The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has expressed its “deep concern” for the leader of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) community in Iloilo City who was reportedly red-tagged as a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
“Red-tagged as CPP member” during a television program “Laban Kasama ang Bayan” over SMNI last Oct. 24 was Irish Inoceto, chairperson of the Iloilo Pride Team.
SMNI’s program anchors, Jeffrey "Ka Eric" Celiz and former National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) Spokesperson Lorraine Marie Badoy, claimed that Inoceto is using LGBTQI issues to recruit students of the Iloilo City National High School (ICNHS).
However, the group Bahaghari, which is the partner of the Iloilo Pride Team, said that the opposite actually happened as the transgender students of ICNHS were the ones who sought the help of Inoceto concerning the grooming policy of the school.
ICNHS requires students to cut their hair, but the Bahaghari group said that the transgender students felt "deep emotional distress" over the requirement. It said Inoceto was "providing them assistance in drafting gender-affirming policies."
In a statement, the CHR admonished the "blanket labelling" that was made against Inoceto since this endangers and threatens the life of the LGBTQI leader who only wish to help.
"Equally concerning is the trivializing of the concerns of the transgender students as a mere front to infiltrate and recruit, instead of reporting and discussing them as real issues faced by this vulnerable sector," the CHR said.
"This kind of narrative only serves to perpetuate the already disadvantageous plight of the LGBTQI members who frequently face stigma, discrimination, and gender-based violence in our society," it said.
Thus, the CHR reminded those in power, including media and public service workers, that their words are given weight so they should refrain from perpetuating narratives that endanger individuals and groups who stand up for human rights.
It stressed that people who have the platform to influence public opinion have a responsibility to create a safe and empowering environment instead of contributing to narratives that feed on hate and, therefore, harming vulnerable groups.
TAGS: #CHR #LGBTQI