They are in a battle, a bloody struggle for defending and uplifting their rights. I salute these people who stood up before the world and with dignity proclaimed what their human soul dictated them to be. Going against the societal norm and religious dictum is never simple. Nonetheless, their desire for harmonious existence served as the driving force to continue fighting.
In China, they are called Py Bianxingzhe. In Thailand, they are termed as Kateoy. In Indonesia, they are the Waria. In America, they are referred to as Transgendered. In the Philippines, their kind are often called Bakla or Trans Pinay. In a world where we categorize every individual as man and woman, where should these people lie? Do their being less of a man and more of a woman make them less human? To this question my answer is no. I believe that they too, just like any other man or woman, only want a life to live, with freedom, liberty and pursuit of happiness. These things are not ours (man and woman) to take from them (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender). There’s no exclusivity of prescription for these. They too are humans, only that they are unique on their own special ways. Their being unique does not give us the right to treat them with indifference and persecute them. Instead, why don’t we give them one important thing that they really want and need?-- Acceptance!
I remembered watching a documentary show about Trans Pinay (i-Witness). And as an end note, I would like to share the words of Kristine Madrigal, a Trans Pinay. We may ponder them and reach into the very essence of what she said:
"Sa panahon ngayon, hindi na ito question ng kung sino ang makasalanan, kung sino ang banal;
kung sino na lang ang marunong gumawa ng mabuti at marunong makipagkapwa-tao;
sabi nga nila mahirap magpakababae kung hindi ka tunay na babae;
mahirap ding magpakalalake kung hindi ka tunay na lalake;
pero mahirap magpakatao kung hindi nila kami ituturing bilang isang tao."
