#PinkInk: Making the pen give LGBT might

September 22, 2018
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#PinkInk: Making the pen give LGBT might

Bahaghari Center for SOGIE Research, Education and Advocacy, Inc. (Bahaghari Center) has launched #PinkInk photo campaign that is part of the bigger Pink Ink project launched by Outrage Magazine in 2015.

Pink Ink is in line with #HateWatchPH, which aims to: 1) document LGBT-related hate crimes happening in the Philippines, and 2) empower LGBT people to report, and/or do something when such crimes happen; and 3) form partnerships with like-minded organizations to eradicate – not just curb – LGBT-related hate crimes. It has numerous components as it attempts to help develop would-be journalists while they are still in campuses, and provide support to already professional media practitioners.

“We are aware of the continuing challenge faced by the LGBT community in engaging the media – whether to give us coverage, to begin with; or to provide us respectful coverage, if they choose to cover our issues at all,” said Michael David dela Cruz Tan, publishing editor of Outrage Magazine and concurrent executive director of Bahaghari Center. However, “instead of only lamenting, we are opting to be more proactive in our attempt to engage the media. We believe that if we can help them see where we’re coming from, (and) if we can provide them with tools they can use to better engage with us, then we will be able to form good partnerships.”

One of the components of Pink Ink is the provision of trainings in educational institutions (including student journalists, student leaders and journalism students) for them to start reporting on LGBT-related issues.

Here is where #PinkInk, the photo campaign, is attached, as it gives face to these young leaders who “openly pledge their support for the promotion of LGBTQI human rights.”

Students from the Pangasinan State University (PSU) in Lingayen, Pangasinan – who underwent the Pink Ink workshop, with the support of PSU VP for finance, Atty. Jellie Molino – join the #PinkInk photo campaign.