Love Verses Hate
Team Magazine + Young Star + Scout + Preen + Village Pipol
Issue 53 | January 2020
Agency
Propel Manila
Creative Team
Chief Creative Officer: Raymund Sison Creative Director: Aiko So Copywriters: Eri Carunungan, Yenee Galicia, Joe Yuhico Art Directors: Hayami Kudo, Brent Guzman, Third Lorenzo
Production Team
Production House: Propel Studios Producer: Earl Guico
Other Credits
Chief Executive Officer: JC Valenzuela Business Unit Director: Aj Marquez Account Director: Rachel Clavio Account Manager: Christa Gutierrez Social Team: Patty Villegas, Kay Cardeno Data Team: Max Merida, Ivy Cabal, Anna Tejero, Raven Austria Account Support: Zari Sabelita Brand Partners: Team Magazine Young Star Scout Preen Village Pipol
Date
May 2019
Background
The Bible has always been used as a weapon to discriminate and spread hate against the LGBTQ+ community. It’s more prevalent in the Philippines where 85% of the country is Catholic. Every Pride Month in the Philippines, anti-LGBTQ+ activists come to spread hate online and on Pride Parade, using verses of the Bible.
Idea
On the eve of Pride Month, five publications – Team Magazine, Preen Inquirer, Scout Magazine, Young Star, Village Pipol – united to turn the weapon used against LGBTQ+ into a shield that spreads love to the community. Introducing Love Verses Hate. Reclaiming the very core of the Bible – that it’s always been about acceptance, not discrimination. That it has always meant to unite, not divide. That’s it’s always been about love, never about hate. The verses were carefully selected from the books of the Bible – highlighting some of the most powerful verses in over 20 provocative designs that married LGBTQ+ symbolisms and religious iconographies. The provocative verses were launched on the eve of Pride Month, releasing verse after verse, design after design, week after week on social media platforms. Leading up to the Metro Manila Pride March, where Love Verses Hate designs were turned into parade placards, situated and displayed right in the area where anti-LGBTQ+ religious activists stand to discriminate and spread hate. An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. A verse for a verse. Demonstrating the truth that there are more Bible verses that show love to LGBTQ+ than verses used to hate and discriminate.
Results
People started using the verses to respond to the controversial anti-LGBTQ+ hate posts by a religious group. Sparking debates and conversations on social media – unfortunately with more hate than love. And then a little miracle happened. On the day of the Pride Parade, different religious groups joined the march with placards of apology to the LGBTQ+ community. A historic moment when love triumphed over hate.