[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was an eight-year old kid\Nin the mid-1990s.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I grew up in the southern Philippines.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At that age, you are\Nyoung enough to be oblivious
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about what society expects\Nfrom each of us,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but old enough to be aware\Nof what's going on around you.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We lived in a one-bedroom house,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all five of us.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Our house was amongst clusters of houses
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,made mostly of wood\Nand corrugated metal sheets.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These houses were built\Nvery close to each other,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,along unpaved roads.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There was little to no\Nexpectation of privacy.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Whenever an argument broke out next door,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you heard it all.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or, if there was a little\Nsomething something going on
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you would probably hear that too.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Like any other kid, I learned\Nwhat a family looked like.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It was a man, a woman,\Nplus a child or children.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But I also learned\Nit wasn't always that way.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There were other combinations\Nthat worked just as well.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There was this family of three\Nwho lived down the street.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The lady of the house was called Lenny.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Lenny had long black hair,\Noften in a ponytail,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and manicured nails.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She always went out\Nwith a little makeup on
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and her signature red lipstick.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Lenny's other half,\NI don't remember much about him
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,except that he had a thing\Nfor wide sleeveless shirts
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and gold chains around his neck.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Their daughter was\Na couple years younger than me.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, everybody in the village knew Lenny.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She owned and ran what was\Nthe most popular beauty salon
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in our side of town.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Every time their family\Nwould walk down the roads,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they would always be greeted with smiles
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and occasionally stopped\Nfor a little chit-chat.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, the interesting thing about Lenny
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is that she also happened to be\Na transgender woman.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She exemplified
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,one of the Philippines' longstanding\Nstories about gender diversity.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Lenny was proof that oftentimes\Nwe think of something as strange
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,only because we're not familiar with it,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or we haven't taken enough time\Nto try and understand.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In most cultures around the world,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,gender is this man-woman dichotomy.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's this immovable, nonnegotiable,\Ndistinct classes of individuals.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We assign characteristics and expectations\Nthe moment a person's biological sex
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is determined.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But not all cultures are like that.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Not all cultures are as rigid.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Many cultures don't look\Nat genitalia primarily
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as basis for gender construction,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and some communities in North America,\NAfrica, the Indian Subcontinent,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the Pacific islands,\Nincluding the Philippines,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have a long history\Nof cultural permissiveness
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and accommodation of gender variances.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As you may know,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the people of the Philippines were under\NSpanish rule for over 300 years.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's from 1565 to 1898.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This explains why everyday\NFilipino conversations
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are peppered with Spanish words,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and why so many of our last names,\Nincluding mine, sound very Spanish.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This also explains the firmly entrenched\Ninfluence of Catholicism.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But precolonial Philippine societies,\Nthey were mostly animists.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They believed all things\Nhad a distinct spiritual essence:
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,plants, animals, rocks, rivers, places.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Power resided in the spirit.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Whoever was able to harness\Nthat spiritual power was highly revered.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, scholars who have studied\Nthe Spanish colonial archives
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,also tell us that these early societies\Nwere largely egalitarian.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Men did not necessarily\Nhave an advantage over women.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Wives were treated\Nas companions, not slaves.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And family contracts were not done\Nwithout their presence and approval.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In some ways, women had the upper hand.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A woman could divorce her husband\Nand own property under her own name,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which she kept even after marriage.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She had the prerogative\Nto have a baby or not,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then decide the baby's name.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the real key to the power\Nof the precolonial Filipino woman
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was in her role as babaylan,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a collective term for shamans\Nof various ethnic groups.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They were the community healers,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,specialists in herbal and divine lore.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They delivered babies
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and communicated with the spirit world.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They performed exorcisms
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and occasionally, and in defense\Nof their community,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they kicked some ass.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And while the babaylan was a female role,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there were also in fact\Nmale practitioners in the spiritual realm.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Reports from early Spanish chroniclers\Ncontain several references
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to male shamans who did not conform\Nto normative Western masculine standards.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They cross-dressed
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and appeared effeminate
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or sexually ambiguous.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A Jesuit missionary named Francisco Alsina
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,said that one man\Nhe believed to be a shaman
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was so effeminate
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that in every way he was\Nmore a woman than a man.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All the things the women did,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he performed,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,such as weaving blankets,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,sewing clothes and making pots.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He danced also like they did,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,never like a man,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whose stance is different.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In all, he appeared\Nmore a woman than a man.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, any other juicy details\Nin the colonial archives?
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thought you'd never ask.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As you may have deduced by now,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the manner in which these\Nprecolonial societies conducted themselves
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,didn't go over so well.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All the free-loving,\Ngender-variant-permitting,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,gender equality wokeness
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,clashed viciously with the European\Nsensibilities at the time,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so much so that the Spanish missionaries\Nspent the next 300 years
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,trying to enforce their two-sex,\Ntwo-gender model.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Many Spanish friars also thought\Nthat the cross-dressing babalyan
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,were either celibates like themselves
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or had deficient or malformed genitals,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but this was pure speculation.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Documents compiled between 1679 and 1685\Ncalled the Bolinao Manuscript,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,mentions male shamans marrying women.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Boxer Codex, circa 1590,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,provide clues on the nature\Nof the male babaylan sexuality.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It says, ordinarily they dress as women,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,act like prudes,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and are so effeminate
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that one who does know them\Nwould believe they are women.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Almost all are impotent\Nfor the reproductive act,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and thus they marry other males\Nand sleep with them as men and wife
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and have carnal knowledge,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,carnal knowledge of course meaning sex.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, there's an ongoing debate\Nin contemporary society
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about what constitutes gender\Nand how it should be defined.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My country is no exception.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some countries like Australia,\NNew Zealand, Pakistan, Nepal, and Canada
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have begun introducing nonbinary options\Nin their legal documents
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,such as their passports\Nand their permanent resident cards.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In all these discussions about gender,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think it's important to keep in mind
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that the prevailing notions\Nof man and woman as static genders
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,anchored strictly on biological sex\Nare social constructs.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In my people's case,\Nthis social construct is an imposition.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It was hammered into their heads\Nover hundreds of years
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,until they were convinced that their way\Nof thinking was erroneous.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the good thing about social constructs\Nis they can be reconstructed
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to fit a time and age.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They can be reconstructed to respond
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to communities that are\Nbecoming more diverse.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And they can be reconstructed for a world\Nthat's starting to realize
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we have so much to gain from learning\Nand working through our differences.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When I think about this subject,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think about the Filipino people
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and an almost forgotten\Nbut important legacy
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of gender equality and inclusivity.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think about lovers who were\Nsome of the gentlest souls I had known
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but could not be fully open.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think about people\Nwho have made an impact in my life,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who showed me that integrity,\Nkindness, and strength of character
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are far better measures of judgment,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,far better than things\Nthat are beyond a person's control
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,such as their skin color,\Ntheir age, or their gender.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As I stand here today,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on the shoulders of people like Lenny,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I feel incredibly grateful for all\Nwho have come before me,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the ones courageous enough\Nto put themselves out there,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who live a life that is theirs\Nand in the process made it a little easier
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for us to live our lives now.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because being yourself is revolutionary.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And to anyone reeling from forces\Ntrying to knock you down
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and cram you into these neat little boxes\Npeople have decided for you,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,don't break.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I see you.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My ancestors see you.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Their blood runs through me\Nas they run through so many of us.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You are valid, and you deserve rights\Nand recognition just like everyone else.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Applause)