Transgender beauty queen pushes for anti-discrimination bill in next admin

Reuters file photo

Transgender beauty queen Trixie Maristela on Tuesday said that the anti-discrimination bill protecting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community should be included in the platform of those running for president.

In an interview in News to Go, Maristela said that the law is "very basic," and that is would be a good foundation for the welfare of the LGBT community.

"At this point, the opportunities for employment, for housing and health, is limited because we don't have that law enacted to protect our rights and welfare," Maristela said.

Maristela, who won last year's  2015 Miss International Queen crown for trans women, said that she has experienced discrimination herself. A job she had previously applied to required her to dress up as a male and cut her hair, Maristela said.

According to research done by Pew Research Center in 2013, the Philippines is one of the countries where LGBTs are widely accepted. The list was topped by Canada, Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, and Australia.

But while Maristela acknowledges that the LGBT is "culturally celebrated" in the Philippines, she does not believe that the community is fully accepted.

"When you say acceptance... the LGBT sector is no longer considered an informal sector," Maristela said. "They have rights, and they have protection against violence, and prejudice, and bias and that's something that's still lacking right now."

She said that while members of the LGBTs play a role in entertainment and politics, there are very few in a position of influence.

The LGBT sector does not have a seat in the House of Representatives. The Ladlad Party-list, which aims to represent the sector in congress, lost in both the 2010 and 2013 elections.

However, Maristela is hopeful for the future of her sector. The implementation of the anti-discrimination bill, as well as the gender recognition law, would make other laws relating to the LGBT, such as the law allowing same-sex marriages, a possibility.

But Maristela stressed that same-sex marriage would not be possible without the anti-discrimination bill.

"I am for [same-sex marriage], but I don't think we are ready because we don't have the anti-discrimination bill and the gender recognition law yet," Maristela said.

"Hopefully, the next administration would include that in their agenda and platform," she added. —Jessica Bartolome/JST, GMA News