PRESS STATEMENT: MANILA LGBT GROUPS CELEBRATE IDAHO 2012

On May 17, Philippine LGBT Hate Crime Watch, Ladlad Partylist and other LGBT and allied organizations are celebrating the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) with a march to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

With the theme, "Working with the Government to Stop the Hate (Sa Pagtigil ng Karahasan, Kasama ang Pamahalaan)", the event aims to bring into focus the incidents of hate crime against LGBTs in the country.

LGBT people are becoming increasingly vulnerable to crimes because of their sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). To date, 156 LGBTs have been murdered (data since 1996), 17 of those in 2012 alone. “Homophobia, biphobia and transphobia are the major motivations for hate crimes against LGBT people. Fear and hatred kills,” says Santy Layno, Trustee of Ladlad Partylist.

“Since there is no mechanism that helps identify hate crime victims, we don’t know how many more have been killed over the years,” says Marlon Lacsamana of the Philippine LGBT Hate Crime Watch. “The government needs to recognize, investigate, document and prosecute hate crimes based on SOGI. For that we need to get the active support of CHR.”

What the group asks of the CHR are the following:

1. Acknowledgement that hate crimes against LGBT people, and the homophobia, biphobia and transphobia underpinning them, are serious problems that must be given due attention;
2. Facilitation of tripartite discussions with the DILG and the PNP in addressing the growing number of LGBT hate crimes; and,
3. Commitment to provide assistance in pushing for the approval of House Resolutions 1432 and 1460.

“Having on board the national human rights institution of the country may not prevent the hate crimes from happening, but it definitely sends the message that the government is doing its part in protecting the rights of all people—in particular, their rights to life and security— regardless of SOGI,” adds Lacsamana.

The marchers will meet at the UP Palma Hall AS Steps at 3:00 pm and march to the CHR Office. At the CHR Office, a cande lighting ceremony will be held to commemorate the victims of LGBT killings, as well as a program where the group will voice out their demands to the CHR.

Joint NGO statement on behalf of ILGA delivered by Linda Baumann, at the XIXth Human Rights Council on 7 March 2012

From: http://ilga.org/ilga/en/article/nqZoGpS1ct  (INTERNATIONAL LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANS AND INTERSEX ASSOCIATION Website)

Thank you Madame President,Madame High Commissioner,
Mr. Moderator, Distinguished panelists, I am honoured to address this panel on behalf of ILGA, which represents 917 lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex member organisations. This statement has also been endorsed by 284 NGOs from 90 countries, from diverse cultures and religions, and by mainstream allies and supporters from around the world.

We are here, not to ask for our rights, since these are already our birthright as human beings, but to urge States to fulfil their responsibilities to end human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

We welcome this panel discussion, and commend South Africa for its leadership in bringing this important human rights issue to the Council’s attention.

We warmly congratulate the High Commissioner for her report, which marks both a point of arrival and a point of departure, as it poignantly addresses human rights violations that have been highlighted by UN Special Rapporteurs and treaty bodies for close to two decades.
 
Around the world, 76 countries still criminalise us because of how we live or who we love. In extreme cases, we face the death penalty. Very often these laws are the relics of colonial-era legislation, rather than the expression of a pre-existing homophobic or transphobic culture.  Lesbians are subject to so-called “curative” rape, intersex people are subject to medical abuses, transgender persons demeaned and beaten, their rights and identities unrecognised. We are denied health care or needed treatment; we routinely face discrimination in work, housing and education. In many countries, our work as human rights defenders is opposed, obstructed or banned. Our rights to peacefully gather are often denied, while attempts are made to silence our voices.

For too long, this Council has allowed these violations to go unaddressed. There is no dignity, nor honour in torture, persecution and discrimination.

It is time for the Council to fulfil its responsibility to promote and protect the human rights of all persons without discrimination, and to develop a mechanism to ensure sustained ongoing attention to the systemic human rights violations on these grounds.

We look forward to working with States and stakeholders from all regions towards the day when all persons, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity, can live their lives in the equal freedom and dignity to which all human beings are entitled.

Thank you.

Organisations Signed:  

qianyuan-LGBT,GuiZhou, China  ACCEPT Association, Romania ACCION ZULIANA POR LA VIDA, Venezuela  AI XIAOMING DUCUMENTARY STUDIO, China Aibai Culture & Education Center, China AIDES, France Aireana, grupo por los derechos de las lesbianas, Paraguay Akahata-Equipo de Trabajo en Sexualidades y Generos, Argentina Alianza Lambda de Venezuela, Venezuela Alliance française de Delhi, India Ambassadors of Change ngo, Kenya Amitie' Trust, India Amnesty International LGBt Latino America, United States Amnesty International Philippines - LGBT Group, Philippines Amnesty International Turkey, Turkey Anjaree Group, Thailand APUVIMEH, Honduras ARC International, Switzerland/Canada ArusPelangi, Indonesia Asia Pacific Transgenders Network (APTN), Malaysia/Asia Pacific Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Regional Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), Asia-Pacific ASOCIACION ALFIL, Ecuador Asociacion Civil Equidad LGBT, Bolivia  Asociacion Hombres y Mujeres Nuevos de Panama, Panama Association for Women's Rights in Development, Global Association of fine arts and design - PLANET design, Bosnia and Herzegovina Astitva - An organisation for the Support & Development of Sexual minorities, India Australian Coalition for Equality, Australia, Oceania Baguio Pride Network, PLHCW, STRAP, I am LGBT, AIPH-LGBT Philippines Bandhu Social Welfare Society, Bangladesh/ South Asia Beijing Aizhixing Institute, China beijing health education institution, China Beijing LGBT Center, China Black Pink Triangle Izmir LGBTT Association, Turkey Boys of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Cambodian Center for Human Rights ("CCHR"), Cambodia Campaña por una Convencion Interamericana de los Derechos Sexuales y los Derechos Reproductivos, Latinoamerica Canadian AIDS Society, Canada CariFLAGS: the Caribbean Forum for Liberation and Acceptance of Genders and Sexualities Caribbean Casa Renacer Honduras, Honduras ,C.A. Casa Rosa vzw, Belgique CASAL LAMBDA, Spain Case Management Society of Australia Limited, Australia Cebu Rainbow LGBT Community, Philippines CENTER FOR THE RIGHT TO HEALTH, Nigeria Center of Excellence for Transgender Health, USA Centre for Development Studies University of Auckland, Pacific  Centre for Popular Education and Human Rights, Ghana, Ghana Centre for Secular Space, world Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS), Argentina Chi Heng Foundation Beijing Branch (Chi Tong Beijing), China China Changsha Rainbow Gay Alliance, China China Queer Independent Films, China Citizens Constitutional Forum, Fiji Club Matapi, Suriname Coalicion Arcoiris, Costa Rica COALICION BOLIVIANA DE ORGANIZACIONES LGBT, Bolivia Coalition Advocating for Inclusion of Sexual Orientation (CAISO), Trinidad & Tobago Coalition for the Liberation of the Reasigned Sex, Philippines COC Netherlands, The Netherlands Colectiva Mujer y Salud, Republica Dominicana Colectivo LotoBlanco, Ecuador Colectivo Ovejas Negras, Uruguay Colectivo Sentimos Diverso, Colombia Common Heart Organization, China Common Language, China Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, India communication for social change, Ghana COMMUNITY AND FAMILY AID FOUNDATION-GHANA, Ghana Corporacion Humanas - Regional Center on Human Rights and Gender Justice, Chile Corporacion KIMIRINA, Ecuador  corps dissident, France CREA, India Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN), Philippines DIONISIOS ARTE-CULTURA-IDENTIDAD, Ecuador  Diverlex Diversidad e Igualdad a Través de la Ley, Venezuela Diversity Futures, Australia Drachma, Malta Dreilinden, Germany Drodrolagi Movement, Fiji East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project, Uganda ECPI-Euroregional Center for Public Initiatives, Romania Education International, Belgium/Global education union organization  Elige, Red de Jovenes por los Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos, Mexico Equality Network, Scotland, UK Equidad Ecuador, Ecuador Espacio de Articulacion DIDH - Diversidad, Interculturalidad y Derechos Humanos, Argentina Federacion Argentina LGBT, Argentina FIATPAX,GAYGAS, Nicaragua Filipino Freethinkers, Philippines Former Founder Aus Transgender Support Association of Queensland Inc., Australia Freedom and Roam Uganda, Uganda Freshmen Autonomous Committee of SWUST, China FtM Phoenix Group, Russia Fundacion Amigos por la Vida - FAMIVIDA, Ecuador  Fundacion Arcoiris por el respeto a la diversidad sexual, Mexico FUNDACION DIVERSENCIA, Bolivia Fundacion DIVERSO ECUADOR, Ecuador  Fundacion Ecuatoriana Equidad, Ecuador FUNDACION HABITAT VERDE, Bolivia FUNDACION MANODIVERSA, Bolivia Fundacion Privada para la Identidad de Genero, Spain Fundacion REDVIHDA, Bolivia Fundacion Reflejos de Venezuela, Venezuela Fundacion Triangulo, Spain GATE - Global Action for Trans* Equality, international/worldwide Gay And Lesbian Vaishnava Association, USA Gay Church, Taiwan Gay Grassroots of Northwest Florida, USA Gay Japan News, Japan GAYa NUSANTARA, Indonesia Gays Without Borders, Thailand GDUFS, China Gender Dysphoria Unit of South Australia, Australia Gender Spectrum, USA GenderBridge, New Zealand GrenCHAP Inc., Grenada/Caribbean Grupo CD4 y Revista Queernavaca, Mexico Grupo Nepyru, Paraguay Grupo Transexual Portugal, Portugal Guang Tong (GZTZ.ORG), China Hong Guang Alliance, China Human Rights First, USA HURISA, South Africa ID Trans  IDAHO Committee, International Igualdad de Derechos Ya, Ecuador  ILGA, International Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans Intersex Association, Belgium ILGA-Europe - European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, Europe Inclusive Foundation, Georgia India HIV/AIDS Alliance, India INFORM Human Rights Documentation Centre, Sri Lanka Iniciativa Venezolana Contra la Discriminacion, Venezuela International Alliance of Women/alliance Internationale des Femmes, Netherlands/International International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), USA

International HIV/AIDS Alliance, United Kingdom INTERNATIONAL LESBIAN AND GAY LAW ASSOCCIATION-LATINAMERICA, Latinamerica INTERNATIONAL PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION, Global International Service for Human Rights, Switzerland  International Women's Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific, Malaysia Intersex Internattional Organization, Philippines Intersex South Africa (with OII), South Africa Ipas, Global Istanbul LGBTT Solidarity Association, Turkey Itigokurabu, China Jiangxi Rainbow, China JWT, India Kaos GL,Turkey Karnataka Sexual Minorities Forum, India Kolectiva Rebeldias Lesbicas, Peru Kongzhong Corp, China Kygryz Indigo, Kyrgyzstan Ladlad Bacolod, Philippines LADLAD REGION II, Philippines lambada de venezuela, Venezuela Landsforeningen for lesbiske, homofile, bifile og transpersoner, Norway Latin American and Caribbean Women's Health Network, Latin America and the Caribbean LeAP, Philippines Lesben- und Schwulenverband LSVD, Germany Lesbian Activism Project, Inc. , Philippines Lesbians and Bisexuals in Action, India LGBT Centre Mongolia, Mongolia LGBT Georgia, Georgia LGBT Platform Suriname, Suriname Liberty Victoria (Victorian Council for Civil Liberties Inc), Australia MADRE, United States MANODIVERSA, Bolivia Metropolitan Community Church of Quezon City, Philippines Mingle (Mission for Indian Gay & Lesbian Empowerment), India Moscow Helsinki Group, Russia MUSAS Peru, Peru National LGBTI Health Alliance, Australia Naz Foundation International, South Asia Nazra for Feminist Studies, Egypt NON-GENDERED - Fighting for Legal Recognition, United Kingdom Nvai, China OEML, Ecuador OLO, One Love Oceania, U.S.A. OMNIA ASBL VZW, Belgium On the Margins Group, China Open Arms MCC, USA Organisation Intersex International, New Zealand Organizacion de Transexuales por la Dignidad de la Diversidad, Chile Organizacion Ecuatoriana de Mujeres Lesbianas - OEML, Ecuador Organization Q, Bosnia and Herzegovina Outrage Magazine, Philippines Pacific Sexual Diversity Network, Tonga Partnership Law Japan, Japan Peaceworks, Australia Pearls for development, India Pembe Hayat LGBTT Solidarity Association, Turkey PFLAG, China Philippine Forum on Sports, Culture, Sexuality and Human Rights, Philippines PINK EMBASSY, ALBANIA, Albania PLAKA Dumaguete, Philippines Positive Vibes, Namibia PPA+, Philippines ProGay Philippines, Philippines PROMSEX, Peru Proyecto Transgenero, Ecuador Public Association Labrys, Kyrgyzstan Public Association Pathfinder, Kyrgyzstan Public Information and Need of Knowledge NGO, Armenia Public organization "Informational-Educational Center "For Equal Rights", Ukraine Queer Comrades, China queer delhi, India Queer Pagan Network - Philippines, Philippines QUITOGAY, Ecuador Raffles Design Institute Bangkok, Thailand Rainbow China, Hong Kong Rainbow Liberty Foundation, Denmark Rainbow Rights Project (R-Rights) Inc., Philippines Rainbow Youth, New Zealand Red Lesbica Cattrachas, Honduras Red Ribbon Volunteer Group of Longgang District, Shenzhen, China REDLAC, Puerto Rico REDTRANS, Nicaragua RFSL, The Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights, Sweden Rights Society, Russia Saathi, IIT Bombay, India Sadhane, India Sangama, India Sangini (india) trust, India Scottish Transgender Alliance, Scotland, UK SEARCH Foundation, Australia Secrec. Lesbica Sub region Andina ILGALAC - Colectivo Uniones Peru Peru Sex and Gender Education Forum, Sun Yat-sen University, China Sexual Diversity Network (Thailand), China shanghai Nvai LBT Organisation, China Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), Guyana Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP), Philippines Space Allies, Japan SREI, India SRIA Rwanda Ltd, Rwanda, East and Southern Africa Studiorum Sexualis Barcelona, Spain Survival Advocacy Network (SANFiji), Fiji Tanzania Sisi Kwa Sisi Foundation (TSSF), Tanzania Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group, Australia / Tasmania The Center for Health Policy Study,Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, Mahidol University,Thailand, Thailand The family of chinese lgbts' relatives and friends, China The Humsafar Trust, India the israeli center for human sexuality & gender identity, Israel The Philippine LGBT Hate Crime Watch -The Republic of the Philippines THE POZ HOME CENTER, Thailand Trans Education and Advocacy, Ireland Trans*Action Netherlands, Netherlands Transgender Law Center, USA Transgender Network Switzerland, Switzerland TransGender Victoria, Australia traveschile (Agrupacion Transgenera), Chile UHAI- the East African Sexual Health and Rights Initiative, Kenya United and Strong Inc., Saint Lucia United Belize Advocacy Movement, Belize UP Babaylan, Philippines Venezuela Diversa A.C, Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela ver.di, Germany Villanova University , USA Vox Asoaciacion Civil, Argentina Vreerwerk, Netherlands WEZESHA, Tanzania WhyCantWeGetMarried.Com, Sierra Leone Witches' Hive of the IFTAS, Philippines women coalition of HKSAR, Hong Kong Women Working with Women (3W), Kenya Women's Therapy Center, USA Women'S Way Foundation, Suriname Womens Global Network for Reproductive Rights, The Philippines Workinggroup on International solidarity with LGBT, Belgium World Organisation Against Torture, Switzerland wuhanrainbow, China WUR, China Young Peoples Concerned Network, Fiji

LADLAD CRIES FOUL ON BANNING OF GAY PERFORMERS IN PUERTO GALERA

From Ladlad Party-list's Official Blog: http://ladladpartylist.blogspot.com/ 

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012

LADLAD CRIES FOUL ON BANNING OF GAY PERFORMERS IN PUERTO GALERA

THE partylist for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Filipinos, Ladlad cried foul on the alleged banning of gay performers in Puerto Galera. The party has called for a dialogue with the local officials in the island if the news reports were true.

“I will personally visit Puerto Galera and have a dialogue with the local officials about this matter,” said Ms. Bemz Benedito, first Congressional nominee of the group.

Last Sunday, Ladlad members reacted to news reports saying that bar owners were complaining to the local government officials of Puerto Galera for disallowing gay talents to perform in a show due to lewdness. The owners reportedly were alarmed because their coffers will surely get affected because their patrons are always looking for the gay performers.

“This is a clear violation of their right to work,” Benedito said. “Ladlad will oppose the approval of this measure,” she added.

On the same report, the chairman of one of the towns of Puerto Galera already refuted the claims of the bar owners, saying that they were only reprimanding the gay performers to tone down the language they are using on stage.

Ladlad further said, the remedy is an ordinance to prohibit children and an age cap on who to allow in entering such comedy bars. Prejudice must not set in this case especially to gay performers.

“In a comedy bar, children should not be allowed because of the sensitivity of the language being used in this kind of entertainment. Besides you cannot control the performers on what to say and do on stage,” Benedito stressed. “In television, you have an agency that reviews and classifies programs that suits the right age of its viewers,” Benedito added.

The Philippine LGBT Hate Crime Watch Meets Again!

Public Event for Philippine LGBT Hate Crime Watch · By Reighben EarlWysten Mendoza Labilles-Lacsamana

• • When

    Saturday, February 25, 2012
  • Time

    1:00pm until 7:00pm

• Where

  Reighben's simple and humble Filipino style abode (1955 Campillo street, corner Angel Linao and Quirino Avenue, Malate, Manila)

• Description

  This time, those who don't know how to get to my house, I'll fetch you at McDo Quirino Ave LRT Station. :) For all the links on the new cases, go to: http://thephilippinelgbthatecrimewatch.blogspot.com/ Alright, time to move forward with our youtube project. And we have to plan our response to all these new cases. See you all. Please -Reighben Earl Wysten M. Labilles Head Researcher, Spokesperson, Blog Creator and Administrator The Philippine LGBT Hate Crime Watch Mobile Number: 09065374021 reighben@live.com http://www.facebook.com/reighben https://twitter.com/#!/reighben Event page at: https://www.facebook.com/events/176026899166880/

PLHCW Creativity Session for the Indie Video Youtube Project

Event page at: https://www.facebook.com/events/255770047828599/

Public Event for Philippine LGBT Hate Crime Watch · By Reighben EarlWysten Mendoza Labilles-Lacsamana

• • When

    Saturday, January 28, 2012
  • Time

    1:00pm until 7:00pm

• Where

  Reighben's Simple Malate House (1955 Campillo St., corner Angel Linao and Quirino Avenue, Malate, Manila)

• Description

  Hiya! It's that time of the month we're meeting again! This time, it's to discuss and create the script and the storyboards for the series of viral videos we'll make. You can read a rough overview of the project here: http://thephilippinelgbthatecrimewatch.blogspot.com/2012/01/notes-from-2nd-plhcw-meet-up.html And if we have enough time left and my bro is at home, we can make a sample video! So bring your thinking caps, notebooks, pens, manila papers and some sass! Let's make these vids a reality. As usual, this is a KKB affair, aryt? Bring snacks if you want, but if we get hungry, and we will, we'll just buy from the many sari-sari stores around. See ya! -Reighben Mobile Number: 09065374021

Teacher stabbed dead in Tondo (PhilStar)

1st reported and published at: PhilStar.com(http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=767610&publicationSubCategoryId=

Teacher stabbed dead in Tondo
By Nestor Etolle (The Philippine Star) Updated January 14, 2012 12:00 AM Comments (0)

MANILA, Philippines - A high school teacher was stabbed dead in his house in Tondo, Manila Thursday afternoon.

The body of Nelson Macam, 49, who worked at the Ramon Magsaysay High School, was discovered by his younger sister, May, when she checked his room in their three-story residence at past 1 p.m.

May, who occupies a room at the third floor of the house, told police she was supposed to have lunch with her brother but he would not answer her phone calls. When she checked his room, which is on the second floor, she found Macam’s body, clad in boxer shorts.

Police Officer 2 Jupiter Tajonera said the victim sustained stab wounds in the chest, back and both arms. “The victim tried to parry the thrusts from the suspect as indicated from stab wounds in both arms,” he said.

Tajonera said the victim frequently entertained male visitors and gay friends in his room.

Except for bloodstains on floor leading to the bathroom, the living room was in order and a digital video disc was still playing. A cell phone charger was inserted in the wall socket, but the phone is missing, Tajonera said. The victim’s briefs and a bathroom towel were hung on a table near the bathroom.

Tajonera said he is still checking whether Macam lost cash or valuables in the attack.

Residents in the area told police they did not notice anything unusual at the time Macam’s body was discovered.

Screenshots:

Notes from the 2nd PLHCW Meet-up

by: Reighben Labilles

We did a study group! Yey! Again, it was an intimate affair. Only eight (2 were absolutely fresh attendees, so more yey!) of us came. But we reported on the human rights conventions, discussed it, and thought of ways on how we can use them for LGBT activism. With hard work maybe we can convince more people to come. However quaint our number, today, we made progress as a group. We'll definitely have more study sessions in the months to come. We can never have too much education on pro-LGBT rights.

We also set further tasks for our group in response to the recent Vatican and CBCP pronouncements. We decided on the following:

• Exploring and establishing alliances with organizations that have a secular approach in dealing with bigoted organizations, groups
• Starting on-line petition to launch a campaign against CBCP's homophobic and transphobic statements and policies (to be analyzed as a study, check ipetitions)

We also discussed the Youtube Interview Project:

The videos will be uploaded for public consumption so that more people can join our activism and be aware of our cause. Most videos will be around 3 to 5 mins, some may reach 10 mins.

• A viral video, focusing on a meme we'll try to establish called "Wit Yan True"
• We'll interview experts on the anti-discrimination bill
• We can video people talking about LGBT-related personal stories
• Videos on the history of Philippine LGBT activism
• Videos on the current situation of Philippine LGBTs
• Videos explaining Gender Identity and Expression, and Sexual Orientation
• Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender 101s
• Videos that state facts of LGBT issues

2nd Phil LGBT Hate Crime Watch Meet-up for 2012

Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/290790220968041/

Public Event for Philippine LGBT Hate Crime Watch · By Reighben EarlWysten Mendoza Labilles-Lacsamana

• • When

    Saturday, January 14, 2012
  • Time

    10:00am until 6:30pm

• Where

  Reighben's Humbly Sweet Abode (1955 Campillo St, corner Angel Linao and Quirino Ave., Malate, Manila

• Description

  - Agenda: - Discussing details of the YouTube interview project (input from professionals and hate crime members) -peer-ed session: CEDAW (marlon), CRC (Oka), Kevin (CAT), ESCR (Reighben), ICCPR (Darrel), CERD (Del) -Homework: -Study the treatises Bring whatever food/snacks you can afford! It's gonna be a long day of studying :) -Reighben Reighben Earl Wysten M. Labilles Head Researcher and Spokesperson The Philippine LGBT Hate Crime Watch Mobile Number: 09065374021