JURY STATEMENT
Lou Fajardo shows everyday heroes in the Philippines who gently and tenderly create spaces of care and self-care. The series emphasizes the desire for legal protection and justice for the LGBTQIA+ communities in the Philippines.
TSUPET
The series “Tsupet” shows ordinary, personal and sensitive impressions of the everyday lives of “parloristas”, people who work in beauty salons in the Philippines and are part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Who often come from rather precarious living conditions characterized by discrimination and exclusion. Lou Fajardo sees them as an inspiration for all those who have not yet come out. Everyday heroes who gently and tenderly create spaces of care and self-care. We can see friendly, smiling, open faces, witness gentle interactions with customers who place themselves comfortably and safely in the hands of the parloristas. Lou Fajardo also highlights the lack of social and political protection for LGBTQIA+ parloristas: “Behind most of these inspiring individuals who are often found in public city markets are people who have had difficult childhoods full of abuse and discrimination. With the dream that one day the SOGIE Bill will be passed into law, parloristas look forward to its success and the protection it can provide to the LGBTQIA+ community.” The so-called “SOGIE” law, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression Equality Bill, or Anti-Discrimination Bill (ADB), was first presented to the Philippine Congress in 2000 and is intended to protect people from gender-based violence and discrimination, as well as guarantee freedom of expression. However, the law has not yet come into effect and is being actively contested by opposing forces, but also pushed forward by supportive groups in Congress.
BIOGRAPHY
Lou Russell Fajardo is a photographer born and raised in Pangasinan who is currently an AB Photography student at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. He is an aspiring commercial photographer and photojournalist. Since college, Lou has gained experience working with big companies such as BIGO Live and Stargate PeopleAsia. Some of his works had also been exhibited internationally at The 2nd Quanzhou International Image Biennial at Guangzhou, China, and in the “Araw-Araw” Exhibit held at Ontario College of Art & Design University in Canada. But within Benilde, he currently works as a photo staffer from Ad Astra: The Benildean Yearbook, the sole student organization tasked with producing De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s official yearbook.
JURY STATEMENT
Lou Fajardo zeigt Held*innen des Alltags in den Philippinen, die sanft und zärtlich Orte der Fürsorge und Selbstfürsorge schaffen. Und unterstreicht mit der Serie den Wunsch nach gesetzlichem Schutz und Recht für die LSBTQIA+ Communities in den Philippinen.
TSUPET
Die Serie „Tsupet“ zeigt ganz alltägliche, private, wunderschön zärtliche Einblicke in den Arbeitsalltag von „Parloristas“, Menschen die in den Philippinen oft als Teil der LSBTQIA+ Community in Beauty-Salons arbeiten und aus eher prekären Lebensverhältnissen, geprägt von Diskriminierung und Ausschluss stammen. Lou Fajardo sieht sie als Inspiration für all jene, die sich noch nicht geoutet haben. Held*innen des Alltags, die sanft und zärtlich Orte der Fürsorge und Selbstfürsorge schaffen. Wir dürfen in freundlich lächelnde, offene Gesichter sehen, Zeug*innen von zärtliche Interaktionen mit Kund*innen werden, die sich entspannt und sicher in die Hände der Parloristas geben. Lou Fajardo unterstreicht aber auch den fehlenden gesellschaftlichen und politischen Schutz der LSBTQIA+ Parloristas: „Hinter den meisten dieser inspirierenden Menschen, die oft auf öffentlichen Märkten in der Stadt anzutreffen sind, stehen Menschen, die eher aus aus prekären, von Diskriminierung geprägten Verhältnissen stammen. Mit der Hoffnung, dass das SOGIE-Gesetz eines Tages verabschiedet wird, erwarten die Parloristas eine erfolgreiche Umsetzung und den Schutz, den es der LSBTQIA+-Gemeinschaft bieten kann“. Das sogenannte „SOGIE“ Gesetz, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression Equality Bill, oder Anti-Discrimination Bill (ADB), wurde 2000 erstmals dem philippinischen Kongress vorgestellt und soll Menschen vor queerer Gewalt und Diskriminierung schützen, sowie Selbstbestimmung garantieren. Bisher konnte das Gesetz allerdings noch nicht in Kraft treten und wird aktiv bestritten, aber auch von unterstützenden Kräften im Kongress vorangetrieben.
BIOGRAFIE
Lou Russell Fajardo ist ein Fotograf, der in Pangasinan geboren und aufgewachsen ist und derzeit ein AB-Fotostudium am De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde absolviert. Er ist als Werbefotograf und Fotojournalist tätig. Seit dem College hat Lou Erfahrungen in der Zusammenarbeit mit großen Unternehmen wie BIGO Live und Stargate PeopleAsia gesammelt. Einige seiner Werke wurden auch international auf der 2. Quanzhou International Image Biennial in Guangzhou, China, und in der „Araw-Araw“-Ausstellung am Ontario College of Art & Design University in Kanada ausgestellt. Innerhalb von Benilde arbeitet er derzeit als Fotomitarbeiter von Ad Astra: The Benildean Yearbook, der einzigen Studierendennorganisation, die mit der Produktion des offiziellen Jahrbuchs des De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde beauftragt ist.
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