Raise The Rainbow Flag

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,

Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+)
community has been put in the limelight
for quite some time now. Issue on the
legalization of same sex marriage has
been carefully scrutinized by our
lawmakers before taking their final
verdict.

Many are still confused as to the

difference between gender and sex and carelessly interchange them in daily communications.
Sex refers to as to being male or female based on what reproductive organ an individual
possesses. Gender on the other hand is personal.

Despite the growing support of people to the LGBT community, many still have doubts
as to its possible effects, may it be good or bad.

Members of the LGBTQ+ community has been the subject of unjust treatment such as
bullying, discrimination, lack of access to LGBT-related information, and in some cases,
physical or sexual assault. This has just created a new type of barrier among mankind where we
judge people when they do not align with what we are used to and not just see them for who
they are, as a person. “When I was in high school, they pushed me, punched me. When I got out
of school, they followed me, pushed me and called me ‘gay,’ ‘faggot,’ things like that.”,
expressed by a 19-year-old gay student from Olongapo City, Carlos M. This sad experience
further supports the horrible fact that this creates more rifts that make teamwork and
camaraderie hard to achieve in school.

As the old maxim says, “Man fears what he does not understand”
and this line inspires the SSG to start educating the students and make
them realize that difference in gender doesn’t affect one’s human rights.
Members of the LGBTQ+ community should be able to freely express their
sexuality while participating in the different activities in the school. The
SSG has started to establish different non-academic clubs that, not only
promote students’ participation, but also provide them an opportunity to
shine their creativity without the fear of being bullied in different fields.
The launching of these non-academic clubs will hopefully serve as a good
start to promote gender-equality and foster camaraderie among
studentry.