Fighting for LGBT Representation in Our History Books →

“Being included is great. But at a certain point you want to be more than an accessory.

Representation matters; it’s not simply about inclusion.

Being Filipino meant I was devalued, but being gay meant that I was reviled. Games like “Smear the Queer” and the casual usage of “homo” and “faggot” defined growing up gay… 

Some might believe that being LGBT isn’t a problem anymore. We have been included in everything from policy to citywide celebrations to music, [TV], and even some cartoons. 

Though it seems the stigma has been lifted, the numbers tell a different story. The National School Climate Survey (2013) reports 74 percent of LGBT students bullied for sexual orientation, 55 percent for gender expression, and 36 percent experiencing physical harassment and violence. While visibility of LGBT people has increased, the marginalization has remained the same.

The problem here is not in the inclusion but in the representation.”

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Representation fucking matters!