Silver Lining in the Midst of Dark Cloud:
The Power of Organizations and Groups
Towards Acceptance
Written by Kobe Balderas
In collaboration with Aromantic and Asexual Support PH
In a time where the support towards the LGBTQIA+ community is stronger than ever, various groups and organizations continue to open its arms for the community towards a more inclusive and acceptable society.
In the Philippines, where the majority are Catholic, those who are queer won’t always find support from their immediate communities, however, recently, with all the movements and ways forward towards the full acceptance of the community–organizations such as the Aromantic and Asexual Support PH (AASP) a virtual social learning organization in the Philippines for a-spectrum identity awareness, continue to lend a hand to individuals and communities seeking support and acceptance.
Humble Beginnings
In an exclusive interview, Ally, a member of the organization, shared that the inspiration behind the establishment of AASP was the absence of similar groups at the time. “I think what inspired AASP to be established was when our founders just wanted to create a group because there was none at that time. There was nowhere else. […] They first kind of virtually met in an app. I think it was the Ace App.”
Ally also added, during its initial phases, most members were invited by current members of the organization. “The group first grew solely by invitation; members would invite individuals they knew, and from there, it began to snowball.” She also shared how she got into the organization, “One of the founders, Toto, she found me posting and commenting on asexual memes. Yeah, she replied to one of my comments, I think, or she just tagged me in a comment and said, Hey, if you want to join an asexual group here in the Philippines, here’s the link. Yeah, so they found me rather than I found them.”
The Good and the Bad
The initiative to create a group catering to an under-supported community reflects a positive step forward, aligning with AASP’s clear objectives as articulated. “We aim to spread sexual and aromantic awareness and advocacy. We want to educate the masses, not only within the A-SPEC community, but of course people from other sexualities and romantic identities about A-SPEC. So that the society can be more ace-spec friendly. That’s why we hold, we post infographics as much as we can. We do ace recommendations, arrow recommendations, we spearhead online campaigns, and when we get invited to be a speaker in virtual and face-to-face events, we try our best to accept the invitation to further spread the A-SPEC agenda.”
While the organization, its members, and the community it supports are continually empowered by positive developments, challenges and setbacks persist due to societal and cultural barriers that hinders the recognition and validation of these identities. “I think being Filipino would kind of be a barrier because we Filipinos are known to be obsessed with romances if you look at our mainstream movies. And we also have like, Like in our culture, we tend to have our kids take care of us when we grow old. It’s the norm in the Philippines. So it’s like, it’s out of the question if you don’t marry and have kids. So there’s also a pressure that’s put on because of our culture.”
Moreover, Ally also shared the challenges within the organization itself, factors such as time and manpower are the main reasons. “We’ve had a lot of challenges because a lot of the people working behind the scenes, advocacy leads, including myself and our volunteers, our committee members, we’re either working, studying, or both. So there’s a struggle to find the time and the energy to do things. We work on AASP out of passion and out of just for the sake of advocacy. We don’t get paid, we don’t have any money. This is really just out of our own volition”.
Better Days Ahead
Despite the challenges that continue to rise both internally and externally, the organization is driven by passionate individuals who share the same goal, and to provide a powerful platform for those whose voices might otherwise go unheard.
Ally also added that despite inconsistent communication, the group looks out for one another, to be a more inclusive group, where no one is left behind. “We want to look after our group. It’s not just about spreading awareness, but also supporting one another, being there for one another, having that safe space that we can’t find anywhere else.”
In a society deeply rooted in tradition and influenced by religious doctrine, the call for openness and acceptance of diverse perspectives reverberates with increasing urgency. Reflecting on the prevailing cultural norms and religious principles that often shape societal attitudes, the need for a broader, more inclusive mindset becomes apparent. This sentiment is poignantly articulated by a member of the Filipino community, who advocates for a departure from the rigidity of traditional beliefs and a willingness to embrace the evolving landscape of human experience.
Embracing openness and acceptance is crucial for the progress and inclusivity of Filipino society. The deeply rooted traditional mindset, often influenced by strict adherence to religious scriptures, can hinder the acceptance of diverse orientations and perspectives. To foster a more inclusive society, it is essential to move beyond rigid interpretations of traditional values and acknowledge the evolving nature of societal norms.
Silver Lining in the Midst of Dark Cloud:
The Power of Organizations and Groups Towards Acceptance
Written by Kobe Balderas
In collaboration with AASP
In a time where the support towards the LGBTQIA+ community is stronger than ever, various groups and organizations continue to open its arms for the community towards a more inclusive and acceptable society.
In the Philippines, where the majority are Catholic, those who are queer won’t always find support from their immediate communities, however, recently, with all the movements and ways forward towards the full acceptance of the community–organizations such as the Aromantic and Asexual Support PH (AASP) a virtual social learning organization in the Philippines for a-spectrum identity awareness, continue to lend a hand to individuals and communities seeking support and acceptance.
Humble Beginnings
In an exclusive interview, Ally, a member of the organization, shared that the inspiration behind the establishment of AASP was the absence of similar groups at the time. “I think what inspired AASP to be established was when our founders just wanted to create a group because there was none at that time. There was nowhere else. […] They first kind of virtually met in an app. I think it was the Ace App.”
Ally also added, during its initial phases, most members were invited by current members of the organization. “The group first grew solely by invitation; members would invite individuals they knew, and from there, it began to snowball.” She also shared how she got into the organization, “One of the founders, Toto, she found me posting and commenting on asexual memes. Yeah, she replied to one of my comments, I think, or she just tagged me in a comment and said, Hey, if you want to join an asexual group here in the Philippines, here’s the link. Yeah, so they found me rather than I found them.”
The Good and the Bad
The initiative to create a group catering to an under-supported community reflects a positive step forward, aligning with AASP’s clear objectives as articulated. “We aim to spread sexual and aromantic awareness and advocacy. We want to educate the masses, not only within the A-SPEC community, but of course people from other sexualities and romantic identities about A-SPEC. So that the society can be more ace-spec friendly. That’s why we hold, we post infographics as much as we can. We do ace recommendations, arrow recommendations, we spearhead online campaigns, and when we get invited to be a speaker in virtual and face-to-face events, we try our best to accept the invitation to further spread the A-SPEC agenda.”
While the organization, its members, and the community it supports are continually empowered by positive developments, challenges and setbacks persist due to societal and cultural barriers that hinders the recognition and validation of these identities. “I think being Filipino would kind of be a barrier because we Filipinos are known to be obsessed with romances if you look at our mainstream movies. And we also have like, Like in our culture, we tend to have our kids take care of us when we grow old. It’s the norm in the Philippines. So it’s like, it’s out of the question if you don’t marry and have kids. So there’s also a pressure that’s put on because of our culture.”
Moreover, Ally also shared the challenges within the organization itself, factors such as time and manpower are the main reasons. “We’ve had a lot of challenges because a lot of the people working behind the scenes, advocacy leads, including myself and our volunteers, our committee members, we’re either working, studying, or both. So there’s a struggle to find the time and the energy to do things. We work on AASP out of passion and out of just for the sake of advocacy. We don’t get paid, we don’t have any money. This is really just out of our own volition”.
Better Days Ahead
Despite the challenges that continue to rise both internally and externally, the organization is driven by passionate individuals who share the same goal, and to provide a powerful platform for those whose voices might otherwise go unheard.
Ally also added that despite inconsistent communication, the group looks out for one another, to be a more inclusive group, where no one is left behind. “We want to look after our group. It’s not just about spreading awareness, but also supporting one another, being there for one another, having that safe space that we can’t find anywhere else.”
In a society deeply rooted in tradition and influenced by religious doctrine, the call for openness and acceptance of diverse perspectives reverberates with increasing urgency. Reflecting on the prevailing cultural norms and religious principles that often shape societal attitudes, the need for a broader, more inclusive mindset becomes apparent. This sentiment is poignantly articulated by a member of the Filipino community, who advocates for a departure from the rigidity of traditional beliefs and a willingness to embrace the evolving landscape of human experience.
Embracing openness and acceptance is crucial for the progress and inclusivity of Filipino society. The deeply rooted traditional mindset, often influenced by strict adherence to religious scriptures, can hinder the acceptance of diverse orientations and perspectives. To foster a more inclusive society, it is essential to move beyond rigid interpretations of traditional values and acknowledge the evolving nature of societal norms.