Philippines elects first transgender politician
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The first transgender politician elected in the Philippines said Wednesday 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.
Transgender politician: Call her ‘congressperson’ #BilangPilipino | https://t.co/u0qxdiATea pic.twitter.com/xO17V9sY5p
— The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) May 11, 2016
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, said she is happy to have survived the humiliation and attacks on her gender by political opponents during the campaign.
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The former editor of a Spanish news agency said she hopes her story will inspire the LGBT community and show the need for compassion in society.
"By winning, I'm sending a statement to Philippine society that even people of my condition can contribute in nation-building and serving the people," she said in a telephone interview.
Roman said her experience showed that the "politics of hatred, bigotry and prejudice did not prevail" and "what prevailed were acceptance, love and tolerance."
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Once in the House of Representatives, she said among the bills she will work to pass are those on education, health care, agriculture, transparency in government and anti-discrimination.
Boxing great Manny Pacquiao, who was member of the House but who appears to have won a seat in the Philippine Senate based on the unofficial count, had angered the LGBT community and their supporters when he said in February that people in same-sex marriage are "worse than animals." He later apologized to people hurt by his comments but made clear he opposed gay marriage.
Rodrigo Duterte, the bombastic mayor of a major southern city who has won the presidency by a wide margin based on the unofficial count, has on a number of occasions also ridiculed his political rival, calling him gay.