Geraldine Roman vows to campaign against restrictions stopping Filipinos from changing their name and gender after historic victory

Geraldine Roman has celebrated overcoming “bigotry, hatred and discrimination” after becoming the first transgender politician to win a congressional seat in the predominantly Catholic Philippines.

After her victory in Monday’s election, Roman is being hailed by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community as a source of hope in a country where Church influence means divorce, abortion and same-sex marriage are banned.

“The politics of bigotry, hatred and discrimination did not triumph. What triumphed was the politics of love, acceptance and respect,” Roman said after her victory for a seat in Congress representing the farming province of Bataan, just northwest of Manila.

Source: The Guardian