This is part of #KaraniwangLGBT, which Outrage Magazine officially launched on July 26, 2015 to offer vignettes of LGBT people/living, particularly in the Philippines, to give so-called “everyday people” – in this case, the common LGBT people – that chance to share their stories.
As Outrage Magazine editor Michael David C. Tan says: “All our stories are valid – not just the stories of the ‘big shots’. And it’s high time we start telling all our stories.”
Edson Julianda Gloriaga, 25, from Bailen, Cavite knew he’s gay since he was seven years old. “Doon ko naramdaman na iba ang pagtingin ko pagdating sa lalaki. Tapos mas gusto kong babae ang kasama ko; mas gusto kong kakumpitensiya ang babae kesa lalaki (That was when I noticed that my feelings for other men were different. I also preferred hanging out with women. I preferred playing/competing with girls, not boys).”
At first, Edson’s father couldn’t accept him – something he believes is because of machismo, e.g. the male members of his family are brusque, with his uncles even regularly get into fights because of machismo.
“Nandiyan yung times na nabubugbog ka; bubugbugin ka kasi hindi ka tanggap (There were times when I was physically abused because I was not accepted),” he recalled.
By the time he was in fourth year high school, when Edson was already earning his own money, family members started to accept him. At that time, too, “I told them that this is the real me, I can’t change this. And I can stand up for my chosen gender identity.”
Not surprisingly, Edson believes that “particularly at first, it’s hard to be an LGBTQIA person in (the Province of) Cavite.” However, “you learn to turn this negative experience into something positive. You teach yourself to be motivated by this… You will be ridiculed, you will be denigrated… even by your own family because you are gay, and they believe you’ll amount to nothing. But if you convert this into something positive, it will be your inspiration, your motivation to show to them that no matter what happens, no matter what I choose to do in life, I can improve to contribute better in society.”
Edson was in high school when a friend urged him to join a band.
He started as a musician (a flute player who became a clarinet player). But in 2010, he stopped being part of a band because he moved to Manila; this lasted for almost four years.
“When I returned to Bailen, Cavite, my training started again; this time as a color guard of Banda Kabataan #77,” he said.
Being part of a band is a “stress reliever for me,” said Edson, adding that this also: 1) allowed him to travel far and wide; and 2) allows him to explore himself to ascertain what else he can do as an individual.
Not surprisingly, while “we also earn from being in a band, even if money isn’t that big, but for us, for people whose lives revolve around music, you don’t pay attention to money. For us, as long as you are enjoying what you’re doing, then money is not a big issue.”
Unlike his gender identity (at least in the beginning), his family is supportive of him being part of a band. This may be because family members are also band members. For instance, his cousins are also in bands, so “for my family, my being part of a band is a non-issue… But they tell me to always be careful, to look after myself. And that if this is where I can improve myself, then continue being in it.”
Being part of a band, said Edson, allows him to “show my talents to others, share these to others, particularly to those who intend to join bands. I want to share my talents, and everything I have learned.”
This is why he said he’d be “happier if all LGBTQIA people in my place join bands because in bands, no one will ridicule them or will look down at them. People who belong to bands know that LGBTQIA people can contribute a lot to bands.”
Edson already had five boyfriends (the first one was in college); none of these relationships lasted long.
But Edson learned life lessons from having relationships.
“A former BF cheated on me, so while in one relationship, I also cheated. That former cheating BF replaced me with another gay guy, and I had a hard time accepting it. That cheating ex-BF replaced me with my friend. Now I know better; that I should not do to others what was done to me because they may also do it to other people who will also unintentionally get hurt,” he said.
To younger LGBTQIA people, “continue doing what you want to do. Know yourself better by being certain with your gender identity,” Edson said. “Don’t be afraid. Don’t listen to what other people will say because – you need to remember – they do not feed you, they do not provide you sustenance, they do not dress you, they do not provide you housing. They’re just people looking to disparage you; people who want to put you down.”
And to people who continue to discriminate against LGBTQIA people, “ang masasabi ko lang huwag nilag tingnan sa physical figure ang katangian ng isang tao, bagkus alamin nila kung ano ang nasa loob ng taong yun, kung bakla man siya o tomboy (I say: Don’t judge people based on their physical attributes. Instead, know people for who they really are),” Edson said. “Lagi nating tatandaan na kung ano ang kayang gawin ng lalaki at ng babae, kaya ding gawin ng isang bakla o ng tomboy (Remember that what men and women can do, LGBTQIA people can do, too).”
In the end, to survive – and even thrive – in life, “Turn bad experiences to motivate you, to inspire you to show to them that no matter what happens to me, no matter what other people say, I will stand proud. I will stand proud because I am not alone; I am with God, who accepted me for who I am. I know these people will also accept me one day because they will also be proud of me,” Edson ended.
