NORDIS WEEKLY
April 17, 2005

 

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LESBOND: forging a new bond

BAGUIO CITY (April 15) – Arlene (not her real name) has no doubts about her sexuality.

She is a lesbian.

She has opened up to her friends, to her workmates, to the “whole world”, to everyone – except her family. For years, she has struggled not to let them know of her sexual preference.

“Ang daling sabihin sa iba na ‘hoy mag out ka na!’ pero ako mismo hindi ko magawa,”she says.

Though Arlene had the feeling that her mother knew her secret, she did not have the audacity to confirm it.

According to her, she is just mustering enough courage while waiting for the “right” time through the help of Lesbond (Lesbians for National Democracy) a Baguio-based lesbian support group.

She discovered the group through her partner.

Let’s “bond” in!

With a population of more than 260,000 individuals, www.utopia_asia.com (a popular site for gays and lesbians) speculates that there are at least 10,000 gays and lesbians in Baguio City.

It is not therefore unlikely to find gay core groups who have developed a sense of activism especially in addressing the issues of the sexual minority and by fighting for their cause.

One of these groups is Lesbond which was organized in the Baguio on September 1992. According to Malu S. Marin, a feminist essayist, it sprung out from the rap session on lesbianism conducted by KALAYAAN, a feminist group.

The Baguio participants continued having meetings after the rap session, leading to the eventual formation of the group.

Its original members consisted of NGO workers, members of the academe and private individuals.

According to Julie Palaganas, its current coordinator for Baguio, Lesbond was formed to “stir discussions in the community concerning homophobia with the ultimate aim of changing the perception of the larger society on homosexuals.”

From its original core group of 15, the organization expanded to 35 members, each representing different sectors such as the urban poor, professionals, cultural minorities, students and the academe.

Progressive lesbians

Lesbond is not a conventional lesbian rights group.

According Palaganas, the group goes beyond mere gender issues by incorporating social, political and economic issues which brings great impacts to the life of lesbians.

For them, lesbians do not live apart from these issues.

“We have found out that you cannot separate class issues from gender issues because a class is a factor in the allocation of privilege. If a lesbian is from a privileged class, she holds a social status far above the lesbian workers and peasants. The latter experience a lot of discrimination and homophobia in the workplace….they are the most vulnerable,” Palaganas said.

This progressive developed between 1993 and 1994, when greater awareness of the said issues became more evident among its members.

Members’ involvement in the militant women’s movement further intensified Lesbond’s yearning for change in the society.

“We encountered resistance from women activists before but later on they realized that lesbian issues are women issues as well,” said Palaganas.

In 1995, Lesbond was invited to become a part of the Baguio womens movement. In the congress of cordillera women organizations in 1996, it became a part of Innabuyog -Metro Baguio a local formation of the Gabriela, a nationwide women’s organization. Eventually in its 1997 national congress, Gabriela included the word “lesbian” in its constitution.

By and for the lesbians

“We noted antisocial tendencies of lesbian peer groups who commit violence such as involving themselves into rumbles and drug addiction,” Palaganas lamented.

With that, Lesbond initiated group discussions, counseling sessions and lectures. They have also initiated on going researches on these cases to help them deal with the sensitive issues in a more effective and comprehensive way.

“We should not maintain the image of the lesbian at that level. One key to the problem is by developing the self esteem on the part of the lesbian by intensive advocacy campaign,” said Palaganas.

According to Ayen ,a member of the Lesbond Council of Leaders, problems of individual members especially with their relationships are “openly” discussed in group as part of their counseling sessions.

Mobilization campaigns

Since Lesbond does not detach itself from the homosexual community, it continues to include gays in its agenda.

Currently, Lesbond faces the challenge of mobilizing the homosexual community, particularly working gays and lesbians in the city.

Discrimination divided homosexuals is also a big problem for the organizers.

“ ‘Ako ay doctor at ikaw ay PMA’er lamang’…ganun yung pag iisip ng iba, kaya nahihirapan kaming pagsamahin sila, though in the end napag uusapan naman,” added Ayen.

Lesbond has devised ways and strategies to solve these problems such as planning to organize sports fest and social events for gays and lesbians. These however will see full realization within the coming months.

The tough gets going

Lesbond conducts activities in partnership with members of Pro-Gay Philippines.Last December 2004, Lesbond was one of the organizers of the Baguio Pride March.

At the national level, Lesbond has been one of the key movers behind large conferences on lesbian issues.

Consequently, in 1998 it was one of the associations behind the First National Lesbian Conference.

However, the lime light grew bigger for Lesbond during the campaign for the ouster of former President Estrada. Its campaign slogan GALIT-ERAP or Gays and Lesbians for the Immediate Tsugi of Erap was imitated by Pro-Gay and Lesbond formations in other regions.

“They even called us to ask for our permission if they can use our slogan,” recalls Palaganas.Likewise, the campaign of Lesbond was covered by national dailies such as the Inquirer.

Palaganas believes that the campaign drew a positive light for homosexuals for “it delivered a strong message that gays and lesbians are actively involved in making and unmaking history.”

Homophobia dilemma

In a heterosexually dominated society, the sexual minority is still subject to repression and discrimination, which comes from institutions and beliefs that reinforce macho culture.For Lesbond, homophobia is still the most potent enemy to reckon with.

According to Ayen, the group has reached out to heterosexuals by conducting forum discussions “particularly homosexual socio political issues” to lessen homophobia.

“Our end goal is acceptance on the part of the person, in the family and the society…but once you come out to your family, it makes everything easier, and it will not really matter as to who you will come out to later on,” said Palaganas.

For Arlene, this scenario is easier said than done.

“Hindi ko maintindihan. Minsan nga nagpaplano ako ng dinner and then I plan to come out , pero last minute nagbaback out ako kasi naiisip ko parang hindi ko kaya.” However, Arlene does not rule out the possibility of coming out to her family.

“I have plans to come out, timing lang siguro. I will come out first to my sister…at straightforward kong sasabihin na ‘tomboy ako’,” she said.

Lesbond will play an imperative role in this stage of Arlene’s coming out.

These are the people who knew her inside out, the people who will help and guide her as she struggles to come out to her family. Besides these are the same people who steered in the process of realizing her potentials as a lesbian.

For Arlene, Lesbond is not much less of a true family. # June Arvin C. Gudoy/MMSU intern


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