Nikko Angelo Lastimosa

Nabanggit ko kanina na parang kung paano ko nakikita yung sarili ko, ganun ko more parang empathetic and much more aware doon sa challenges na nararanasan ng marginalized community. Kasi I consider yung LGBT community as marginalized. And yun, bilang librarian, parang nag-s-strive ako na makapag-create ng environment sa student or sa siguro sa academic community na they feel safe and represented kahit nasa library lang sila. Yung little ways na pakikipag-usap mo sa kanila, kung paano mo sila i-approach. Kasi ngayon, unlike before, yung gender expression ng mga bata or yung mga clients natin is parang, it is as loud as ever. No? And understanding yung gender expression is not how you perceive yung gender identity. So, magkaiba. So, mga maliliit na bagay, like asking how they want to be addressed, ganun, yun yung isa sa mga maliliit na bagay na tinatry kong gawin to create yung safe environment para sa kanila. Yung interactions naman sa colleagues, yun din, it has also shaped, it has been, it also have been shaped by my advocacy. Parang I am working towards, yun nga, pag-nurture ng mga inclusive na discourse and yung parang ano lang, yung pag-ensure lang na yung libraries parang sinaserve niya pa rin yung principle na libraries as third spaces. Kung parang welcoming space yung library for everyone, regardless of gender identity or kung ano man yung SOGIE nila. Ganun siya.

Inclusivity in Libraries