Apologies for the Intrusion: IIT’s Blurred Invitation of Inclusivity

written by Kyle Pontillo

cartoon by Janara Jacosalem

Influencing the Future

Bannering inclusivity, diversity, and values far more progressive than what one would assume an academic institution is able to promulgate, this promise has long been the brand of MSU - Iligan Institute of Technology (IIT), soliciting hope and aspirations held by a manifold of stories in pursuit of education tethered to the idea of upholding their experiences. The brand, coupled with feats amplifying this display of advocacy, has made IIT a singular entity among campuses reaching beyond the MSU system. But like any other institution, no amount of advocacy guarantees a criticism-free plane of exchange, especially with a population like IIT. As a foundation ages, a speculation of whether or not it will be able to hold becomes necessary as we now ask questions of accountability, intention, and the ambiguity looming over the quote “Influencing the Future.”

We have questions

Lapping rounds of concern among IITians is the omission of MSU-IIT Drag Superstar from the Palakasan 2024 roster of events. MSU-IIT Drag Superstar is a drag pageant held at last year’s Palakasan. Akin to a beauty pageant as we know it, with mechanics derived from the American television show Rupaul’s Drag Race, this event showcased drag culture as a sensation inviting identities of all kinds to enjoy queer art as relished by the respective community. This event separated IIT from the standard Macho Gay and Miss Gay pageants that are often lined by sexism and homophobia, as it platformed a celebration that satisfied the necessary call for visibility and love. It was the first of its kind in the school's history and is spoken with high regard among people past the perimeters of the university. But now we sit on the reality of its removal and the grief it has washed over IIT’s rainbow domain.

In a conversation with Jovan Virtudazo (Vanilla Maxwell), she spoke of immense disappointment as the first and reigning MSU-IIT Drag Superstar. To her, the pageant, besides being a platform to showcase their talents, was the school’s way to help mitigate the negative portrayals of the LGBTQ+ community. These portrayals, often caricatured by the aforementioned norm gay pageants, presents images and narratives founding the stereotypes the community is working so hard to dispel. To break and prevent future generations from adapting this mindset was the war Jovan led with this pageant. 

The university hosts a pool of queer individuals from faculty to students. Beyond that demographic is the non-queer fraction that also convenes for the event. In desperation of trying to make the pageant happen, Jovan told CASSayuran her intentions to approach the Gender and Development (GAD) Office of the school. Citing these efforts and the expectation that the pageant will also happen this year, one can expect hostility and dismay to be prompted from an audience that looked forward to the event. Additionally, the lack of official announcements regarding its removal on grounds far too ambiguous even for the KASAMA to justify also fueled this perceived breach of advocacy. With the apparent relative perception of prerequisites that implements a decision, i.e. the situation’s unclear reasons, everyone is hunting shoulders to bear accountability. Which brings us to another question: Where is the KASAMA President?

CASSayuran has yet to receive a response from the KASAMA President Lugille Castardo herself and has been relying on the information held by her second in command, KASAMA Vice President Chester Laurie Tagacay. Not only is it crucial that she be present in these adversaries compromising the welfare of her constituents, we also need to hear from her personally what went down during that Academic Planning Committee (APC) session. As this agitation worsens from the continued state of disorientation, only clarification antidotes the slew of assumptions pouring out of everyone’s mouths.

We need answers

Virtudazo has expressed being weaponized to single out the pageant from the rest of the events in the roster. Her collapse after the finale of last year’s Drag Superstar, the expenses, and time consumption was relayed to her as principal grounds for its omission from Palakasan 2024 in which she retaliated with solutions that would effectively absolve these concerns. Collapsing from exhaustion did not only happen to her but is also imminent on other physically taxing events, expenses can be remedied with resourcefulness and methods Jovan learned as the Ways and Means chair for the CASS Executive Council (EC), and time consumption can be lessened through efficient program planning. Jovan believes these tangible solutions would be more than enough to address the concerns lobbied to her, which is why the confusion remains as to why it is not happening. It is of obvious knowledge that the seats during that APC session were occupied by highly intellectual determiners whose decisions dictate the course of events in the university. If Jovan herself, as someone not even seated, can offer solutions to make it happen, how come far more qualified individuals failed in doing so? As the face of IIT’s LGBTQ+ community, we cannot blame Jovan if she ever concluded executions of biases might have driven these decisions. 

This blurry state of affairs led both Virtudazo and Tagacay to ask, “Why start it?” Why was the event even given space in the first place when it won’t be cemented after all? And given what people expected of IIT and its inclusivity agenda, why was the event questioned in the first place? The intent behind these executive decisions remains vague for the benefit of who knows whom. Because it is certainly not the studentry in their state of distress, nor the authorities as assumptions of their decisions are in grave danger of escalation. Birthing more doubts and distrust from people promised with the utopia of acceptance and welcomed with this oath in hand, the hazard of this whole ordeal inducing withdrawal from the students is of near view. Jovan has stated it would have been easier had it been a clear case of homophobia, because she would waste no effort in even trying in the first place. 

We demand answers, for people to set the record straight. This continued game of suspense cranks a forthcoming ruling out of the school’s brand as inoperative. That we are now in no position to expect this cause from IIT. That after all, they only adapted the symbol, not the stance; like a door you saw was open, but then realized it was made of glass. Gaining influence from the moralist facade and masking the truth that is now slowly bleeding itself to the world. They set themselves up for failure. Choreographed a grand display of the bare minimum without so much of a thought of its significance, with Drag that is now apparently of less bearing than the Mass Dance Competition. Beyond just being a question for the culture, this is a question of dignity and the commitment to stand by a decision that gauges long-term advocacy for the students. 

These questions, if not provided with answers from the people asked, will answer themselves. These speculations will only grow from the continued inaction whose consequences signal risk to networks even beyond the matter at hand. We are not even aware of what to expect from IIT anymore. Will there be more instances of regression that we might encounter in the future? What’s next then? Stripping the students of the No Dress Code Policy? Will Mx. Influencer be back to Mr. and Ms. IIT? We cannot implore a movement from people with no clear premise. All we can do is wait for the fog to clear up, be inquisitive, and ask IIT, “Is this how we influence the future?”