Let us tell the world of His love

Let us tell the world of His love

A forum on Queer Theology, with a theme, “Let us tell the world of His love 2”

University of the Philippines – Cebu, AVR 1, January 24, 2012, 1:00pm – 5:00pm

In partnership with UP Cebu Student Council and Social Science 5 students

By Roxanne Omega-Doron

Founder and President, Bisdak Pride, Inc.

Good afternoon, everyone.

Today, as a matter of historical commitment to individuals with different sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) we celebrate, rejoice and discern the word of God. Given our diversity, we wish to extend our warm welcome to individuals for their presence and solidarity, in particular the Social Science 5 students of Ms. Kaira Alburo and UP Cebu Student Council for agreeing to host our activity.

“Oneness”, this is the reason we came-up with a program on “Queer Theology” since 2007. We are all one and the same in His image and likeness.

To fully understand the historical context of this undertaking, let me recall some important milestones in our Queer Theology advocacy.

History and Circumstances

On May 2007, upon the request of our dear friend, Oscar Atadero of ProGay Philippines, to accommodate our guest from Chicago Theological Seminary, we never blink for a second thought. Deeply honored, we welcomed and enjoyed the presence of Dr. Theodore Jennings Jr. or Ted.

Ted, as we call him, was formerly the Acting Academic Dean of Chicago Theological Seminary; author of various theological and philosophical books used by theology and philosophy students all over the world, and a nominee of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender and Queer or LGBTQ Book Award in the U.S.

We accommodated his presence because we fully support all calls to end homophobia. . Our peers in Minglanilla, Cebu, members of Gay Empowerment of Minglanilla or GEM offered their Hawaiian hospitality coupled with sumptuous food in a beach resort.

Two months later, I attended the “8^th Defending Our Faith: Religion, Gender and Sexuality” in Bohol. The week-long seminar-workshop is a project of Health Action Information Network or HAIN with support from The David and Lucille Packard Foundation.

During the seminar-workshop, discussions revolve around various religious teachings, like:

The prohibition of artificial contraception; Prohibition of condoms for the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections; The judgmental attitudes toward abortion;

Propagation of norms of passivity and subservience for women; Discrimination against homosexuals; and Opposition to sex education.

It is indeed liberating because at the end of the workshop, all participants were able to:

Understand that religions are not monolithic, that there are varying views and positions among officials, clergy and laity; Understand the social and historical circumstances that shape official Catholic Church policies on gender and sexuality; Understand how Catholic dogma shapes powerful ideologies around gender and sexuality, and how these affect laws and other policies in the secular sphere; Understand how scriptures are used, sometimes oppressively and sometimes in a liberating way, to justify certain views about gender and sexuality; Understand aspects of moral theology and ethics in the way they relate to gender and sexuality; Apply knowledge acquired from the workshop to personal and professional concerns; and Stimulate interest for further work in the area of religion and sexuality.

The said gatherings deepened our understanding of the complex relationship of religion vis-à-vis gender and sexuality. It further reinforced our swelled passion to introduce a new advocacy called Queer Theology.

A few months later, we discussed Queer Theology in Carcar City, Cebu in the middle of the night. The participation of Generous (formerly Gifted), Intelligent, Friendly, and Talented Sissies of Carcar or GIFTS became the first to receive a discussion on such an important topic.  

On February 2009, a ground-breaking forum on “Queer Theology: Impact to Queer Communities in Third World Countries” was conducted at the University of San Carlos with no less than Prof. Jennings as guest-lecturer. The activity was supported by three academic departments, namely, Department of Sociology-Anthropology, Political Science and Psychology, and was given generous support from Health Action Information Network and LGBTQ Center of Chicago Theological Seminary.

The morning session focused more on the academe and the afternoon delved more on the practical concerns of LGBTs in rural areas, which was participated by various local LGBT organizations from the municipalities of Minglanilla, San Fernando and Sibonga, Cebu. It was an important milestone in keeping the faith alive among the marginal voices.

On September 2009, an echo-workshop on “Defending Community Voices: Religion, Gender and Sexuality” with a theme, “Let us tell the world of His love”, which was supported by HAIN was conducted here in Cebu.

The objectives of the said echo-workshop were conceptualized in Baguio City on June 2009 during the level two seminar-workshops on “Defending Community Voices: Religion, Gender and Sexuality”. Among others, I am grateful to my colleagues who spent days and nights revising the objectives and conceptualizing the module. Let me thank Eddie Batoon, staff of Iwag Davao, Inc., Alvin Macaranas,  Ph.D in Philosophy student at the University of the Philippines in Diliman and Leo Quintilla, of UP Ilo-ilo and secretary of the Board of Directors of HAIN.

We adopted the objectives and the title of the first undertaking of “Let us tell the world of His love”. Hence, today’s activity is Part Two. We hope that at the end of our activity today, we will be able to:

Know that God loves everyone regardless of one’s sexual orientation; Read in the Bible that one’s sexuality is a gift; Respond critically to issues concerning faith and sexuality; Share with others the learning gained from our activity; Recognize diversities among sexual minorities; and, Be more responsible in the exercise of one’s faith and sexuality.

And on May 2010, during the gathering of United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) ministers in Silliman University, I was able to present Bisdak Pride’s stand on religion, gender and sexuality and how we, as a human rights LGBT group counter Church oppositions on gender and sexuality.

Queer Theology, on the other hand, is for everyone, Catholics and Protestants and even believers and non-believers. No specific religion owned it, because it is ecumenical. Even if one does not believe in the concept of God, or Yahweh, or Allah and even Anito, Queer Theology is for them, because one may take away the concept of a mystical Supreme Being, but one cannot take away the universality of love, respect, equality and oneness – which defines our existence.

While we do not leave by bread alone, “understanding queer theology is beyond queer and theology. We should also dig deeper into the economic, social and political aspect of the LGBTQ communities. Otherwise, the queer that we know is incomplete and the theology that we appreciate and adhere is non-existent.”

We are also beholden to the following for giving our advocacy on Queer Theology a remarkable inception: Dr. Theodore Jennings Jr., of Chicago Theological Seminary, Dr. Michael Tan, Dean of the University of the Philippines - Diliman College of Social Sciences and Philosopy, Sr. Mary Graham of the Maryknoll Sisters, Frs. Percy Juan Bacani and Eugenius Mariae Cañete of the Missionaries of Jesus and  Prof. Yasmin Busran – for providing the theoretical foundation. To Dr. Erlinda Castro-Palaganas, Joyce Valbuena, Nilda de Vera, Tere Godito and all the staff of HAIN – for keeping our faith alive.

Before I end, let me introduce our guest-lecturer. He is our Vice-President, an Associate Professor in Silliman University and a Ph.D. student at Chicago Theological Seminary. He may not be (as of the moment) an exact replica of Dr. Jennings intellect. But I’ll tell you, he will surely inherit a portion of it. He is Karl James Villarmea.

Now, let us once again celebrate the Word of God, by telling the world of His love.

Serve God and the People! Thank you very much!

Holiday Greetings 2011

Happy Holidays!

In behalf of Bisdak Pride, Inc., I wish to extend my boundless joy and thanks for giving us the opportunity to unite for and because of the LGBT / MSM community for the past year.

As a human rights organization dedicated to uphold, advance and protect the rights and responsibilities of persons with different sexual orientation and gender identity in the Bisaya (hence, Bisdak Pride) speaking populace, it is of utmost importance to ensure and intensify urgent social concerns affecting our community (i.e., HIV/AIDS prevention, human rights violations etc.).

It is on this premise that we will continue our tradition of assisting the marginal voices of the communities we served in order to cherish and enjoy, reflect and discern the holiday season in good faith.

In solidarity,

Roxanne Omega Doron

President

Strengthening our Oneness, Advocating our Rights

As we remember the creation of Human Rights Day on 10 December, 63 years ago this week of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we pay tribute and offer the highest honor and salute to all human rights defenders who sacrificed their life and ask you to take part in the arduous struggle for the genuine fulfillment of human rights for the marginal voices.

This is why, we, the convenors of S.O.A.R or Strenthening our Oneness, Advocating our Rights is organizing a one-week educational caravan on “Promoting Human Rights in the Context of HIV/AIDS, LGBT-Discrimination, Trafficking of Women and Children and Students Rights and Welfare.”

The objective of the activity is to popularize the principles of human rights and applying it in different context like HIV and AIDS, discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI), trafficking of women and children and students rights and welfare.

These topics seem to be different and irrelevant from each other, however, from micro and macro level, they are all interrelated, interdependent, and inalienable. In other words, discussing the issues of students’ rights and welfare hand-in-hand with the issues confronting the rapid increase of HIV cases among young adolescents is more urgent than ever. It also holds true with trafficking of women and children as an important societal issue that should be addressed head-on by all sectors in our society including students and the LGBT or Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Transgender community.

As long as the majority of the Filipino people are deprived of their right to own the land they till or receive a just and living wage, fulfillment and realization of human rights will remain far-fetched. The continued social deprivation of the Filipino people from their basic right to life and living is a good breeding ground for more victims of women and children trafficked and deepening discrimination based on SOGI.

An unjustified increase in tuition and other school fees will surely diminished the hopes of every student from earning a degree; thus, exposing them to issues like trafficking, commercial sex work, and HIV and AIDS.

On the other hand, what is alarming is that, “The Philippines is a source country and, to a much lesser extent, a destination and transit country for men, women, and children who are subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. A significant number of Filipino men and women who migrate abroad for work are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude worldwide.” (US Trafficking in Persons Report 2011: Philippines)

Hence, the need to strengthen our oneness and advocate for the rights and welfare of everyone because it is our inherent right to do so.

Strengthening our Oneness, Advocating Our Rights (S.O.A.R) A collaborative effort of Bisdak Pride, Inc., Rotaract Club of Metro Mandaue 2006 – SWU Chapter, Student Council Alliance of the Philippines – Cebu, and Good Shepherd Welcome House.(rod)

Message sent

5.14pm/26.08.11/rod

To compliment efforts to ensure our continuing contribution and passionate commitment to prevent, reverse or to maintain it at its alarming condition (read: hidden and growing) the spread of HIV/AIDS epidemic, Bisdak Pride Inc. (BPI) sponsored the 7.00pm and 9.30pm Cebu premiere of “Zombadings 1: Patayin sa shokot si Remington” last 25 August 2011 at SM City Cebu Cinema 2.

The film was produced, written and directed by an-all writers media group Origin8 Media Inc. BPI, a non-stock non-profit  gender equality advocates since 2005, organized the premiere to ensure that the activity will help boosts the film’s rating in time for its national regular screening last 31 August.  

This is part of our commitment to support locally produced and exceptional films that tackles the standard issues of the day. Zombadings is one film that stirs debate. It lurks into our consciousness and mobilizes our thoughts, allowing us to understand the film as it presents issues worthy of our support. No film, with all its vigor and creativity that breaks ice – save Zombadings – can present such ease and comfort.

All proceeds of the film will go to our HIV/AIDS prevention campaign dubbed as “Pink Mobile Discussion Group” a one-year internally-funded project which will be implemented to various communities, schools, and workplaces.

The advance screening coincided with the one-week conference on HIV/AIDS response organized by the Local Government Academy (LGA). The one-week conference, was attended by local government officials from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Health (DOH) nationwide and Men-Having-Sex-With-Men and Transgender (MSM/TG) communities in the Visayas.

I am thankful that some delegates attended the advanced screening. Thanks to Anastacio Marasigan and Renier Bona of TLF Share Collective Inc., Philip Castro of UNDP Philippines AIDS response, Glenn Cruz of the Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC), Jerson See and some Cebu Plus Inc. members and volunteers, Dr. Ilya Abellanosa-Tac-an of the Cebu City Multi-Sectoral AIDS Council (CCMSAC) and some staff, Ronnie Sab-a adviser of Self-Motivated Gays of Barangay Luz (SEMGAB) together with some members, members of Gay Empowerment of Minglanilla (GEM), the dashing Magdalena Robinson of COLORS together with some glittering members, among others.

To Cebu’s academic community, our advocacy partners, thank you for watching and appreciating the film.

To the following sponsors whose passion and commitment to help the advocacy of BPI, were also there giving their support and moving us an inch closer to sainthood. Thank you!

To Dreamline Productions Inc., Cebu’s premiere production outfit for the tarpaulin, discounted tickets, for the photos and videos, thank you. We cannot reminisce our beautiful smiles and moving acts without you guys. Esteemed thanks to their president Mikio Makino Jr for all the support.

For plugging daily the screening of Zombadings, many thanks to ASLE Resto Bar, owned by Charina and Tony White for giving our staff and volunteers the dinner reception they rightfully deserved. To the bands performing at ASLE’s thank you for plugging Zombadings screenings everyday for a week. Such simple gestures really help a lot.  

Giving us a taste of Cebu’s glorious Spanish delicacy heritage, countless thanks to IPAR’s Spanish Restaurant. IPAR’s delighted not only our empty stomachs but also our press conference due to its delicately and well decorated restaurant. The press conference was attended by Cebu’s active bloggers and mainstream media, they give us and the film a more fitting and appropriate space.

To my dearest friend, Ferliza Contratesta, the host of SUGBO PAGPANGINLABOT, a daily radio-magazine program aired live from 7:00pm-8:00pm on Bantay Radyo DYDD 1260 KHz for giving away free tickets to its loyal listeners, please accept my boundless joy.  

To Casa Escario for the free lunch to the cast, thank you.

To Cebu Fair Trade Shop for selling tickets, many thanks.

To the Law Students Leauge of Cebu, most especially to Jaime Tumulak, thank you for all the support.

Finally, to the Cebu City Legislative Council especially to Hon. Raul D. Alcoseba and Hon. Alvin Dizon whose support for BPIs endeavors is exceptional. We hope to sustain our collaboration in the years to come. (to be continued)

Death of an Angel

Pain cannot suffice our sorrow over the death of Ellah Joy Pique, a six-year-old elementary pupil of Calajoan Elementary School in Calajoan, Minglanilla, Cebu. Abducted on her way home by a pedophile Caucasian male together with a Filipina counterpart, Ellah Joy was deceived and joined the death ride she never wished to happen to her.

Innocent as she was, the culprits succeeded. Her decomposed body was found 40 kms. away from their home a day after she was last seen. Naked and wrapped inside white blankets with three big rocks and tied with a cable, the innocent child was found below a cliff with brushes and contusions in her head and both arms.

One can only imagine a defenseless little girl being robbed off her right to breathe under the hands of individuals without mercy. The autopsy report added tremendous pain. It showed that the innocent little girl was struck in the head and had bruises on her shoulders, indicating a struggle. And a lacerated wound in the head causing her death.

A lot has been said over the death of Ellah Joy. The entire community is grieving. Our indescribable hatred to the culprits reached beyond we can imagine. Our pain diminishes us all. How can we assure ourselves that Ellah Joy will be the last? How can we assure that the community we are living will experience the kind of safety children like Ellah Joy need?

We asked. As if answers will comfort us. And hoping it will never happen again. But can comfort replace the death of an angel?

And then, a lot of Ellah Joy’s are dying each day too.

While her death is truly unimaginable and throwing the culprits into a cliff may not be sufficient to give justice to her untimely demise, why can’t we grieve also to those like her, innocent and young, literally dying in the midst of an un-mindful society? We ignore them, minding our own business. And grieve only when their death is reported and we begin to howl.

We are a society filled with children who are prone to inhumane conditions. In school, children attending classes with empty stomach suddenly collapsed before the flag ceremony. Child labor, as a product of an unjust social structure is rampant. Instead of going to school, children begin to work to help feed the family and their right to experience the beautiful life of childhood is taken away from them. Others are involved in a more disturbing and deeply saddening situation – sex work.

Those are material basis for culprits who abducted Ellah Joy is taking advantage of. Such is a grim reminder of our society filled with hypocrisy where children are easy targets.

Widespread poverty, corrupt justice system and ineffective bureaucracy are reason enough why demons like them used the Philippines and in particular the rural areas as their base to exploit the young and innocent. As long as our children will continue to live this way, more children are vulnerable to be the next Ellah Joy and bleed the headlines.

And our hearts will continue to melt in pain, grieving and dying each day in the midst of an environment that aided the death of Ellah Joy.

1.1.11

Today, I remember the other life.

A few minutes before 12:00 midnight, as we welcome the first day of the first year of the second decade of the millennium, our dogs and all the animals that strived to co-exist with human beings painfully wondered how brutal we can be to them. Our actions directed as if we are solely the lone lodger of a decaying world. Our celebrations as we welcome the New Year with a bang are self-destructive that we haven’t foreseen it’s after effects. Perhaps, the most that we destroyed are the animals we claim to be our best friends whose ultra-sensitive senses we utterly destroyed. For how long should we realize that human beings are not the only sentient beings?

Today is a good day to renew one’s commitment for life after destroying or altering the life of animals.

As I promised last year, and I still do now, I should take good care of my decaying health. Though exposed to some of the physical exercises like swimming and walking on a regular basis, I still cannot deviate myself from unwanted and highly destructive practices which might lead to disastrous consequences, eating is one. However conscious and cautious, the denial of one’s rights started without understanding and access to the right to information. I should not deny myself the right to know, I promised.

Like what I am doing now, I am drinking decaffeinated coffee without sugar. I wanted to limit my sugar intake. Maybe, a day without sugar will do or, a day without salt too. Today, I ignored the meat and only ate fruits and bread. Perhaps that’s enough for a soul that wanted to limit itself to what is available? Not difficult to digest, everyday we see people begging just so a cent that we gave will fill the empty stomach they have. But begging is not good. Why should people beg when others are extravagant and lazy? And why should people beg when natural resources are for all. Truly, we should abhor unequal distribution of wealth.

For how often should we remember the things that should not happen at all. Given the full stomach of select few everyday, millions are wallowing and starving in their misery. Perhaps enough to concede and put a limit to ourselves. But conceding is not enough, never will be. It allows the millions more in their misery to be deprived of their right to life. Defeating misery will do.

For sure, going organic before it’s too late will help fighting misery? Making it a lifestyle now will not only improved one’s health and fitness. Not the commercialized organic, but the organic in our backyards and neighboring sari-sari stores. It also encourages maximizing limited area for backyard gardening. It means you are going green. Going organic is also hitting two birds (or several thereof) with a single stone. It protects our only planet; it discourages massive exploitation of our limited natural resources.

It mobilizes people to be contented with what they have as opposed to consumerist practices we are exposed to.

Today, I remember all these. And hope to remember them again in the next year or two to come.

Web log

“Utilize the blog while it is free,” said an editor of a local newspaper a few years back.

I learned to blog almost half a decade ago. First as a depository of my old and not-so-good articles published in some student publications, Voice of Talamban (VOT) and Today’s Carolinian (TC), during my university days on the early and late 1990s.

(I served as editor of VOT, official student publication of the University of San Carlos (USC) College of Engineering and TC, official publication of USC students.)

Now dead, both campus papers demised were also the time of the popularity of web log and online journalism.

Writing for campus paper then was the only visible and effective means for aspiring writers and critical thinkers to propagate their influences, prior to the advent of web log. It could have been different if blog was visible during those days.

Second, as the public figure of several progressive organizations (i.e., Anakbayan) during the late 1990s until the middle of the decade of the first decade of the current century, I wrote the progressive stand of the organization and submitted it to local newspapers for publishing.

So, I needed an online space to ensure a wider audience as well as a depository of published opinion pieces. Hence, the birth of binignitogchopsuey.

Until I realized web log is beyond depository of old and assorted ideas.

Though not often, I write some of my most important commentaries here. Since my exposure and social practice derived from the fact as a political and social activist, most of the articles here are a complete expression of the dialectical relations of economic, political and cultural analysis to issues as complex as societal change and as “shallow” as vacation and traveling.

I am writing this because, lately, I was able to take a look and awed by the elements of blogger.com which I found interactive and provided self-fulfillment.

For example, I found “Stats” as an important tool of my web log to monitor my audience, posts and traffic sources.

Surprised, my audience are scattered in ten countries. Still counting, topping the list is the Philippines with 658 audiences, following the colonial connection the US ranks second with 137. Counting countries instead of individual audience, my blog is present in European countries with Germany - 43, Turkey - 31, Russia - 18, and France and Italy with 15 each.

Latin America is represented by Colombia and Mexico, 20 and 13 audiences respectively. Surprisingly, the presence of China ranks last with 9 audiences. I wonder where my South East Asian readers are.

Most read posts are also included. Page views by Browsers and Operating Systems used provided a detailed statistics.

Like any “lazy” writer, I rarely re-write. I just write in a way that comes naturally, perhaps a glaring limitation of my blog. Not to mention some grammatical, sentence structure and language problems.

Beyond syntax, blogging is serious – dead serious. A blogger should use it to propagate not just the whims and caprices of individuals, but also our collective desires for a truly free and democratic society (and cyberspace) – while it is still “free.”