PinoyFTM is a transgender rights advocacy group established in 2011, working towards the betterment of life for transgender men of the Philippines through education and awareness.
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PINOYFTM AND ASSOCIATION OF TRANSGENDER MEN OF THE PHILIPPINES
 Filipino transgender and transsexual men (trans men) have suffered long enough from the lack of proper representation in the country. In response to this, PinoyFTM (PFTM) and the Association of Transgender Men of the Philippines (ATMP) have decided to enlist each otherâs support in working for the betterment of the lives of the Filipino trans men community. The Association of Transgender Men of The Philippines stand united with PinoyFTM, in the advocacy for equal transgender rights in the Philippines.
 The first Conference for Transgender Men was held last June 14 at Mandaluyong City. The goals of the conference were to break barriers long held between two groups, set aside differences and create a long term agenda of peace and mutual cooperation between the PFTM and ATMP. This is a milestone for the transgender rights movement in the Philippines.
 We now look forward to a better future, with PFTM and ATMP, working together to protect and promote transgender rights.
 On behalf of PinoyFTM and Association of Transgender Men of the Philippines, we, Mr. Nick Fernandez of PFTM and Mr. Nil Nodalo of ATMP, agree to work together as two separate and functioning organizations of transgender and transsexual men advocating for the advancement of the transgender rights movement in the Philippines.
 Here is to a brighter future for the Filipino transgender and transsexual men!
We at PinoyFTM are greatly saddened by the way the Bandila Team had chosen to handle the stories of our three members for their segment on Trans Men.
While we have detailed a more thorough recap of our interaction with the Bandila team here (http://pinoyftm.tumblr.com/post/88159391044/), detailed below are the specific grievances we have with the way the interview was aired:
1. The change in direction from what was originally discussed
---1a. Changing the focus from being PinoyFTM as an organization, our struggles and our goals to being predominantly about physical transition.
---1b. Adding commentary from a religious figure, despite the assurance that there would be no religious angle.
---1c. The focus on Pansexuality (which was not discussed) without properly differentiating it from transgenderism.
2. The misrepresentation of the respondents and their stories through using parts of the interview out of context.
---2a. Including only testimony about the realities of medical transition in the past, giving the impression that self-medication is encouraged among trans men.
---2b. Selective editing of the interview to create more drama rather than include the whole story as given by the interviewees.
3. The lack of respect shown towards our respondents and trans men in general by the lack of acknowledging their gender identity.
---3a. The constant use of 'Babaeng gusto maging lalaki' by the hosts and voice over.
---3b. The undignified portrayal of trans bodies through the sexualized use and censoring of the topless body of one of the respondents.
4. The inclusion of less than qualified or biased professionals as resource persons.
---4a. Once again, the inclusion of Archbishop Oscar Cruz despite the assurance there would be no religious angle.
---4b. The selection of a doctor specializing in Obstetrics & Gynecology/Fertility who named breast cancer as and almost certain effect of taking testosterone.
---4c. Dr. Bernadette Arcena's interchanging of Transgenderism and Dysphoria by referring to transgenderism as a sickness (sakit).
We would like Bandila to issue an apology and retraction of the episode for the above complaints, not only for the sake of the interviewees, but also to all the members of PinoyFTM as well as trans men all over the Philippines for this irresponsible portrayal of trans men in our country.
We hope that in the future, Bandila, and subsequently all other media practitioners will show more understanding and sensitivity towards Transgender issues with your materials, and be more responsible to prevent such a thing from happening in the future.
Should you ever feel that you would need more understanding of transgender people and the issues they face, specifically with trans men, we at PinoyFTM are always more than happy to share our knowledge and resources for the betterment of all.
To all trans men and members of the transgender community who has watched the episodes, we would also like to sincerely apologize to you for being unable to prevent such a damaging portrayal from being aired. In this respect, we have failed you and we are sorry for that.
Thank You, and we hope you continue being valuable allies in our fight against transphobia.
An in-depth account of what had happened during the Bandila feature of PinoyFTM
As the oldest FTM group in the Philippines, PinoyFTM is no stranger to receiving requests for interviews or to appear as resource speakers to tackle the topic of female-to-male transgenderism. As education is one of the core focuses and values of our organization, we welcome and appreciate all such invitations. We have, however, on multiple occasions, turned down invitations we believe are not in the best interest of the goals we are fighting for. And more often than not, these rejections are for shows or people who appear to want to sensationalize our story or do not act in a professional manner by wanting to do everything in a rush.
However, despite our apprehension towards rushed requests, when Bandila, an award winning and well respected news program, came to us with their pitch for a segment they wanted to do on Trans men, we found ourselves agreeing to do the interview. The decision to accept did not come from the fact that Bandila is popular, although their critical acclaim did make it easier for us to trust that a reliable news show like them would treat our story fairly and responsibly.
Ultimately, the reason we chose to accept the interview was because of what we felt was one of the best pitches made to us by someone not from within the LGBT community itself. Rather than the requests we commonly get from TV shows who make it obvious that they're only interested in the radical physical changes brought about by our transition and only want to use our story for shock value, we were approached by a Bandila Segment Producer who had asked to interview three very distinct people:
The organization head or president. The Producer explained she wanted them specifically to talk about PinoyFTM as an organization and what we do and have done for the Filipino Trans community.
Someone who could be considered successful. They clarified that it would be someone who has successfully transitioned (not necessarily physically) and could be someone people can look up to as an example that there is hope for Trans men in our country.
Someone who has experienced discrimination. The Producer asked for someone who would be comfortable sharing their story and experiences with discrimination based on their transgenderism
In our correspondence leading up to the interview, the producer had been respectful and accomodating, down to the way they framed the story they wanted to create. We had high hopes. There was no reason to believe there would be issues given how well everything was going.
The interview itself was no different. Our representatives did what they were briefed to do and gave in-depth answers to their respective topics. This was nothing new to the interviewees. They have given interviews, participated in talks and have even been resource speakers on the topic of transgenderism; they were not ill-prepared for the interview despite the short notice.
Likewise, there were no real complaints about how the Bandila team conducted the interview. In fact, they went the extra step of assuring us that there would be no involvement of any members of the clergy as 'that had nothing to do with the topic'. We had discussed and agreed that we wanted the focus to be on more important issues such as discrimination and the lack of protections and rights we have as Trans people rather than just physical transition. The shoot ran from the afternoon to evening and after that, we went our separate ways, excited to see the episode.
What we saw was something we would never have expected and we are shocked and disappointed at how they had edited it in such a way that completely betrayed the original intentions that we agreed on.
Our first grievance is that never once through the whole segment did the hosts ever properly gender the interviewees, choosing instead to label them 'mga babaeng gusto maging lalaki' (women who want to be men) repeatedly. Almost no reference or acknowledgement was made to PinoyFTM as an organization (rather 'Pinoy female-to-males' as they worded in their report, was used to referred to all Trans men) and almost all of the segment was dedicated to the physical aspect of transitioning.
In the first segment which featured our Chairman, Nick, was supposed to be about the work we do and our goals and visions. It was almost completely devoted to physical transition and HRT. The editing chose to cut out so much of what was said, and many thing were taken out of context, such as our access to doctors. While it is true that we are very limited in this regard and that there are no doctors to our knowledge that really specialize in transgender hormone replacement therapy, the way the show chose to only air the part of the interview that discussed what the situation was like years ago, before the group had formally organized, made it look as if that was still the situation now.
The editing also only chose to air quotes that put Trans people in a negative light, and cut to a doctor as if to imply our president was not aware of everything the doctor had to say. We are deeply saddened by this, as it misrepresents not only our organization, but also Trans men in general, by portraying us to be reckless and ill informed. Many of what Nick had said had been cut out, and almost none of what he had discussed about our organization ever made it on TV.
The first episode also was the first appearance of a religious figure, completely contradicting what the Bandila team had proactively promised us.
The second episode, which was to be about a 'success story', also failed to meet expectations when the news segment, chose instead to focus on the interviewee, El's, pansexuality. While the interviewee had given the info freely, they did so to make a point about how sexuality and gender identity were not synonymous. What happened instead was that the show had made no effort to differentiate pansexuality from transgenderism, confusing many viewers into believing that they were synonymous-- the very thing the El had wanted to avoid.
We are also greatly horrified by the way El's body had been portrayed in a very sexualized manner. Having done interviews in the past as well, El had allowed them to film him exercising without a shirt, assuming they would use the footage in a tasteful manner, showing it as just one of the activities he enjoys doing, such as had been the case with interviews in the past. The decision to blur out his chest also added to the uncomfortably sexualized feel of the shots, none of which we found to be portrayed as in a respectful manner at all.
The third interviewee, Aiju, also laments how the editing had left out how the editing had chosen to cut out more positive parts of his story. Perhaps, we speculated, that was because the story was not up to par with the sort of emotional anguish that Bandila had hoped to show. Maybe they wanted more physical violence or blatant discrimination. Unfortunately though, given both the time frame, and the sensitive nature of the topic which makes almost all those who have experienced and are experiencing more abusive problems are often unwilling to speak up, afraid doing so will put them in greater harmâs way.
We had at least hoped that Bandila would not doctor our stories for their own gain, given their positive reputation as a news show.
We as an organization felt betrayed at the end of the 3-part segment. Our attempts to voice our concerns to the segment producer were met with an almost nonchalant defense of what they had done. The response we got was simply 'some people are going to misunderstand regardless'. It was not an apology. It was an explanation.
We are writing to implore both Bandila and anyone else who claims to be allies to stop in the sensationalization of Trans stories. Our stories are not there for shock value or ratings. It saddens us greatly that the trust we had placed on media practitioners claiming to want to help advance our cause has been misused, and we hope that we may find a way to amend the damage the Bandila episode had done.
We would like to thank everyone who has been understanding of us and supported us in this issue. We can only do our best now to ensure incidents like this will never repeat itself.
hi! good day! i just want to ask regarding testosterone pills for ftm? where can i purchase here in Manila,Philippines? thank you very much and God bless ;))) -Mateo
Hi Mateo! While you can find testosterone in a lot of major drug stores, youâll need a prescription to be able to get them.
We at PinoyFTM also encourage safe transitioning and would strongly recommend you seek professional medical advice and assistance when it comes to hormone replacement therapy. :)
I was wondering if you had a support group where other FTM people could meet up and help each other out with problems. I am going through really bad dysphoria and most people don't really understand especially in the Philippines. Thanks.
Hello Anon! You can go to our facebook page and click the join us button. :)
Transitioning in the workplace: how is it possible at least in the Philippine setting (especially in companies/workplaces that favor traditional gender expression or dress codes where natural-born males must wear masculine clothes and natural-born females must wear feminine clothes)?
This is a very complex issue here in the Philippines as it does vary depending on the company and depending on your location as well.
Certain cities as well as companies do have ordinances or rules set in place that not only prevent the discrimination of LGBT people, but also mandate employers to respect the gender expression of their employees by allowing them to wear clothes of their correct gender identity.
However, these cities and companies are in a minority, and the companies that do this are usually multinational BPOs (which contributes to the large number of trans people working for BPOs). Other companies are not as helpful.
More liberal/less traditional companies are also easier on your transition, as they allow more freedom with self expression in general.
But for a majority of more conservative companies, especially those what are service oriented or client oriented, they are less accommodating and will not  be as open to accepting your identity, especially if you do not yet conform to the societal standard of what a man looks like.
A Letter to My Old Self: Transgender Day of Remembrance 2013
November 20 is Transgender Day of Remembrance. I chose to not only remember those who have passed but also my old self. Here is my letter to my 17 year old self.Â
November 20, 2013
Dear 17 year old self,
You have been through a lot and life has not been kind. Yet, somehow, you managed to pull yourself together despite everything coming your way. Exactly how you did it, I can never explain.
There were times when you felt like giving up because you could not find a proper binder and all you had were ace bandages. There were times when you felt like you were alone because no one understood what transsexual actually meant. There were times when you felt desperate because your parents took away the only binder you had. There were times when you felt angry because you had to present yourself in a way you do not agree with. There were times when you felt sad because your family sent you away for being âthisâ. There were times when you felt depressed just because you were here, alive yet struggling.
Do you remember?
Four years from now, you probably wonât remember anything at all. Why? You will have so much more on your plate right now than what you had before starting your transition. I am telling you now; itâs not going to be easy. It never will be. It might get better in the long run but it will never be easy.
There will come a time wherein youâll be on the borderline of passing and not passing. People will surely do a double take and ask, âAre you a man or a woman cause I canât tellâ. Youâre going to get offended but youâre going to want to correct them politely. A polite and respectful correction a day keeps the ignorance away.
There will come a time wherein youâll have to come out in one way or another; especially when your legal documents say otherwise. Not all professors, employers, clients, friends, acquaintances, family members, and the rest of the world will be accepting and understanding of your situation. You have to toughen up and be proud of who you are.
There will come a time wherein youâll wake up realizing this is all too much to take in. You might realize that you canât go on forever breaking ampoules and injecting Testosterone twice a month. You might realize you canât go on wearing a binder every single day until your surgery funds are complete. You might realize you canât go on forever having your levels checked every 3 months or so. You might realize you can get tired of explaining why your legal documents implicate you are not what you say you are. You might realize you wanted to father your own child eight years from now. You might just give up.
Donât. Donât give up.
Just breathe in and breathe out. You knew from the start that this is a lifetime commitment. No one and nothing else put you in this predicament except yourself. You took the risk and you have to step up to it. Life is short but it gives us the opportunity to better ourselves or do worse than we already did before. Whether you pick A or B, it will be your choice. It should be your choice and no one elseâs.
You have gone this far, my little buddy. Thereâs no quitting now.
But in your quiet moments, remember those who have fallen. In your quiet moments, remember those who have succumbed to lifeâs pressures. Every year on this day, remember them and live for them as I continue to live your life, our lives, every waking moment of this lifetime.
Hi there! This is a very broad question. Maybe you could specify in what respect you mean? If you have too many questions to ask, or feel like it would help you learn more than just getting a single answer, youâre always welcome to join our support group.
Just hop on over to our Facebook and submit an application. :)
I am half Filipino. When I came out to my mother she not only disowned me but forbade me from speaking to her side of the family and the family friends she has here. I have to say it's heartbreaking and she pretty much ripped away half my heritage.
Weâre really sorry to hear that. Itâs always painful when parents or othe rloved ones cannot accept us for who we are and even punish us for choosing to do what it takes to be happy in our own skin.
I canât persume to know what it feels like, nor can I pretend to assure you things will without a doubt get better between you and your mother over time, as I am not familiar with your situation. But I will tell you that there is a chance. Thereâs always a chance things will change for the better, but until that happens, itâs a matter of hoping for the best but expecting the worst.
While obviously, itâs not quite the same, youâre always welcome without the filipino trans community. We canât give you back what your mom took away from you, but that doesnât mean you canât get more in touch with your heritage through other means.
We wish you the best and want you to know our doors (or ask box) are always open, to trans men, Filipino and non-Filipino alike.
For any of our Filipino followers or anyone interested in learning about transgenderism from a Filipino perspective, we'll be having a twitter discussion moderated by Rappler's Shakira Sision & Pinoy G4M (no relation to us).
Trans participants will primarily be members of PinoyFTM and Ms. Bemz Benedito, but expect other Filipino trans preople to participate.
Thursday, 9PM Philippine Standard Time onwards. Use the hashtag #TransQA
Hi are there Filipinos taking T? Are they able to do anything about their IDs, birth certificates, and etc? I've never heard of cases like those here and I'm really curious. I only see them happen in other countries especially in US.
Hi there, yes there are Filipinos undergoing HRT and even those who have had top surgery! There are a lot of us, in fact! Though itâs only natural you havenât heard of anyone here transitioning as itâs only fairly recently that weâve started organizing and most of us have not met any other trans men in the country before the groups started up.
Unfortunately, as we have no gender recognition laws, we cannot do anything about our documents. If we were to try and change our names, we would have to go through the same process as cis people would and try to make a case for the NSO to allow a name change which is very difficult and expensive.
Feel free to browse our page here on tumblr and on facebook to learn more about Filipino FTMs and the over all situation of trans men here in the Philippines! :)
Wala po. Ang mga binder na binder talaga ay nabibili lamang sa mga specialty stores at online o baka sa mga LGBT sellers na nagsstock. Pero may mga sports bra sa malls at mga girdles rin na pwede mong gamitin bilang binder, hindi lang sila ganun ka effective.
Translation: Can you buy binders at malls?
No, actual binders may only be bought in specialty stores online or maybe LGBT themed sellers who stock those (At least in this country). You can however, temporarily use sports bras as substitutes. They wonât be nearly as effective tho.Â
What's the best way to educate someone about me being FTM without offending their beliefs? My family and most of my friends are born-again Christians who believe in the traditional views of sex and gender. I would like to come out to them as FTM in the future.
Like with most Christian denominations, weâve found that generally, if you appeal to their beliefs, the way youâd want to do it is show that you are not going against their beliefs by being trans.
Of course, this really varies from person to person and family to family, but one way we can think of tackling this is reminding them that âGod loves all his childrenâ. Remind them that this is your own personal journey that has nothing to do with them or their faith and that youâre just doing what makes you happy without hurting anyone. We've found this page discussing transgenderism & the bible, but we're not sure how much help this is going to be for you in your situation.
Iâm sorry we canât offer more constructive help, but if you want to talk to someone from our group, you can give us a way to contact you privately and weâll find someone who possibly shares the same situation and would better be able to help you.
Front Row presents "Transitions"
(GMA News TV ch.11, Sept. 28, 9:45 PM)
Follow the stories of four transgender men as they go about life; sharing personal experiences, and talking about the issues they face as members of the trans* community in this conservative country.
PinoyFTM is proud to have had our Members Ar & Elyon be able to share their story with the world in a respectful and educational manner.
*Unfortunately tho, most of this documentary is in Tagalog.
