Philippines elects first transgender politician

Published May 12, 2016
Transgender legislator candidate Geraldine Roman campaigning in a village in Orani town, Bataan province, north of Manila. ─AFP
Transgender legislator candidate Geraldine Roman campaigning in a village in Orani town, Bataan province, north of Manila. ─AFP

MANILA: The first transgender politician elected in the Philippines says she hopes her win in a congressional race shows that people like her can contribute to nation-building in a country where LGBT people are still sometimes publicly ridiculed.

The Commission on Elections on Wednesday proclaimed Geraldine Roman winner of Monday’s election in the first district of northern Bataan province.

Roman, who takes over a congressional seat previously occupied by her mother, says she is happy to have survived the humiliation and attacks on her gender by political opponents during the campaign.

The former editor of a Spanish news agency says she hopes her story will inspire the LGBT community and show the need for compassion in society.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2016

Opinion

Editorial

PTI no-show
Updated 29 Jan, 2025

PTI no-show

There is growing impression that an entire country is being held hostage by the egos of a few powerful individuals.
A second Nakba?
29 Jan, 2025

A second Nakba?

WHILE candidate Trump was able to get away with making outrageous statements on the campaign trail, what President...
Cricket spin
29 Jan, 2025

Cricket spin

PAKISTAN seemed to have found the blueprint for Test success at home: raging turners that had brought three wins in ...
Unstable outlook
Updated 28 Jan, 2025

Unstable outlook

Improving indicators can be tempting enough to act boldly to accelerate economic growth. But must the SBP do so and repeat past blunders?
‘Poor’ lawmakers
28 Jan, 2025

‘Poor’ lawmakers

WHILE the average Pakistani is expected to carry the burden of austerity as he struggles to put food on the table,...
Digital security
28 Jan, 2025

Digital security

A RECENT advisory issued by the National Telecommunication and Information Technology Security Board has caused a ...