Rainbow flags will soar high in the skies three days from now as the world celebrates Pride Month.
Pride Month is observed annually in June across the globe to celebrate the impact of the LGBTQIA+ community and to recognize their fight for equal justice and other issues the members have been facing since the Stonewall Riots in 1969.
The first Pride March in the Philippines was organized by Progressive Organization of Gays and Metropolitan Community Church in 1994, in commemoration of the 25th year of the Stonewall uprising.
Pride Month isn’t just celebrated with a march nowadays; various LGBTQIA+ communities in the country planned several events that their members can attend next month.
If you’re planning to hop in the celebration, here are some activities you can attend to:
Manila Pride Ball
The LGBTQIA+ members will kick off Pride Month with grooves in their stunning dresses as the first-ever Manila Pride Ball will take place on June 1.
“Get ready to dance with pride, celebrate diversity, and show the world what love is all about! Get your heels and shoes ready for a night of dancing!” the Manila Pride Ball said.
Draq queens Precious Paula Nicole, Viñas DeLuxe, and Brigiding from the first season of Drag Race Philippines are the headliners of the prom night, with music from DJ Jimmy Nocon and DJ Janny Medina.
Gates will open at 9:00 p.m. at Newport Mall in Newport World Resorts, Pasay City.
Pride Plays
To celebrate Pride Month, Barefoot Theatre Collaborative is staging two theater productions, Unica Hijas and Laro, that will feature stories of the LGBTQIA+ community.
First staged in the June 2022 Virgin Labfest, Unica Hijas centers on two students who were reported at the principal’s office after they were caught in an almost kiss. Confrontations about their past, present, and their own selves will arise a few minutes before their future is decided.
Unica Hijas is written by Mikaela Regis and directed by Pat Valera. The play will run for 35 minutes.
Laro, meanwhile, is a reimagination of Arthur Schnitzler’s LA RONDE that explores gay relationships in Manila through the stories of 10 various characters.
Written by Floy Quintos and directed by John Mark Yap, Laro has a running time of 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Pride Plays will also be supported by talks and other activities from LGBTQIA+ artists.
These R-18 performances will be staged at the PMC Spotlight Blackbox Theater in Circuit Makati on weekends from June 10 to 25.
Pride marches
Of course, the colorful month-long celebration will not be complete without Pride parades.
Two major Pride marches, Love Laban Pride Festival and Tayo Ang Kulayaan, will be held in Metro Manila both on June 24.
But aside from these, there will also be another Pride march outside Metro Manila that will also happen on the same day.
Kahilwayan 2023 will be marching on the streets of Cagayan de Oro City, with the campaign “KAHILWAYAN: Amplifying voices, creating safe space.”
“Together let’s claim our space and freely express kung who you are as a ferzon (person) and share our stories so that pushing for the protection of the community against discrimination will be made possible,” it said.
The organization is currently looking for volunteers and event partners for the Pride March.
