Lesbian Advocates Philippines (LeAP!)

Discrimination in the Flesh

17 February 2003

"Lesbians are not women."

This was the shocking message of Dr. Lyra Chua, president of the Philippine Obstetrics and Gynecologists Society (POGS), to Ging Cristobal, Executive Director of the Lesbian Advocates Philippines, (LeAP) Inc., yesterday (Monday), 17 February 2003.

Cristobal considered the statement at the very least an expression of dangerous ignorance, and at most, an affront against lesbians in general.

"It is very difficult to imagine that a medical practitioner, especially one who specializes on the female anatomy, should not know that lesbians are women," Cristobal said.

Cristobal, whose NGO is doing a research on Lesbian Reproductive and Sexual Health, had sought an interview to get the views of Chua and POGS. When Cristobal said she is from a lesbian organization, she was told that POGS does not entertain that kind of interview.

"We only entertain issues concerning the female gender," Chua's spokesperson said. Cristobal said that her NGO would bring this matter to the Department of Health.

"If this is the view of the national president of obstetricians and gynecologists, can you expect lesbians to feel safe enough to seek out medical attention and assistance? With this attitude, there can be no protection for us," Cristobal said.

Commenting on Chua's statement, Dr. Jojo Sescon, Executive Director of Remedios AIDS Foundation posed a different view.

"Lesbians should be treated as female persons with health issues and concerns. They should not be deprived of health services by reason of sexual orientation," Sescon said.

Dr. Junice Melgar of Linangan ng Kababaihan, Inc. (Likhaan) agreed.

"Denying patients attention and care because of their sexual orientation is outright discriminatory and violates a basic tenet of medical ethics: respect for persons. The reality of lesbian choices and lifestyles requires medical practitioners - including ob-gyne - to be open-minded and nonjudgmental in our approach to patients."

 

Lesbian Advocates Philippines, (LeAP) Inc. is a non-government organization of lesbian activists of diverse social, religious and political backgrounds whose point of convergence is their recognition of lesbian rights as human rights. Health and other gender-related issues and concerns are among its priority areas.

For further inquiries, please write to leapstick@yahoo.com.