NOT everything that is trending is worth prioritizing. Just like in media not all hot issues make the headlines.
Recently, the issue on transwomen fighting for their right to use female restrooms erupted in social media. I have nothing against LGBTQ issues in general, especially if it is about awareness and creating a society that is sensitive, tolerant, and inclusive. If it was only that then I am all in. I for one see how the LGBTQ as a minority get negatively stereotyped by the highly masculine culture. However the injustices done against the LGBTQ either to an individual or the group can actually be addressed with the existing and accepted laws. All the recognized universal rights are inclusive enough to secure the wellbeing of LGBTQ minority.
But for politicians to jump into the bandwagon, blow the issue out of proportion and play heroes to forward their need for the limelight dragging the government and holding it hostage into creating laws which would definitely mean allocating budget to institutionalize certain claims then I would have to say let’s get into cost-benefit analysis first.
We have to consider that our government has very limited resources that is precisely why there are people dying of hunger and sickness everyday. I mean if we had enough resources we could have easily socialized all basic services which other rich countries do. Sadly such is not the case.
Let’s face it, the government can’t solve all the problems at a given period. That is why governance is all about prioritizing.
Come to think of it, the restroom issue is not even among the priority issues that the LGBT community are forwarding. There are more important issues being forwarded by the group that deserves more attention and are in no way stepping into other people’s rights and personal spaces such as the state recognition of same sex union.
Back to my point. We first need to ask how many transwomen in the Philippines who will benefit an inquiry in aid of legislation for their right to use the female restrooms as compared to let us say how many millions of households without toilets at home as well as those who may have comfort rooms but without water.
The toilet issue especially not having one has been the cause of millions of deaths in our country every year due to all kinds of sickness related to sanitation. But has such concern ever been noticed? While all politicians jump into championing the rights of transwomen to use the female toilets did they ever jump into championing the fundamental right to life by these millions without toilets living in poverty?
The politicians who are fanning this fiasco are upfront opportunists who do not seem to know what needs to be prioritized. Other than toilet and water sanitation, we got so many problems that need urgent attention such as healthcare services, labor issues, and even international relations as we are on the brink of war.
Again I really don’t mind we make laws that will recognize, protect and promote the rights of LGBTQ community, in fact eventually we should. But what I can’t accept is just because one sensational issue exploded doesn’t mean we need to cut a slice of the government pie to pacify few people at the expense of millions of mouths waiting for government allocation just to survive. To an extent this issue is anti-poor considering the context we have in our country today. I would assume these transwomen must be moneyed to have afforded expensive sex transplant which implications including acceptability in female restrooms they must have considered before undergoing such.
And don’t tell me this issue would not cost the government much, because even a simple law that will just name a certain highway or bridge in honor of some people would even cost significant government resources, how much more the enforcement of a bill in a national scale of a claimed right just to appease a few numbers.
I don’t think the LGBTQ community is that selfish to insist the issue with urgency. In fact, the toilet issue is adding up to the negative view of the public to the marginalized minority. And if it did something, it was derailing and devaluing the more important and more urgent issues that the LGBTQ community are fighting for.