Ladlad for RH

Ladlad Party List, a national organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Filipinos, supports the immediate passage of the Reproductive Health Bill. Ladlad decries that this legislative measure has languished too long in the halls of Congress and believes that it should be given utmost priority when Congress reopens on July 25, 2011.
The lack of information and services on reproductive and sexual health has resulted to young people and adolescents engaging in unsafe sexual activities that put them at risk of early pregnancy and sexually-transmitted infections (STI), including HIV; mothers needlessly dying due to unplanned pregnancies that lead to unsafe abortions; and a ballooning population that is increasingly unable to enjoy even the most basic of social and economic services.
Ladlad believes that all Filipinos, particularly young people, should have access to accurate, age-appropriate and evidence-based sexuality education. This will enable them to make informed and responsible choices about their sexual and reproductive health, without guilt, shame or fear. For LGBT Filipinos, this is essential, given the deep-seated issues of self-hate and internalized homophobia that result from their lack of access to information and education on sexuality. Ladlad also upholds the need for accessible, affordable and sustained sexual and reproductive health services for both women and men, particularly those in their reproductive ages. This includes LGBTs, some of whom actually have or plan to have children.
Ladlad, however, is particularly alarmed by the actions of the Catholic Church hierarchy, particularly the vigorous opposition it has waged against the RH Bill. The current discourse on the RH Bill has been clouded by too much misinformation and mis-education about the issues, and neither reason nor rationality is employed in many of the arguments against it. One example is the insistence of the Catholic Church that condom use has led to increased cases of HIV. Such a statement conveniently ignores scientific evidence confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO) that condoms, when used correctly and consistently, are 98% effective in barring HIV infection and other STIs. Access to condoms can help in staving off the alarming rise of HIV cases among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Philippines, which has now risen to five new infections per day.
This religious opposition to the RH Bill is akin to the “moralistic”, prejudiced and bigoted actions that the members of the COMELEC’s Second Division manifested in their decision to deny Ladlad’s accreditation for Party List representation. Fortunately, an enlightened and rational Supreme Court affirmed the principle of separation of the church and state and upheld Ladlad’s right to representation and the recognition of LGBTs as a marginalized sector.
Ladlad is pro-life, pro-choice and pro-rights. We believe that all people, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity, should be able to make informed and responsible decisions on matters concerning their bodies and sexuality. We uphold the right of all people to quality life and a dignified existence. Pass the RH Bill Now!