DIPOLOG CITY (PIA) – “Dipag means river, and gender is fluid, so in a way, it’s like we’re navigating through the river together.”
The days of old when macho men went off to work in the mines while women were left to tend to the home and the children have long gone out of style. These days, people have more room to go out and explore who they really are and who they really want to be.
The founding members of Dipag: Rainbow Collective were all former student leaders who found themselves teaching at the same university. While society has come a long way in accepting differences, they noticed that there was still a need for gender-inclusivity awareness.
Grounded on this mission, this non-profit organization aims to celebrate, unite, and educate the members of the LGBTQIA community as well as allies on matters concerning sexual orientation, gender identity, expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIECS).
Together with the Dipolog City and Zamboanga del Norte Local Government Units, they have conducted gender awareness activities that have greatly benefited the locality.
Last year, they painted one of the pedestrian lanes on Dipolog City’s Sunset Boulevard and conducted the largest pride walk in the city to date. They also held a one-night film showcasing pride narratives from both local and national films, as well as an exhibit they called “Handuraw: Faces of Pride.”
“I think it’s important that they see and hear the stories of openly out members of the LGBTQIA community as well as their contributions to society,” said Albertine “Ja” Din, one of DRC’s founding members.
“SOGIE is not just a ‘gay agenda’ because kamo, kami, kitang tanan naay SOGIE,” added DRC’s Punong Balangay, Arvin Laranjo.
(SOGIE isn’t just a ‘gay agenda’ because you, me, and all of us have SOGIE.)
This week, they’ll be conducting their second gender summit since their inception.
“I think it’s important that they see and hear the stories of openly out members of the LGBTQIA community as well as their contributions to society,” said Albertine “Ja” Din, one of DRC’s founding members.
“SOGIE is not just a ‘gay agenda’ because kamo, kami, kitang tanan naay SOGIE,” added DRC’s Punong Balangay, Arvin Laranjo.
(SOGIE isn’t just a ‘gay agenda’ because you, me, and all of us have SOGIE.)
This week, they’ll be conducting their second gender summit since their inception.
According to Arvin and Ja, they hope to one day make the province, starting with Dipolog, a safe and gender-inclusive locality.
“It’s like our fear of the dark; we don’t know what hides in it, and that’s where our fear of it comes from. Through education and awareness, we can open minds and help them understand the complexities of gender and identity, and when there is no longer fear brought about by ignorance, that’s when understanding and compassion begin to take root.” (NBE/EDT/PJF/PIA9-Zamboanga del Norte)
