June is a month that’s always been significant for many Filipinos. It is a well-known time when we celebrate the Philippines’ Independence Day and honor the men and women who have made it possible in the first place.
However, this month holds more profound and special meaning for members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
As we honor our nation's freedom, LEGAZY® is here to share facts about why June is also the celebration of Pride Month and why it is important to support and fight against hate and discrimination toward the LGBTQIA+ community.
Get to know why Pride month is more than just a celebration of one’s freedom of expressing their gender identity, and learn how Filipinos began celebrating this yearly like our western counterparts.
And if you are already an active member or supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community. We’re here to help you better understand our country’s Pride Month history while adding a touch of Pride colors to your style with LEGAZY®’s Sukbit 1.0 and Bayong 1.0 vMALAYA collection.
Express your freedom in gorgeous hues with LEGAZY®’s Sukbit 1.0 or Bayong 1.0 vMALAYA bags while standing in solidarity for equality for all Filipinos, no matter their gender identity.
And before we jump into how our country celebrates Pride Month, we need to go back to how it began in the U.S.A.
On June 28, 1970, the very first gay Liberation March was led by LGBTQIA+ groups and activists to stand up and fight for Civil Rights for all members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Thousands of members took the streets of New York City to fight for their freedom. This began a movement that would lead to an annual celebration of honoring one’s gender identity and rights to be who they are, love freely, and fight back against discrimination and oppression.
From the first Liberation March held in New York City, it has later become a more well-known event across the world as “Pride March”, an annual celebration for members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
As the decades went by, the LGBTQIA+ community worldwide took this month as a time to stand up and show their pride in being who they are. It is also a time to educate the public on respecting one’s gender identity.
This historic moment in the U.S.A. also left a mark in the Philippines. On June 26, 1994, the Progressive Organization of Gays in the Philippines (PROGAY Philippines) and the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) organized the very first Pride March not just in the Philippines but also within Asia. Over 60 participants marched from EDSA at Quezon Avenue to Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City.
While the very first Pride March in the Philippines began small in numbers, it impacted society to see the courage of the LGBTQIA+ community to stand up and fight for equality in our country.
Since the very first Pride March, June has been recognized for the annual celebration of the “Pride March.” It has become an avenue for the LGBTQIA+ community to voice out their concerns and fight for change in our society.
In 1996, the Metro Manila Pride march was spearheaded by the ReachOut Foundation. It became the first time the Filipino queer community united in solidarity and presented themselves to the broader Filipino society. This became part of igniting a solid stance for LGBTQIA+ visibility in the Philippines.
After three years, the ReachOut Foundation handed the responsibilities of their organization to Task Force Pride on organizing the nation’s Pride Marches, which they have upheld for two decades.
While some might think these parades through the Metro Manila area are only an annual event. The Philippine Pride March goes beyond just tradition. It even unites other causes for the change in the country in a continuous effort for the Filipino people to be heard. It has even allowed other organizations to advocate and promote the human rights of genders and sexual minorities in the Philippines.
Through the years, the Pride Parade in Metro Manila became a peaceful protest and a chance for the LGBTQIA+ community to unite under a single purpose. It became an avenue for providing and building a safer and better community for its members and allies.
And as a bonus fact, the Pride flag, which represents equal colors of the rainbow, became a symbol of hope and diversity for the LGBTQIA+ community and a sign of support for non-members.
Thus, as a brand that believes in the possibilities of a better future for all Filipinos. LEGAZY® shows its support to the diverse LGBTQIA+ Filipino members and employees by releasing its limited-edition Sukbit 1.0 and Bayong 1.0 vMALAYA collection.
The inspiration for the Sukbit 1.0 and Bayong 1.0 vMALAYA collection stems from the equality depicted in the Pride Flag and how its importance echoes within the LGBTQIA+ community. Because the light shines brighter in the darkness, and hope burns within every Filipino. Both Sukbit and Bayong are available in 3 unique colors representing the transition of time from day to night; Umaga, Gabi, and Dapit-hapon.
This vMALAYA collection honors our Filipino LGBTQIA+ community. It conveys that we are free to choose our identity and love without restrictions or discrimination.
As the rainbow shines brightest after the rain, we, as individuals, can show our most tremendous potential after overcoming hardships in life.
May all members and allies of the LGBTQIA+ community continue to hold their heads up high and be prouder, bolder, and louder to be the Filipinos and humans that can change our society for the better.
Sa malayang bansa, pagbabago ay makakamtan!