Connecting the Dots

𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜! 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝, 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙚, 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙪𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚. 𝙄𝙣 𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙪𝙥 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙚𝙖 𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨, 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙙𝙤 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙛𝙪𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧.

𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙪𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙤𝙣 𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙖𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙤 𝘾𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙊𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙈𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙐𝙣𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙩 0919-069-6361, 𝘿𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝 𝘾𝘼𝙍 – 𝙈𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝 𝙐𝙣𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙩 0938-757-6458 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙖𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙤 𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙃𝙤𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙋𝙨𝙮𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙐𝙣𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙩 (074) 442-2365.

Happy Pride Month to everyone who accepts diversity and who are allies of the community! The LGBTQIA+ community celebrates diversity and the talents that come with hard work and being true to their identity.

I chanced upon seeing the induction of officers of the Pride Baguio. Congratulations! A note-worthy hello for my “Mr. Pogay” friend, John Raspado who is a staunch advocate of HIV/ AIDS Awareness, may your beautiful soul outshine your difficulties! Shoutout to Pride writers and awardees in their own rights, Ronald S. Fernandez and Tristan Buenaflor. As well as to trans-gender and pride advocate Josephine Bautista! May your hearts continue to be true to the cause despite the barriers!

Recent data from the Baguio City Mental Health Council, a community of professional and non-professional mental health advocates,  shared that from January to April 2024 there were 11 males who committed suicide. The question is, “Why were all the 11 individuals purely males”? To my thoughts, were the male individuals as to sex were also male as to gender? Although, this differentiation between sex and gender is still a developing controversy.

The data presented, may or may not be influenced by gender identity. However, the LGBTQIA+ are known to be at high risks in going through mental health issues that may or may not equate to suicide. This is a reality that people are losing their will to live because they cannot be themselves for fear of rejection by society and by loved ones.

As a gender development advocate for years and service user patient representative under the Baguio City Mental Health Council, I often wonder why people commit suicide. Although I have gone through the same ordeal at times before, there is no one answer to this possibility or vulnerability especially for the LGBTQIA+ circle.

It is sad to hear of anyone who ended their life even though you tried hard reaching out. However, know that losing a person who has committed suicide is not anyone’s fault and neither do you need to feel guilty. Although, this may seem like a hard pill to swallow.

Fast facts. I used to remember that suicide attempts before used to be punished as a crime – especially as a crime against Persons similar to Homicide but it’s a good thing that the laws and rules changed.

As it is in law, death is certain but as to when it will happen no one really knows. It is an unknown future that will surely come. But don’t fret, even people who decided to give up on life decades ago may eventually die as Baguio centenarians. Life and death is really intriguing and so is mental health and even gender identity. As reiterated in the irony of the song “Ironic” by Alanis Morissette.

In between life and death,  there is really not much to do but to live life to the fullest with its adventures and misadventures. The journey really is that – falling down six times would mean you have to get up seven or even more than nine times with a cat who has nine lives!

Life is beautiful and being human enough to live life is a tapestry of sorts. Life is colorful, perhaps more dignified and amazing as a rainbow or pot of gold. Tomorrows are surprises, but todays are gifts of their own. Searching for the silver linings may help!

Whatever the circumstances, know that you are worthy of life and love! Remember whoever you are or whatever you are as you may see yourself as a neuter (like in the case of asexuals or ACEs), don’t be too hard on yourself! Be yourself!

Let the light from within shine through and wither the storms. May your in-betweens, keep you whole inside-out!