Gretchen Diez incident also a health issue —sociology professor

A sociology professor believes that disallowing transgender individuals from using public toilets intended for sexes opposite of their gender identity is a health issue, not just a question of preferences.

John Andrew Evangelista, who teaches sociology at the University of the Philippines-Diliman, this on Sunday in light of the discrimination incident involving transwoman Gretchen Custodio Diez, who was arrested as she tried to use the women's comfort room at a mall in Quezon City.

In a Doble B sa News TV interview, Evangelista said transgender individuals do not use male or female comfort rooms just because that is what they prefer.

"Kung titingnan mo ang mas malalim nilang karanasan dahil yun ang aking inaaral, bilang ako ay isang bahagi ng LGBT community, hindi lamang ito issue ng choice, issue rin ito ng health," he said.

According to Evangelista, transgender individuals, for instance, take pills on a regular basis as advised by their doctors in order to induce changes in their bodies.

"So ibig sabihin, dahil may iniinom sila ng gamot araw-araw, napakaimportante nung excretion ng katawan nila," he said.

"[Pero] nararamdaman nila na kapag pumunta sila sa panlalaking palikuran, maha-harass sila kasi sa tingin ng lipunan mukha silang babae. Kapag pumunta naman sila sa palikuran na pambabae, minsan nangyayari ang mga ganito," he added.

Evangelista said people should understand that transwomen identify themselves as women, and using a women's comfort room is important for them.

"Kung naha-harass sila sa pampublikong lugar tulad ng mga palikuran, marami sa kanila ang nagpipigil ng natural excretory activities ng katawan. So hindi na lang sila pupunta sa palikuran, hihintayin na lang nilang makauwi sa bahay sa hapon. May mga ganyang kaso at napakamapanganib nun sa kalusugan ng mga trans individuals," he said.

"Kailangan din natin makita yun. Kasi iniisip ng ibang tao, kaartehan. It's a health issue to me," he added.

Diez on Tuesday last week was barred by a janitress at a 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 janitress and proceeded to do a video recording of the exchange. A lady 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.

Bataan Representative Geraldine Roman and members of the Makabayan Bloc have filed a resolution to investigate the incident. —Erwin Colcol/LBG, GMA News