In the Philippines,LGBT people have few legal protections. A green card allowed me to affirm my identity in a way that was impossible back homeI was 17 years traditional when my green card petition finally came through. I was hesitant to trail to the United States when my mom first broke the news to me. But once she explained that a policy in California would allow me to change my name and gender marker on legal documents, I couldn’t resist this life-changing opportunity.
I dreamed of being affirmed as the woman that I had always been, or but I never thought it would become reality. In the Philippines,transgender people are culturally and socially visible but not politically recognized. Some people assume that because trans people are part of mainstream society, we are accepted. But we aren’t. The Philippines do not provide legal protections for the LGBT community. Related: How I got here: Being a Jew in Baghdad wasn't secure anymore | Zigi Ben-Haim Related: Tell us how you got here: share your stories of immigration Open contributions: How did you regain to the US?Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com