Edgar Oscar Atadero, the president of ProGay Philippines, that country’s first LGBT group, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Matthew Shepard March for LGBT Rights, according to Gay Liberation Network, the group organizing the event. The march will take place Oct. 8 at 8 p.m. at the corner of Halsted and Roscoe. According to its Web site, ProGay Philippines was formed in Sept., 1993 and led the first gay march in Asia in June, 1994; the event was timed with the 25th anniversary of Stonewall.
Others on the program include representatives of the newly formed Arguyo en Accion (Spanish for ‘Pride in Action’), The Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry, Equal Marriage NOW Coalition, Sangat, the Joel Hall Dancers, Theatre 521, Lickity Split and The Radical Cheerleaders.
The event will start with a short rally, followed by a march out of Boystown into Wrigleyville. Marchers will then return to Halsted Street for a closing rally.
The march has been organized annually by the Gay Liberation Network—and its predecessor organization, the Chicago Anti-Bashing Network—since 1999 to highlight the continuing problem of anti-LGBT violence and the lack of civil rights for gay people which encourages this violence.
See www.GayLiberation.org or e-mail LGBTliberation@aol.com.