#FilipinoAmericanHistoryMonth 🇵🇭🏳️‍⚧️📣 ᜎᜃᜉᜆᜒ This #SURATMagazine Cover is an homage to #Lakapati —the pre-colonial ‘Trans/Intersex’ Goddess of Fertility and Golden Rice in the Philippines. Before Spain colonized and forced Christianity, Trans and Gender Variant people played a central role in society, often as spiritual leaders, advisors to rulers, and bridge to the Divine. We are shamans, intermediaries between the visible and invisible worlds to whom even the local ruler (datu) deferred. They placated angry spirits, foretold the future, healed infir- mities, and even reconciled warring couples and tribes. (Dr. J. Neil Garcia. University of the Philippines) #Babaylan #Bayoguin #Asog #Mentefuwaley Lagey of #Teduray are other gender variant figures in Pre-Colonized Philippine society. Tagalog, the main language of the Philippines is gender neutral, doesn’t have He or She Pronoun. We have “Siya” (gender neutral pronoun) This is the first time in over 50 years that a printed mag...