Happy 20th Anniversary UP Babaylan
The History of LGBTQ+ Visibility in the Philippines
By Carlos Diego A. Rozul This month of June marks a significant event within the LGBTQ+ community around the world. It was in June 1969 when the Stonewall Riot in Manhattan, New York ultimately turned the tides in the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States, which is why the world celebrates LGBT Pride in the month of June [1] . Filipino LGBT youth today may not be aware of the history of a community where they belong. Within the Philippines' conservative culture, the community’s roots have long been ignored by many. As such, let us take a quick look at the history of the LGBT movement in the Philippines, from its indigenous conceptualization to today’s advocacy for the anti-discrimination bill. The first account of women and gender crossing men playing major roles in the Philippine society was the Babaylan , a priestess who was a bounty of knowledge and spirituality. The babaylan even had the power to take charge of the barangay (community) in the absence of the datu (commun...
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