When pride isn't wrong

When pride isn’t wrong, it’s a sublime expression of strength, courage, of an ongoing and collective struggle to be, to just be. When pride isn’t wrong, it is the feeling of knowing one’s worth, and all the good that he or she can offer. When pride isn’t wrong, it is a mask that hides the scars of a dark, bitter life soiled by abuse, violence, and hatred. When pride isn’t wrong, it is the true story of our fathers, mothers, sons and daughters, of our friends and family—and it could even be your story, as it is mine.

 June marks the celebration of International Pride Month, meant to recognize the contributions and impact of the LGBT (lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgendered) community to the world, while fighting for a more just and tolerant society that respects and accepts them.

 Have you ever been called to the principal’s office when you were in 5th grade, trembling, terrified that you did something wrong, when you don’t quite recall stealing a book from the library or cheating in an exam or setting the school on fire? Only to be told there, in the utter discomfort of being alone in the scariest room in the school, by the father-principal—in all his sternness and omnipotent glory—that your grave mistake is because you’re “different.” In shock and awe, I was told that I should be ashamed, hide myself from the world, and ‘change’ (whatever that means!) simply because ‘Michael’ can’t have a pre-pubescent crush on another ‘Michael.’

 I’ve gone a long way since, empowered and motivated, and I’m thankful my parents, despite some apprehension in the beginning, have become the Christians they ought to be and understood and welcomed me for me. I have found my voice and I make no qualms in using it. After all, it has been quite a journey to get to where I am. I’ve tried mighty hard to make a name for myself and be the most responsible citizen I could be. I’d like to think that my preference doesn’t define me, that it’s merely incidental, that I would be remembered for the things I have done for my country, family, and self, for the battles I fought with all my might, and the victories and setbacks that make my life the fascinating journey it has been thus far.

 Being the devout Catholic I am—and my faith is something I will never trade, even at gunpoint—it was initially difficult to come to terms with the idea that our brand of loving could be wrong. Then again, who am I to argue with the Church on what is moral or not, simply because her long-standing position is inconsistent with my lifestyle or my choices or my fundamental self. Sin or not, and at least the Church has spoken out that it condemns the sin, and never the sinner, I find comfort and solace in the universal truth that our God, in his infinite wisdom, shall weigh all the good that I’ve done in this world against the bad as the basis for my salvation, and that such doesn’t rest solely on my decision to embrace my identity and love freely (and always faithfully).

 I’m proud to know of many who have chosen to rise above the negativity and ignorance, those who have used it instead as an impetus to make their lives better. But what about the untold millions who suffer and die each day from bullying, hate crimes, discrimination, and from a warped and damaged sense of self? They who have not yet found their voice, aggravated further in this world that has, many times, remained deaf and mute to the tune of equality and tolerance?

 On this very day in Singapore, known for its harsh laws against homosexuality, Singaporeans are set to gather at Hong Lim Park, for the third straight year, to form a human pink dot in support of the belief that everyone deserves the freedom to love.

 In our country, what have we done to make sure our friends and loved ones are treated more fairly and that everyone gets equal opportunities? For a country where the gay community has made solid and irrefutable contributions to the worlds of media, government, the academe, it is shocking that many young boys and girls continue to face prejudice in school, sent to the principal’s office and scolded for merely being themselves.

 When pride isn’t wrong, sometimes, it’s all we have.

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 Tonight on The Bottomline with Boy Abunda: Department of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala sheds light on the many issues surrounding the agriculture sector (the recent fish kill, food security, hoarding and smuggling, et. al.). He also bares his department’s bold bid to make the Philippines an exporter of rice in the next few years.

 Watch it after Banana Split on ABS-CBN. Encore telecast on the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC), Sunday, 1:00 pm.

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