Gay activists are now following the case of the brutal murder of Filipino transgender Jeffrey ‘Jennifer’ Laude. Even Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago is planning to investigate the murder of a Filipino transgender woman by an alleged US Marine while renewing her call to abolish the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).
“Despite progress and victories on many fronts, violence is still a frightening reality for [the LGBT] community”.
It was written by Benjamin Pimentel about the recent incident in the context of Gay Pride in his Inquirer article Death of a Filipino transgender.
Laude had a German boyfriend “of two years” that he had met online and that they were planning to marry in Thailand as soon as everything is settled “working on their papers to finalize their union.” But now it never will happen.
JUSTICE FOR JENNIFER © Jose Del/Rappler
ABS-CBN news posted an official statement coming from a German boyfriend “of two years” in reaction to the murder of transgender Jeffrey ‘Jennifer’ Laude, his girlfriend.
To whom it may concern:
I want to take words in that case, as I am the “fiance” of Jennifer since two years (as mentioned in your reports), which is not the full truth, as we were engaged since December 2012 officially and with full knowledge and acceptance of her family.
Our plan was always to marry and to start life over together. We started a first try in March 2013 to bring her here for visit and for making the marriage legal too, but it was denied from German embassy at that point, for claiming the same discrimination and prejudices which now most likely caused her death.
Her visa that time was denied for the reason that there was (disbelief) “in her rootedness in the Philippines.”
So basically, (because) the embassy suspected her to have illegal and criminal acts in mind, not obeying visa regulations and trying to stay illegal in Europe, also the simple reason in her gender and her being not from a rich family.
That first time gave me the glimpse on the ongoing discrimination in the Philippines on many kind of groups.
Is it based on gender or on the richness? People like Jennifer will never get a fair chance in your country, and she is just one of thousands, maybe millions in your country sharing the same destiny of your countrymen.
We were very positive for another visa application as I was already discussing that issue with German embassy and the appointment for the visa form was set to 16th October. But now it never will happen.
I stand here with my clear name, with my personality, with my job information even to make clear, what your society is doing to persons like Jennifer.
I know her well. We have talked thousands of hours. Since December 2012, I spent nearly 90 days with her in the Philippines. Jennifer (has) been the most true, hopeful, and life-hungry person I ever met in all my life.
She had her childish moments. She was hot tempered. And her feelings (if low or high) were always extreme. But she was authentic.
She was herself, and remained it. Even if her country never supported her in growing and develop as it is the major task for any society and politics, to grant that for their citizens.
She was so much looking for justice. More than once she did risk her own health in standing up for others. She did save her sister’s life after she had a bad accident. She was even giving up all her own goods to support her family, and her sister’s therapy, her brother’s studies.
She was never selfish, and even if she looked and appeared like a beauty queen, she never behaved like that. In simple words she have been the most natural and pure and down to earth person I ever met.
Jennifer wasn’t a prostitute. Maybe she did offer that guy kind of service, but maybe not enough for him? You ever thought that? Wouldn’t that fit much better to the way he murdered her? As an animal who cant accept a “No”? From such an unworthy person like a ladyboy even?
Marc Suselbeck, the German boyfriend of transgender Filipino Jennifer Laude, has issued the following statement in reaction to the murder of his girlfriend.
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