"We hope that this event can teach our student leaders and staff how we should push forward the goals of gender and development empowerment in the status quo."
While questioning the portrayal of men by feminist movements, this was the challenge that Jefferson Qupit, MSU-GSC Debate Society (MGDS) President, posed to all the participants of the GADebates 2024 at the Alumni Pavillion last March 20.
The contentious motion of the GADebates 2024: 'This house, as the feminist movement, would portray men as victims of the patriarchy rather than as the aggressors,' puts debaters on a feminism-themed clash.
"This motion is very controversial as many people are still questioning how should we perceive people perpetuating the patriarchy," Quipit says in his opening remarks.
Debaters in the event clashed on many issues like the palatability of the movement towards men in government house versus the dilution of the feminists' messaging on the opposition side.
In the end, Arwen Lia Sendico, the chair adjudicator of the event, announced that there was no clear winner in the debate round and it was up to the audience to decide on their win.
"We know that debating is also viewed as a sport but I think what is important in this event is to just spark a progressive dialogue and that is done by debating even without any clear winner," Monlouie Sorzano, MGDS Adviser said.
ONE YEAR IN THE MAKING
The event proposal of GADebates 2024 was more than nearly one year in the making and was supposed to happen last year 2023.
"This is actually a brainchild of the GAD [Gender and Development] and CWS [Center for Women Studies] office, and it is already almost one year in the making," Dr. Diane Mae Lozano, CWS Director said in her message.
Quipit said in an interview that the first proposal of GADebates was already set last year but was postponed due to the March 2023 heatwave.
"Actually, we should have conducted the event last year in March. But sadly, during our schedule, na-timingan jud na nag-heatwave and we had to cancel the event last year."
The said event was attended by several student leaders and several National Service Training Program (NSTP) students in the university.
The organizers of the event hope that the GADebates becomes an annual event during Women's Month.
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