“…patience, not criticism. Understanding, not mockery. patience, not criticism. Understanding, not mockerycompassion, not violence. Co-existing without hurting each other. Once again, we are reminded that violence is never an option.”
I was rudely awakened from my afternoon nap by an alarmingly bad coughing fit so I decided to isolate myself at the guesthouse. I asked everyone in the house to wear facemasks and observe distancing.
Why? Because the essence of gender sensitivity is not about who has power or authority. It refers to acknowledging the presence of the other, and understanding and respecting their choices and situations.
After a thorough collective discernment, Balay Mindanaw has decided to get directly involved by launching our own modest COVID-19 Response.
Susan is a barangay health worker from Kilometer 9 Diatagon, Surigao del Sur. She is an indigenous person, and one of the women peacekeepers of WePeace. Of the diverse topics discussed in the training in April, Susan notes that one important realization she has taken home is how gender sensitivity can reshape our everyday lives. “When my grandson cries, I will no longer tell him that a boy who cries is gay,” she explains.