THE WOMEN WHO HELPED SHAPE PHILIPPINE FEMINISM

Sylvia “Guy” Claudio

Likhaan is a non-government organization that works with grassroots women on issues of reproductive and sexual health and rights. The highest cause of death among women, according to Sylvia Claudio, is violence from intimate partners. In a particular age group, it is not heart attacks or accidents that cause women’s death but violence.

“We began asking ourselves, if it’s really primary health care, why aren’t contraceptives part of the programs? If it’s really primary health care why are violence against women not integrated in the programs?” These questions pushed her to found LIKHAAN or Linangan ng Kababaihan. Now, the organization has been around for 30 years.

“Feminism is such a huge term. It encompasses so much of life. You could start in any location. Start where it gives you pleasure and makes sense.”

— Sylvia Claudio

Sylvia “Guy” Claudio is the Dean of the College of Social Work and Community Development of the University of the Philippines. She became an activist in high school, during the First Quarter Storm. She helped establish civil organizations on health and women’s rights such as Women in Crisis Center, Media Action Group and Health Alliance for Democracy. She gives free counseling services for women and LGBT survivors of violence.

She believes the best approach to development work is focusing on how people would want to live fulfilled and happy lives. “Having people accept pleasure and sexuality is part of development. Development theories have to understand that you will not be successful of these things if you think of pleasure —I don’t mean just sexual pleasure.” She observes that the mainstream developmental theory and work have taken on an attitude that sexuality is dangerous. “It’s not an area for academic discussion and genuine concern. That it’s peripheral to the goals of ending poverty.” Claudio insists that resistance on actual policies and programs can be traced to the condemnatory approach to safe sex practices rather than focusing on people’s right to sexual pleasure.

“Feminism is such a huge term. It encompasses so much of life. You could start in any location. Start where it gives you pleasure and makes sense,” says Claudio. “If others starting from elsewhere, they don’t seem to be with you. They in fact may seem contradictory to you. Don’t make that a reason to fight among themselves.” Claudio explains that contradictions are present because people come from different positions are affected by power structures. Contradictions may be resolved, she says, without a “them and us” thinking or an exclusivist approach to politics.