Photo from @praybeytbenjamin on Instagram
MANILA, Philippines — “There are people who pretend to be FEMINISTS to hide their being MISOGYNISTS.”
This was comedian-actor Vice Ganda’s reaction to Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III’s statement saying a man will never be a woman because of their inability to give birth and their absence of ovaries.
“Joke po ba ito Hon. Senate President Tito Sotto??? Sinasabi nyo po ba na naniniwala kayo na ang pagiging BABAE ay nasusukat lamang sa pagkakaroon ng obaryo o matris at sa kakayahan lang na mabuntis o magka-anak?” Vice Ganda wrote in an Instagram post Thursday.
Vice Ganda was reacting on Sotto’s earlier statement about the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Equality bill.
“If you are a man, you will never be a woman no matter what you do. Because you cannot reproduce, you cannot give birth, you do not have ovaries. You will never be a woman,” Sotto said.
READ: Sotto: A man will never become a woman
The comedian wondered whether those who are incapable of bearing a child due to infertility or other medical reasons, as well as those who chooses not to bear a child due to personal reasons, are considered less of a woman.
“Eh paano po ‘yung mga nagkaroon ng matinding karamdaman at tinanggalan ng obaryo? Di na po ba sila BABAE? Wala na ba silang karapatang tawaging BABAE? O bumaba na ba ang uri ng kanilang PAGKAKABABAE?” Vice Ganda asked.
He went on: “Paano din po ‘yung mga baog at walang kakayahang magka-anak? Ano po sila? ‘Di na din sila BABAE? Mga wala na ba silang kwentang mga BABAE? At paano naman po ‘yung mga BABAENG choice nila na wag mag-anak dahil ayaw nila dahil sa kanilang mga personal na rason? ‘Di na din ba sila matatawag na BABAE?
“Paano din po yung mga BABAE na may obaryo pero pinayuhang wag magbuntis dahil sa medikal na kondisyon at maaring mameligro ang kanilang buhay? Di na din sila BABAE? Ano na po sila? Paano din po yung mga BABAENG may obaryo pero wala pang anak dahil ayaw naman nilang magpatira kung kani kanino? Ano na sila? Parang ang baba naman po pala ng tingin nyo sa mga BABAE,” he added.
The presence of ovaries or the ability to bear a child, according to Vice Ganda, is not the basis of being a woman.
“Naniniwala po ako na ang mga BABAE ay BABAE di dahil sa obaryo at sa kakayahang bumukaka at umire. Sila ay BABAE dahil sila ay BABAE. At MAY HALAGA sila may matris man o wala, magbuntis man o hindi, may anak man o wala dahil sila ay TAO at sila ay BABAE,” he said.
Vice Ganda stressed belittling transgender people somehow became a way to step on women’s dignity.
“Sinubukan ninyong maliitin ang konsepto ng pagiging TRANSGENDER sa paraang tinapakan n’yo rin ang dignidad ng mga tinatawag n’yong TOTOONG BABAE. Paumanhin po HON. SENATE PRESIDENT Sotto. Pero I believe this statement is just not fair,” he pointed out.
The Senate held public hearings on the controversial SOGIE bill filed by Senator Risa Hontiveros. The proposed law seeks to criminalize discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. /kga