Across The Pacific

A trans woman was elected to the Philippines Congress and she introducing a non-discrimination bill.

First Filipina transgender lawmaker pushes passage of Anti-Discrimination Bill
By: InterAksyon.com
September 20, 2016

MANILA, Philippines -- “We are proud Filipinos, who just happen to be LGBT.”

In an emotionally-charged privilege speech, Bataan 1st district Representative Geraldine Roman appealed to fellow lawmakers for the passage of the Anti-Discrimination Bill which has been languishing in Congress for the past 17 years.

As a co-author of the Anti SOGI (Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity) Discrimination Act, the neophyte lawmaker lamented the lack of legal protection for people of diverse SOGI.

Roman started her first privilege speech paying an emotional tribute to her father, the late Congressman Tony Roman. She recalled how her father told her that he dreamt of Geraldine giving a privilege speech in Congress, urging her colleagues to treat her as an equal, to respect her human rights.

“If my father could hear me now, I would tell him this: ‘Daddy, you and I need not beg my colleagues for respect,” said Roman, sharing that her fellow lawmakers have dealt with her as an equal. “Daddy, you would be glad to know that they have treated me with the dignity and respect that is due all human beings.”

However, Roman bemoaned that hers is a privilege – not a shared experience for a majority of the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) community.

The debate should be interesting and I hope for the best.