Exactly 110,752 members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual (LGBTQIA+) community, alongside allies, loudly and proudly raised their pride flags at the Love Laban Pride PH Festival held at the Quezon Memorial Circle (QMC), Quezon City last June 24.
The record-breaking crowd paved the way to make ‘Love Laban’ the largest pride celebration across South East Asia. The said event was spearheaded by the Quezon City Government and Pride PH, a non-profit organization. It also became a feat for the host municipality as a fourfold increase over the 25,000 attendees from the previous year took place.
The Pride Expo and Bazaar kicked off the long-day festivity at 10 AM. More than a hundred booths are set up inside the venue by different sponsors, organizations, and LGBTQIA+ businesses to accommodate the hefty number of participants. Long lines are observed in food stalls and kiosks offering games rewarded with rainbow-themed merchandise prizes.
Amongst thousands of attendees are the couple Princess and Jaz Tevez with their four-year-old daughter, Samiya. “QC Love Laban is perhaps the best pride celebration that we’ve been to because it is our first time to come as a family”, Jaz said. “Moreover, we’re also excited to see celebrities perform, of course, have fun as open lesbian partners, and gradually let Samiya feel the love from an accepting community that we are in,” Princess added.
In the afternoon, the Pride March commences. The parade filled half the roads of the East and Kalayaan Avenues with colorful floats, lively bands entailing the participants waving their respective pride flags, and some maneuver comical acts. Tagging along are allies, non-government organizations, private businesses, ambassadors, and representatives of the diplomatic community heading back to QMC.
However, the parade was not only meant to be a festive celebration but also became a spectacle to protest as members of the LGBTQIA+ community displayed their placards shouting justice for their abused brothers and sisters and the urge for the Philippine government to pass the Sexual Orientation Gender Identity Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill.
“We heed for acceptance. Hindi ako nag dress nang ganito dahil gusto ko lang magpasikat. Gusto ko ipakita sa kanila kung sino talaga ako as an angel, not a devil. We want them to know that the LGBT are also human,” Louigie Rey, a SOGIE activist, expressed.
The Pride Night featured an array of lively and humorous performances by various LGBTQIA+ artists, drag queens, and celebrities.
“For me, sana maging eye opener [ang pride celebration] especially sa mga di pa tanggap, those who are in the closet. I’m hoping na matulungan nito yung mga taong hindi pa comfortable to present themselves. Let them understand that being part of the LGBT ay hindi kabawasan sa kanilang pagkatao. This is the right time to come out. 2023 na ‘di na panahon para magtago o matakot. Tanggap ka namin,” Kim Labastida shared.
Before the event's closing, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte expressed her gratitude to everyone who contributed to Love Laban's success and the attendees. She also pledged her unwavering support in the battle for equality for the queer community.
“Hindi na pwedeng maliitin, hindi na pwedeng balewalain, at hindi na pwedeng magbingi-bingihan sa ating panawagan na kayo ay tratuhin ng tama, at buong pusong tanggapin,” Belmonte, uttered in the latter part of the event about the record-breaking crowd and the community’s fight towards real equality.
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