I think it’s important to highlight women this year because women have always played an important role in every aspect of life and society and we’ve always been overlooked. We give life, we support our family even if we have to do it on our own. We’re inventors, home makers, support systems, career-oriented and so many other things. But for far too long we have been invisibilized, overlooked, abused and sexualized and this year, PrideTT decided that enough was enough and we put the spotlight on our PowHer.

Queer men do go through different challenges than women. Lesbians are often accused of being man haters or we chose this life because some "man" broke our heart or the classic “you haven’t found a good man to put it on you yet”. Or instances where some man want to hook up with you because he wants a threesome because they think you’re just freaky and it’s not real love or a real relationship. We’ve even had reports of some women being raped to straighten then out or as they like to call it "corrective rape". The challenges queer men go through are even worse because of the death threats and name calling and in some instances murder.

People generally fear what they don’t understand, so yes there is a lot of work to be done to educate people on queer folx and their lives and what they really go through on a daily basis just to get through the day. They may be shocked to know that we are not so different from them and who we go to bed with should not matter nor should it affect how we are treated. PrideTT plans to host workshops and partner with Corporate Trinidad and Tobago to develop and implement workplace policies so that its employees can have a better understanding of queer folx.

This year, PrideTT is highlighting all genres of women and the challenges we face and also our successes. For the last four years PrideTT has been highlighting the different aspects of our community.

1. In 2018, the theme was "United for Love" for our entire community at large united for what is our birthright.
2. In 2019 was "EquALL" (Equality for All) which put the spotlight on our transgender community because we believe that they too should be treated equally as they are the most marginalized and vulnerable group in our community.
3. In 2020, "Empowered by Our Pride", as that was an election year we decided that we needed to let the government know that our vote counts as well, that we work and pay taxes just like everyone else and we deserve the same benefits that everyone else has. It’s sad to know that our taxes pay the salaries of the same people that don’t want to give us our basic human rights.

And this year our theme is "PowHer" highlighting women, who have fought through and are still fighting an archaic thinking of our leaders. "Her", who through pain and adversity we strive, strive to raise our family, earn a living, fight for equality and equity. As I end I would leave you with this poem, it is said that the author is Mother Teresa, PowHer to her.

We the willing, led by the unknowing are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, with so little for so long, we are now qualified to do anything, with nothing.

This is the strength of a woman.

• Eva Chavez