Fighting for Love

From day one, Varsity Co-op’s main goal has always been to do meaningful work that positively impacts our community – a commitment that begins well within the company. Our carefully crafted policies, for one, enable us to cultivate a safe environment where diverse gender identities and expressions are welcome. We make sure to do work that aligns with our support for the queer community, whether that be as simple as working with LGBTQIA+ content creators, or as major as mounting a national Pride Month campaign for our clients. 

We walk the talk, so joining the annual Pride PH celebration was a shared goal for everyone on the team. In preparation, we held an Art Day for Pride March 2023 at the Varsity office where everyone came together to create celebratory banners for the march. Every person in the room contributed their own ideas and worked together on bringing these creative visions to life. Our handmade banners championed representation and support for the community. There were posters of renowned queer icons, and ones that read “you are loved” and “I am an ally” among others, to show our love and support. We also had banners that read “Bakla” and “Best Bi” for Varsiteam members who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community for reclamation and inclusivity. 

On June 24, 2023, we finally got to march alongside allies and members of the LGBTQIA+ community in the Love Laban Pride PH Festival at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City. We made our way from North EDSA to Commonwealth together with different brands, media outlets, and non-government organizations who all came together to advocate for freedom and lobby for the passage of the SOGIE Equality Bill, which aims to penalize discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community. The first version of the anti-discrimination bill can be dated back to early 2000, yet it’s been rejected year by year by Philippine lawmakers. Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte echoed the cause with urgency, calling out the Philippine Senate to take a stand in fighting for equal rights. 

The Love Laban Pride PH Festival was the biggest Pride event in the entirety of Southeast Asia. Decades worth of grit and fighting spirit brought us all together to advocate for equal rights. It saw 110,000 attendees march in solidarity to work towards a truly inclusive society, and we’re proud to have actively taken part in this movement towards love and acceptance. 

Our allyship doesn’t end with the march, and we continue the fight alongside our friends and family from the LGBTQIA+ community. Varsity Co-op’s commitment to this mission continues as we underline policies that aim to forward a company culture that embraces inclusivity. Our advocacy trickles down to everything we pursue as a creative agency, and we are dedicated to carrying out concrete efforts that ensure everybody gets a seat at the table.