I attended at least two pride marches in Manila prior to joining Indigo. Once was as a spectator, the other, as a last-minute streamer holder.  I was amazed and, frankly speaking, a little envious of the people organizing such colorful shows of LGBT pride.  For me then, it was all glamour. 

During my initiation to Task Force Pride (TFP) as one of the representatives of Indigo, I came to know the organizing committee, its member orgs, and the persons behind the event.  It was for me a privilege to meet the people I saw and admired: the advocates of the LGBT community were now getting acquainted with me!  I learned about their plans, views and vision of the Philippine’s LGBT community.  I came to know the faces behind the advocacy. 

TFP is a microcosm of the LGBT community.  It is representative of the lesbians, gays, and transgenders; I have yet to meet a person in TFP who identifies as bisexual. It was in this stage of initiation that all of the glamour I saw vanished. Organizing the Pride March and the activities leading to it was taxing physically, emotionally, and financially on every person involved.  Nonetheless, it was such a joy to discover

that lesbians and gays could work well together, hand in hand.  There was a feeling of community - of purpose.

Earlier this year, I was voted by the steering committee to be TFP’s coordinator.  In short, I was to be TFP’s "slave".  TFP in its roster counted some thirteen member organizations, more than double that in individual personalities.

It was a lovely nightmare.  Before I even accepted the position, two of TFP’s former coordinators promised to help me.  With that promise alone, I went on to carry my duties.

First on the agenda were of course, money matters.  Staging the Pride Month Activities, the Pride March, and the program afterwards needed funding. Although we were all volunteers. Surely we could not "volunteer" our savings- only our time.  We sent letters to every company we could think of, whom we thought could or would help.  All of them rejected.  Wherelse?, the club at the Intercon, promised to help us in their own way.  Yes, they did help. 

Before the end of May 2002, the June Pride Month Activities were still yet to be finalized.  Money was still not sufficient. Performers for the Post Parade Program would confirm at first and then after a day or so, retract their confirmation.  Press releases were due, yet only a few had been made.  TFP’s statement was still to be edited at this late time. 

Everything was in shambles.  I could hardly sleep or eat.  The tension was building inside of me and was taking its toll on my personal relationships, but I still managed to put up a cheerful and smiling face.  My co-indigos were telling me to relax and that things would sink in their proper places.  I needed warm bodies; yet all I got were cold shoulders.  So, was this handful of people all I had? Were these are the only people I could depend on? Well, so be it. 

By middle of June - Pride Month already - I was still worried.  Although TFP had lined up a very interesting calendar of activities - nineteen to be exact leading to Pride Day, June 29, I could not relax.

At one of TFP’s general assemblies, somebody commented that there weren't enough lesbian performers for the Pride March cultural program. So a group of lesbians, myself included, promised to give a surprise number for the program.  The practice for this dance number was something of a breather for me.  It kept my sanity.  All I had to think of during practice was the dance steps and the guts I needed to wear my costume come Pride Day.   No sweat!  The MISTERYOSAS were born.

Five days before June 29, I could hardly sleep.  Nutrition came in the form of yogurt, coffee, bread, and Marlboro Lights - with the occasional rice and viand.  No wonder why I now have 2 inches off my waist! Money was finally trickling in - I wouldn’t have minded if it rained money all day!  My trips to the bank made me realize more that we could do with more money.  The proper contingencies were finally made, and was able to relax - a bit.

There were two more days to go. I started to just "let things happen".  Sleepless, hungry, and tense, I made trips from my place in Manila to Makati, then to Quezon City, and back to Makati, and again back to Quezon City before going home to Manila.  No words could describe my feelings. In my tension, I was "relaxed".

Pride Day came up, and as they say, the rest was history. 

There were some people, after the Pride March and program, congratulated me for a job well done.  Well, I don’t deserve it all.  People were behind me - few as they were, they helped a lot. 

My term as coordinator is not yet up.  I still have some things to do - some wrapping-up of sorts.  To organize an LGBT pride event is to realize that you are a part of a community - a community of different personalities, values, and advocacies.  It is in the Pride activities that we must showcase them all. I realized that the celebration is not only for the LGBT community.  It is a celebration for society. 

The Pride March is not just a show of numbers and colorful costumes.  It is a show of solidarity.  The people who marched with their costumes are not people whom we should laugh at, but people who would like to show the world that they are people and that they have this innate freedom of expression. 

We march to celebrate our Pride.  We march to show solidarity and equality in diversity.  Let us not forget that we march for those who cannot march for themselves.  An increasing number of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders may seem more "visible", but many remain anonymous.  These people who remain anonymous are the reason we march.  They are the reason we celebrate PRIDE.  We show the world we are proud - so that maybe, in time, they can show the world their pride too. 

Many are still victims of discrimination and prejudice.  Many still don’t care.  It is these reasons that have inspired me to go on despite the hurdles.  It is for the lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders who are still prisoners of society’s prejudice.

Pride, not Prejudice.   Solidarity and Equality in Diversity.  After all, there is Beauty in Diversity.

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About The Author
Chris, as she is called by her wife - Kokoy to her Indigo friends - drives a car lovingly named Macho. She was last year's and (still) 2003 Overall Coordinator of the June 2002 Task Force Pride activities.