In an effort to help professional media practitioners in Mindanao become more LGBT-sensitive in their coverage, Outrage Magazine held a seminar/workshop dubbed Pink Ink with Rainbow Rights Project Inc.
The gathering was part of the Pink Ink project first launched by Outrage Magazine in 2012 to help make journalism as practiced in the Philippines more sensitive to the LGBT community. Pink Ink specifically eyes to provide trainings/workshops in 1) educational institutions (including student journalists, student leaders and journalism students) for them to start reporting on LGBT-related issues; and 2) to professional media practitioners for them to be more LGBT-sensitive in their media coverage.
The move also follows the release of a stylebook that aims to help local media cover LGBT issues.
“Outside of metropolitan areas, many continue to not know about SOGIE-related issues – and the media is not exempted here. This is why we believe that we need to take the LGBT discussions in areas outside of the metros to continue raising LGBT-related issues and how best to cover these issues,” said Michael David dela Cruz Tan, publishing editor of Outrage Magazine.
For Tan, this gathering “ensures that we engage as many as possible in promoting equal rights for all, including LGBT Filipinos.”
Tan, facilitated the gathering. Aiza Seguerra of the National Youth Commission and his wife Liza Dino of the Film Development Council of the Philippines both spoke on SOGIE 101 and their experience dealing with the media following Seguerra’s coming out as a transman. Meanwhile, John Ryan N. Mendoza, managing editor of Outrage Magazine, spoke on HIV-related issues, particularly on media’s coverage of the same.
This run of the Pink Ink was conducted with the US Embassy in Manila.
