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                Philippines Elects First Transgender Politician

   by VOA News

   Voters in the Philippines have elected the country's first transgender
   politician into office.

   Geraldine Roman won the seat in the first district of northern Bataan
   province following Monday's election.

   She will become the highest-ranking openly LGBT politician in the
   Philippines, a country where heavy influence from the Catholic Church
   restricts divorce, abortion and same-sex marriage.

   Roman said her experience showed that the "politics of hatred, bigotry
   and discrimination did not prevail," adding that what triumphed was
   "acceptance, love and tolerance."

   She says among the issues she will champion as a lawmaker will be bills
   focusing on anti-discrimination, education and government transparency.

   Roman will take over the congressional seat from her mother who served
   three terms as a politician in the district.

   Roman lived in Spain for several years before returning to the
   Philippines where she worked as an editor for a Spanish news agency
   before running for office.

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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/philippines-elects-first-tansgender-p
   olitician/3325706.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/philippines-elects-first-tansgender-politician/3325706.html