Geraldine Roman, Makabayan bloc seek probe into discrimination vs. trans woman at QC mall

Bataan Representative Geraldine Roman and members of the Makabayan Bloc on Wednesday filed a House resolution seeking a congressional inquiry into the discrimination and arrest of transgender woman Gretchen Custodio Diez at a Quezon City mall.

In House Resolution 232, Roman and the six party-list lawmakers from the Makabayan Bloc urged the Committee on Women and Gender Equality to conduct the inquiry in aid of legislation, citing provisions in the Constitution, the Magna Carta for Women, and the Safe Spaces Law protecting individuals, regardless of gender, from discrimination and harassment.

Diez on Tuesday was barred by a cleaning lady in the Quezon City mall from using the women's comfort room and told her to use the rest room for males instead.

She left but returned to talk to the cleaning lady and proceeded to take a video recording of their exchange.

A security guard then handcuffed Diez and brought her to the Quezon Police District 7 where a complaint for unjust vexation was supposed to be filed against her.

The staff members, reportedly, were distressed that Diez took a video without their permission.

The complaint against Diez was eventually dropped a few minutes after midnight.

"The harassment and discrimination perpetrated by the mall authorities and the Quezon City police against transgender woman Gretchen Custodio Diez is a clear violation of the Philippine Constitution, the Quezon City ordinance [on gender discrimination], and other existing laws," the resolution read.

"This incident is a clear manifestation of the current situation of the LGBTQ community in the Philippines. It illustrates the urgency of enforcing policies that would protect LGBTQ rights," it added.

Roman, herself a transgender woman, expressed her strong condemnation over the incident and called for the urgent passage of the SOGIE Equality Bill.

She said that in the House, she can freely use the women's comfort room and no one makes a big issue out of it just because she is a congresswoman.

But Roman said one need not to be a lawmaker in order to get the same respect she gets for being a member of the LGBT community.

"Nanawagan ako sa kapwa ko mambabatas, kung kayo naibibigay niyo sa akin yung basic need ko, hinahayaan niyo akong umihi sa CR ng babae sang-ayon sa aking gender identity, bakit niyo ipagkakait sa mga ibang mga transwomen, transmen, sa mga LGBT?" she said.

"Ako'y naniniwala na kung anong respeto ang binibigay sa akin ng aking mga kapwa mambabatas ay ibibigay din nila sa kapwa Pilipino na nagkataon lang na LGBT," she added. —NB, GMA News