Amsterdam 2015
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| Abstract #2231 - Trans people - rights and services | ||||
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Session: 54.3: Trans people - rights and services (Parallel) on Friday @ 11.00-12.30 in 202 Chaired by Pum Kommattam, Jose Bauermeister Authors: Presenting Author: Ms Raine Cortes - Philippine NGO Council on Population, Health and Welfare, Inc., Philippines |
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| Additional Authors: Dr Berthbsp;yssouf, Mme Fatoumata ouattara, Mlle Koua Tagna, | ||||
| Aim: Unlike other neighboring Southeast Asian countries, the Philippines do not have a localized term to refer to transgender (TG) persons. In fact, the common local terms “bakla”, “bading” and “bayot” are negatively used to refer to TG women. Even the Philippine Integrated HIV Behavioral and Serological Surveillance (IHBSS) do not disaggregate data for MSM and TG but are lumped together as one population, which creates both a socio-political and behavioral risk issue. Thus, it is important to look at how TG women themselves define and understand the concept of TG in order to provide a context in developing TG-specific HIV prevention programs and related health services. | ||||
| Method / Issue: The method used was facilitating a self-administered questionnaire to forty-six (46) self-identified TG women, and conducted four (4) focus group discussions to TG women members from community-based organizations (CBOs) in Metro Manila, Cebu City and Davao City. | ||||
| Results / Comments: The findings revealed that majority of the respondents/participants, being affiliated with a CBO, defines TG as persons whose gender identity and/or expression does not conform with their sex assigned at birth. Their differentiation of a TG woman from a transsexual (TS) is that the latter is related more to the concept of body modifications such as hormone replacement therapy, collagen injection and implants. Some TG CBOs coined “transpinay”, “transwomen” and “binabae” as a local term for TG women rather than referring to them as “bakla”. Lastly, in identifying TG women clients in peer education programs, peer educators can use qualifier questions or criteria but always respect the target clients’ gender self-identification – both strategies should complement each other. | ||||
| Discussion: The study concludes that the use of local, indigenous and peer terms should be utilized in order to reach the unaware TG women community. Trans-specific health services should include both empowerment of their TG identities and addressing risky behaviors such as “versatile” sexual role and engaging in any form of body modifications, especially those who self-inject hormones and collagens, which is a potential risk to HIV. Lastly, members of TG CBOs should always be part of the consultative process in developing a comprehensive package of trans-health services and programs. | ||||
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