Filipino researcher Gregorio “Gio” R. Caliguia III, who specializes on the history of gender and sexuality, will impart important points on how to create a safer Philippines for the LGBTQ+ community in a free and public online lecture on 21 March.

Entitled “Break Down the Walls,” the webinar will raise awareness on the different challenges currently faced by members of the LGBTQ+ community as well as several tips on how to provide a more affirming environment for them. He will guide the participants how to understand the diverse sexual orientations and gender expressions. He aims to contribute to fostering a society that allows LGBTQ+ peers to fully express themselves without judgment and discrimination.

Vital tools for better communication will likewise be discussed, as well as significant insights on how be an ally who supports and advocates equal civil rights for all genders. He wishes to present his vision for the future of the LGBTQ+ community in the Philippines.

The event is hosted by the Office of the Vice President for Lasallian Mission and Student Life, Center for Inclusive Education and Best Buddies Benilde of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, in their mutual commitment to generate a culture of inclusion in the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and beyond.

Caliguia earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and his Master of Arts degree in Philippine Studies from the Asian Center of the University of the Philippines Diliman. He teaches history, Spanish language and Philippine studies at the PUP. He is currently included in the historiography of the Philippine queer archive, with researches that touch on the intersections of historiography, art and sexuality in the Philippine context.

He has written and presented his studies in various conferences. His recent academic works include “‘Staging’ Trouble: Performing Queer Bodies in Metro Manila Pride March,” read before the International Federation for Theatre Research-Asia, and “Writing the (Queer) Archive: Bridging Mojares’ Scholarship and Philippine Gay Studies,” presented at the Bridging Worlds, Illumining the Archive: An International Conference in Honor of Professor Resil B. Mojares, among others.

“Break Down the Walls” is free and open to the public and will be conducted on from 2 to 5 p.m. via Zoom. Filipino Sign Language (FSL) interpreters will be available. Interested participants may register at forms.gle/KRYWEPPwKvRsRmaC8.For inquiries, visit the official Facebook page of Benilde Center for Inclusive Education (www.facebook.com/ciebenilde) or email [email protected])