Media platforms have become the most powerful and effective tool in amplifying our voices and promoting our advocacies, especially during this global health crisis. The media has also played a vital role in the long-standing fight for recognition of persons of diverse social orientation, gender identity and expression, and sexual characteristics (SOGIESC). Representation of the LGBTQ+ community in mainstream media is still scarce but multiple personalities have emerged in the social media realm.

Online content creators Yanihatesu, Killa Kush, Roanne and Tina, and Mimiyuuuh have been out and proud of their sexuality. Although their digital materials are diverse and do not always focus on their SOGIESC, they continue to assert their identities and support different LGBTQ+ campaigns.

There have also been recent efforts that highlight the lived experiences of LGBTQs in television and cinema–“Mamu: And A Mother Too (2018),” a movie about a transgender sex worker who adopted her orphaned niece; “Ang Huling El Bimbo, The Musical (2019),” had a gay lead character struggling about his sexuality and heteronormative social pressures; and “Fluid (2020)”, a TV series about a cisgender female who explored her sexuality and eventually fell in love with another woman.

We still have a long way to go in achieving genuine equality but small wins like these are worth celebrating. Our shoutout on this International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia: We are queer. We are here. WE ARE BREAKING OUR SILENCE!

#IDAHOTB2020 #BreakingTheSilence #YESToEquality #LoveWins #SOGIEEqualityNow #GALANGPhilippines