Visibility is not acceptance: Govt should recognize our rights – LGBT group

Following the landmark decision of the US Supreme Court legalizing same-sex marriage in all 50 states, LGBT group And Ladlad said Monday that it will not relent in its fight to be recognized by the state. 

 

Rica Paras, a member of Ang Ladlad board of trustrees and chairwoman of the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP), said they are not asking to be recognized by the Church — for now — but the state should at least grant them "full acceptance and protection of the law." 

 

"Ang pinaka-basic lang naman na isinusulong doon ay yung sa lebel ng estado, yun yung pinaka-basic ngayon. Hindi pa tayo umaabot doon sa lebel na ipangalandakan namin yung sarili namin sa loob ng simbahan," Paras said in a "News To Go" interview. 

 

Paras said LGBTs respect the opposition of the Church and even of Congress, the leadership of which has made it clear that legislation to legalize same-sex unions will not prosper. 

 

"Mahirap talaga mag-adjust when change is coming sa status quo, in-a-acknowledge at nirerespeto din namin yung mga nago-oppose. Iyong Catholic Church, siyempre matagal nang institusyon ito at siyempre meron din silang mga dogma at teachings related to that," she said.

 

In a statement, Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) head and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said that while the Church remains firm against gay marriage, it will not discriminate against LGBTs. 

 

Paras, a transgender woman, said that while the Philippines ranks as one of the most gay-friendly countries in the world, society's acceptance of the LGBT community is still fairly low. 

Visibility not equal to acceptance

 

"Visibility does not necessarily equal to acceptance. Marami tayong nakikita na mga kapatid natin sa LGBT na mga katrabaho, kahit saan diba, pero on the ground, hindi yun ang nangyayari," she said citing the discrimination against homosexuals. 

 

"Marami pa tayong kapatid na hindi makapag-out dahil takot na takot at very restricting yung law so para sa amin, medyo misleading dahil nakikita eh accepted na. Siguro nakikita lang and tolerated but the full acceptance and protection of the law, wala pa and yun ang pinaglalaban namin," Paras added.

 

For instance, Paras said, LGBTs are pushing for a law that would allow the legal recognition of same-sex unions, including the co-ownership of properties acquired while living together. 

 

"Equal protection and equality essentially sa ating bansa, yun yung para sa amin is the greatest gift, para mas ma-affirm, para mas mamahalin mo yung pagiging Pilipino mo dahil mahal ka rin ng bansa mo dahil sa pagkatao mo," she said. 

There is a proposal at the House of Representatives that seeks to penalize discrimination based on gender and another that seeks to recognize property ownership by same-sex couples.

The bill against gender discrimination has been criticized by some groups connected to the Church for supposedly allowing gay marriage. The bill, filed by Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, does not seek to amend the Family Code of the Philippines to allow same-sex unions.
 

Malacañang on Sunday said the government will not recognize same-sex marraiges performed in the United States and other foreign countries where gay marriage is legal.

He said the government is bound by the Family Code, which specifies marriages as unions between a man and a woman.— Kathrina Charmaine Alvarez/JDS, GMA News