Gay group offended by Mommy Dionisia Pacquiao's anti-RH, anti-gay statements

A gay activist group has expressed dismay at some of Dionisia Pacquiao's anti-gay retorts to Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, fearing that such remarks may once again trigger homophobia and transphobia, reports news sources.

Dionisia Pacquiao, or Mommy D as she is fondly called, is boxing champ and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao's mother. Dionisia lashed out at Defensor-Santiago after the senator criticized her son's stance regarding the Reproductive Health Bill, as mentioned in earlier reports.

This time, however, her blows have gone past Defensor-Santiago and right to the ire of the Progressive Organization of Gays (ProGay Philippines), whose members are staunch supporters of the RH Bill. "Tingnan mo, mga bakla, kaiinom ng pills, hindi na bagay inumin ng mga bakla kasi lalake sila. Ginagawa sila ng Diyos na lalake. Umiinom talaga sila ng pills para magsilaki ang dede. Bawal 'yan (Look, it's not right for gays to take pills because they're male. God made them male. They drink pills to make their breasts grow. That's not allowed)!" Dionisia said, according to reports.

"We are deeply offended and scared that her words can again revive the disease model of homosexuality and transexuality in the Philippine society," Goya Candelario, spokesperson of ProGay, said.

In a TV interview, pills user Izzy Gobo said that Mommy D's comments don't contribute to the understanding of the issue. "Those statements push lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders into hiding," he said.

While Candelario doesn't deny that some transgenders use contraceptive pills to contrive more feminine features, he maintains that such practice should not be considered immoral, illegal or a state of mental disorder. He added that looking feminine is an advantage in the beauty and tourism industries where gays thrive. "Because of expensive hormones that only high-income transgenders can afford, we urban and poor rural gays and transgenders can only access the cheaper birth control pills," he explained.

By SPOT.ph