to exploit the protest to make money and who are only allies for the month of June.”
This event is by the Philippine Pastafarian Church, Philippine Church of Freedom, and the Philippine Atheism Agnosticism Secularism (PATAS).
So reclaim Pride, stop giving money to those who just use the rainbow community to make themselves rich(er).
For more information on Markina’s independent Pride, contact Angie Driskell through the Philippine Pastafarian Church Facebook page, or coordinate with Regie Pasion.
