By Erik Espina
AROUND 2-3 years passing, I tackled LGBT issues in my cable TV program (“Republika,” Tuesdays 8 p.m., Gsat-Channel 1, Destiny Ch. 8, Sky Ch. 213) with foreign educated lawyers Jeremy Gatdula and Raymund Alikpala of ‘Ladlad Partylist’.
It was an intellectual exchange with deference traded on both aisle of the arena. From the biological necessity and attraction of men for certain body shapes, procreation, to LGBTQ rights to love, cross-dress versus school rules and private company standards, to the use of ‘ladies room’ etc. An interesting engagement for shared socio-cultural-political spaces despite persistent stigma against said sector.
Part of understanding is in realizing thought processes and inclinations e.g. a gay man who thinks he is lesbian, and hence prefers women as partners. LGBTQ marriage was also staple discussion. Pragmatic advocates of the gay community realize they are navigating up-stream in a highly Christianized norm in the Philippines.
In my own thinking, Ladlad Party-list, would have easily fished one or two seats in Congress back then with their provocative coverages and lively support. It did not happen. The issue on same sex marriage found new traction with President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent comments. A step-back from his original position on pervading cultural inflexibility in comparison to more open Western societies.
Bataan 1st District Representative Geraldine Roman (transgender) side-stepped the apex of this issue conceding the title of “marriage” as territory between man and woman under the law and religion. “Let us give it to them. We are after civil rights”. She has filed House Bill 6595 seeking to grant similar rights as spouses for same sex couples, under ‘Civil Partnerships’.
Said bill also grants for adoption, property sharing, dissolution of the partnerships etc. Other countries term such arrangement as Domestic Partnerships. This is a better route in respecting time-honored principles that in law, differing terms and definitions have varying legal effects e.g. murder contrasted with homicide, to parricide. However, let this not be a first step in the door to insists on “marriage” in the future.