LGBT – Nasaan na nga ba ang Lipunan sa usaping ito?

LGBT – Nasaan na nga ba ang Lipunan sa usaping ito?

Aldrian C. Valles

Bilang isang Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, o Transgender dito sa Pilipinas, tingin sa kanila ay hindi “normal”. Marami ang nagsasabi na “Ang lahat ng tao ay pantay-pantay lalo na sa mata ng Diyos” pero bakit marami pa rin sa kanila ang parang hindi tanggap ng lipunan?

Pagkakapantay-pantay, pagmamahal, at pagtanggap – ito lamang ang kanilang higit na kailangan at kanilang ipinaglalaban pero marami pa rin sa kanila ay nakakatanggap ng mga pangungutya mula sa ibang tao. Kung minsan, nakakatanggap rin sila ng pangungutya mula sa kanilang pamilya at mga kaibigan. Sa halip na pagtanggap at pagmamahal, ang kanilang natatanggap ay walang tigil na pang-aabusong emosyonal. May mga pagkakataon na nakararamdam rin sila ng hindi pagtanggap mula sa simbahan ng iba’t-ibang relihiyon. Madalas, sila ay pinagtatawanan habang dumadaan. Tinitignan sila mula ulo hanggang talampakan. Marami sa kanila’y hindi tanggap ng kanilang mga pamilya lalo na ng kanilang ama.

Para sa akin, hindi kailanman dapat maging hadlang ang kasarian sa pagkakaroon ng maligayang buhay at Tagumpay sa mga adhikain. Ang mahalaga ay wala tayong ibang taong tinatapakan. Huwag mong ikahiya kung ikaw ay isa sa kanila. Sila din minsan ay mas maraming alam at mas mahusay sa paghahanap-buhay at iba pang mga kapaki-pakinabang na gawain.

Isang magandang Halimbawa ay so Aiza Seguerra na isang proud lesbian. Siya ngayon ay isang sikat na singer, isang mahusay na kompositor, at mainpluwensiyang youth advocate. Si Vice Ganda naman ay isang proud gay/transgender. Isa rin siyang sikat na komedyante, nakabenta ng libo-libong album bilang isang mang-aawit, at isa na rin ngayong matagumpay na negosyante. Siya ay sikat na sikat hindi lamang dito sa Pilipinas kundi maging sa ibang bansa. Si Rustom Padilla na ngayon ay kilala na bilang Binibining Gandang Hari o Bb Gandang Hari ay isa namang proud na transgender. Noon, siya ay isang magaling na actor ngunit ngayon ay isa na siyang sikat na modelo sa ibang bansa.

Isa lamang ang aking nais iparating sa lahat. Dapat nang itigil natin ang panghuhusga sa ating mga kapwa lalo na sa mga miyembro ng LGBTQ. Dapat nating irespeto ang kanilang pagkatao at mga desisyon. Dapat natin silang tanggapin dahil tulad din natin sila na taong mayroong mga pangarap na gustong makamit, may karapatang mabuhay nang may pantay na karapatang tinatamasa, at marunong magmahal at nangangailangan din ng pagmamahal.

Games we Play by Emmanuel A. Parajeto

We all played games. It started in our childhood. We loved playing with other kids even with the ones that we don’t really know well. We enjoyed playing all kinds of games and we look forward to playing outside whenever we’re doing something else. It made life fantastic for us as children. Even though our clothes become dirty and our mothers reprimand us about it, it never stopped us from having fun. It doesn’t matter even when the sun is at its brightest and hottest. We didn’t care. We just couldn’t stop running, jumping, sliding, and hiding. Our skins got darker but we simply want to play some more.

We can’t get enough of Chinese Garter, Luksong Baka, Luksong Tinik, Sipa, Patintero, Dodge Ball, Paliboy, and more. There is no gender discrimination when it comes to playing. We capitalized on our social skills and team work to win each game. We didn’t really notice it at first because we were mostly after having fun but it actually did wonders to our body and our mind. It made our hearts beat faster and it made us sweat. Often, it took our breath away but after trying to steady our heartbeat by inhaling and exhaling oxygen, we’re good to go again and there’s that great feeling that we cannot simply define.

Nowadays, we only see few children in the playground or playing in the streets. Compared to the past years, children nowadays play someplace else. They can actually play games everywhere because they do it with their gadgets. More and more kids spend more time playing with their mobile devices. Some even choose to skip their meals whenever they can get away with it. Others cut classes just to feed their addiction. In the evening, you can easily spot them through the lights from their mobile device’s screen at they play in the dark. There are some children who are so young but are already wearing graded eyeglasses as their eyes’ health slowly deteriorates with lack of rest.

Yes, gadgets are useful. It is true. It can help us be more efficient. We can use it in communicating, browsing social media and web pages, creating PowerPoint presentations, downloading videos, documents, and other media, and playing different games. However, not all of us can set and handle limitations.

All in all, both traditional games and gadgets have their own unique advantages. Yes, we need to cope with the changes that time brings. However, we should not forget the laughter that we shared with our playmates when we played, soiled our shirts, and scraped our knees. Our traditional games are part of our culture. It speaks of how we are sporty, active, and resourceful. Besides, wouldn’t you want the next generation to experience the fun that you had in the streets even when your mother had to shout your full name for all your neighbors to hear while threatening you with a flip-flop, a belt, or a broom. Remember what you did? You probably ran home, laughing all the way!