PH's first gender diversity center opens in Manila
GENDER-related confusion can be genetic, psychological, and hormonal. And the issues that those in the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning) community face are still societal, ubiquitous, inhumane, and deep-seated.
Despite regularly ranking well on several international surveys on gay friendliness, in terms of religion, healthcare and human rights, the Philippines still has a long way to go before attaining status as a truly accepting and compassionate society.
Diversity Center was launched in Manila Medical Center (ManilaMed) and things might just get a little better. The center offers a broad spectrum of services, many of which Filipinos could previously only get abroad.
LGBTQ advocate Ice Seguerra graced the event and shared her excitement how the center can help each person work out his own gender identity, assess his biological sex and allow him to choose his sexual preference transitioning to that gender role.
According to ManilaMed medical director Susana Padilla Campos, equally important is how the center aims to help people and their loved ones accept and embrace whatever the outcome turns out to be.
She added that the center offers a comprehensive array of services, and handles inquiries with the utmost discretion, respect, and compassion. Each person is thoroughly assessed by a multi-disciplinary team thatincludes an adolescent pediatrician, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, an endocrinologist, a surgeon, a reconstructive surgeon, anurologist and a family therapist.
Campos further shared that the decision to open the center was not made lightly. On a personal level, it was the many conversations with both her patients and their parents in her practice as a pediatric endocrinologist that opened her eyes to the atmosphere of fear and intolerance toward those in the LGBTQ community.
“Ultimately, the aim is not just to empower people with an improved sense of self and self-worth, or even just to help their families be more accepting and compassionate, the aim is to be a catalyst for change in Philippine society,” Campos said.
Aside from psychological services, the center also offers hormone therapy, and eventually surgical management attainable for Filipinos.