By Rev. Joseph San Jose
Pastor, Open Table-MCC, an LGBTQIA+ affirming church
Hindi porke’t someone identifies as LGBTQIA+ ay automatically maalam tungkol sa mga diskurso or psychological facts about sexuality and gender, and even more so pagdating sa feminist-queer principles and intersectionality.
Marami sa ating mga kapatid na LGBTQIA+ ay pawang kanilang lived experience and encounters ang nalalaman, together with patriarchal and cis-heteronormative ideas na umiiral sa paligid nila.
This is especially true for some of our lola acclas of the much older generation who lived and experienced differently from us during a time na wala pa masyadong diskurso, at kung meron man ay hindi accessible sa kanila.
Yung mga acclang may chika na tila against sa ating mga pinaglalaban at mga diskurso ay isang patunay na even within the queer community kulang na kulang pa tayo sa ating organizing, mass education, and awareness building.
Sa ating mga so-called mulat o maalam, wag warla agad sa kapwa accla na hindi naman lubog sa adbokasiya o diskurso. Wag tayong palaging agit at reactionary.
Tignan maigi ang sitwasyon at ano ba ang sinasabi nila accla. Pag-isipan maigi kung kailangan ba warla agad ang approach o something na mas kalmado? Minsan, mas mabuting mag-reach out to gently and compassionately converse and enlighten rather than attack.
Minsan, and in some situations, mas effective yung, “Sis, usap tayo… Ganito kaya yan…”
Let us learn to practice grace in our activism and advocacy.
