A transgender woman was not allowed to use a restroom for females on Tuesday by staff members of a mall.
Gretchen Custodio Diez said she was directed to use the restroom for males instead. She later returned to confront the staff with whom she had an exchange as she asked for the reason why she was not allowed to use the female rest room.
Irked that Diez was recording the exchange, she was later handcuffed by a lady guard and brought to the police station. The staff members later apologized and dropped the charges against Diez.
The incident has raised the issue on understanding and accepting members of the LGBTQ community. Bataan Congresswoman Geraldine Roman, a transgender woman, went to the police station where Diez was detained. Roman said she condemns the incident.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, in a statement, said a lawyer was sent to the police station to assist Diez. In a post on her social media account, Hontiveros said, “THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE! A lawyer from my office is with Gretchen now. She has my full support. I am extending whatever help she would need to seek justice.”
“She is being harassed for living her truth. Discrimination against transgender people has to STOP!” she added.
Hontiveros said there is a need to pass the Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity Equality or SOGIE Equality Law.
“A trans woman has just been humiliated in a mall restroom in Cubao. Pinosasan at dinala sa Karingal! LGBT persons face harassment & discrimination every day. This must stop!,” she said.
In a separate post, popular gay comedian Vice Ganda commented that in effect there is no one to blame in the incident.
“Nakakakaawa yung mga LGBTQ+ na napagkakaitan ng karapatan dahil sa kanilang gender identity. At nakakaawa rin yung mga ignorante na napagkakaitan ng kaalaman kaya nakakatapak ng karapatan. Kailan pa kaya lalawak ang pang unawa sa LGBTQ+? May pag asa pa ba ang SOGIE BILL?”
