Hecklers turn up at 2019 Pride March; other religious groups apologize
Both pro- and anti-LGBTQ+ religious groups attended the 2019 Metro Manila Pride March in Marikina City on Saturday.
On one side of the fence were hecklers who stood at the sidelines of the parade’s route and preached about receiving judgement from God.
At one point, a Pride protester confronted one of the hecklers and told him that they are all loved by God.
WATCH: Pride protester confronts heckler preaching during the match pic.twitter.com/d3fS6qUyqj
— Jessica Bartolome (@jessbrtlm) June 29, 2019
Despite the hecklers, members of the LGBTQ+ still found an ally from the faithful in the person of religious groups who, carrying their own banners, apologized for how some of their fellow Church followers tend to treat the LGBTQ+ community.
Among these groups are the Rainbow Catholics Philippines, the Philippine Independent Church, and the Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.
One group grabbed attention for turning up with signs apologizing and owning up to their previous prejudice against members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Their signs read, “I’m sorry for using the Bible to preach against you,” “God loves you, so do we,” and “I used to be a Bible-banging homophobe, I’m sorry.”
Religious groups join Pride March to apologize, support the LGBT community pic.twitter.com/cKAUQxRhpS
— Jessica Bartolome (@jessbrtlm) June 29, 2019
Eva Callueng, president of Rainbow Catholics Philippines, slammed the anti-LGBTQ+ group that crashed the parade and said they wanted to counter their beliefs.
“Etong mga hecklers nito sila mismo ang tingin nila ay gusto isalba ang LGBT...ang premise na pinanggagalingan nila ay ito ay kasalanan,” she said.
“Syempre nilalabanan natin yung very notion na kasalanan ang pagiging homosexual,” she added.
She also said that they want to make a place for Catholic LGBTQ+ people who were “shunned by the oppressive teachings of the Church.” — MDM, GMA News