"transwomen are women" but it's not always like that.

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(Note: long post to read, kindly bare with it.)

Idk but ever since naging relevant ang issue ni Jamie about considering herself as woman even tho she is transgende, nakakairita na to think na tuwing Women's Month, biglang may discourse na naman kung sino ang "allowed" mag-celebrate. Let me be clear: Transwomen deserve respect, safety, and rights—but can we stop pretending that their experiences are the same as biological women?

Babae ako. Pinanganak akong babae. Lumaki akong babae sa isang mundo na sobrang daming expectations, limitations, at struggles simply because of my biology. I went through menstruation, reproductive health struggles, sexism, and societal pressure na naka-embed sa pagiging babae mula pagkabata. Walang hormone therapy o surgeries na kayang pantayan ang realidad na 'yon.

Ngayon, hindi ko naman sinasabi na transwomen can't celebrate femininity. Pero ang nakakairita? Kapag may mga transwomen na gustong baguhin ang definition ng pagiging babae at maging bida sa buwan na DAPAT para sa ating mga babae. Hindi pwedeng sa bawat celebration natin, kailangan pang i-center ang conversation sa kanila. Hindi porket sinasabing "biological women experience unique struggles" ay "hate speech" na agad. Acknowledging differences isn't discrimination—it's just reality.

Let's be fair here. Women's Month exists because of the long, grueling history of real women fighting tooth and nail for their rights, voices, and opportunities—rights that were denied to them purely because of their womanhood. It wasn't handed to us on a silver platter. It was bled for, cried for, and relentlessly battled for by generations of women who had to prove their worth in a world that treated them as less. Hindi lang 'to tungkol sa feeling like a woman, it's about living as one since birth, with all the good and bad that comes with it.

Tama na 'yang pagiging victim at pag-label sa amin as homophobic every time we try to educate not just the LGBTQIA+ community, but everyone in society about why Women's Month exists in the first place. Educating people doesn't mean invalidating anyone —pero bakit parang kapag kami ang naninindigan para sa sarili naming space, kami pa ang masama?

May sarili kayong buwan—Pride Month to celebrate your pride, identity, and struggles na dapat lang naman. So please, ’wag ninyong ipagkait sa amin ang amin. Hindi ito about exclusion, ito ay tungkol sa pagbibigay ng tamang respeto sa kasaysayan ng totoong kababaihan.

Maging patas tayo. Women's Month is about biological women who fought for rights we were stripped of just for being born female. Hindi ito contest ng kung sino ang mas oppressed. Hindi rin ito moment para sa inyo na gawing validation fest ang buwan na ito. Huwag ninyo kaming tabunan sa sarili naming laban.

So please, transwomen, celebrate your identity, pero ’wag n’yo kaming tapakan o gawing villain sa perspectives niyo just because we stand firm on what makes a woman, a woman. May sarili kayong space. Huwag niyo kaming piliting i-redefine ang amin.

BABAE KAMI, HINDI BABAE LANG.