Life with Sasa

Privilege Speech

"Mr. President, Senator Risa Hontiveros would like to be recognized on a matter of personal and collective privilege." Tito said.

Koko then gave his signal. "Senator Risa Hontiveros is recognized."

The time for Risa has come to deliver the speech she mulled over for the past weeks. Part of her wanted to get out of the plenary hall and sink back in, but she thought that it's better that it's all done and over with. "Mr. Senate President, I rise on a matter of personal and collective privilege."

Risa cleared her throat and started her speech. "Let me start by telling a story about a woman - itago natin siya sa pangalang Bubbles. Bubbles is a widow and has been so for quite a long while now, but has not remarried ever since. She then met this woman - let's name her Princess. Princess, like her, is also a widow, but had only lost her husband for not even a year before their first encounter."

As she narrated the story of how Bubbles and Princess met and how their love story unfolded, the adrenaline rushed inside her. She couldn't see anyone in the room anymore. Just a flurry of blurry faces in the plenary area and in the gallery.

"So Bubbles and Princess, due to some shared experiences in the same field of work and personal experiences, got closer to each other. All good, right?

Then the quote, unquote, unthinkable happened: na-in-love si Bubbles kay Princess. Wag natin sabihin na girl crush, ha? Because you don't call a girl's crush on a boy a "boy crush", di ba? Naku, delikado na.

The problem was: Princess wasn't ready to jump into a relationship yet kasi nga kamamatay lang ng Prince niya. So for years Bubbles waited for the right time. Then...the time came. Three years later, they get to cross paths again more often than before. But Bubbles didn't want Princess to know her feelings are different from the usual friendship between two women. So she used a pseudonym and left gifts for her. Small tokens lang naman until the big reveal.

The good news is happy ending ang story na ito at mag-jowa na si Bubbles and Princess. The bad news is that the same can't be said about so many of our fellow siblings from the LGBT community. Those who were disowned and left to fend for themselves. Those brutally killed just because they were "lying" when the ironic thing is that they're living their true selves."

This is why for many years I championed the Anti-Discrimination Bill in the House and will continue to do so in the Senate. We need a law that can protect us from these kinds of discrimination from the subtle to the overt.

Kaya ang mga comments na tulad ng sinabi ng the good senator from Saranggani na "mas masahol pa sa hayop" - you are perpetuating the oppression we are going through. By assuming that a person is straight unless proven otherwise, you are perpetuating heteronormativity."

Risa took a deep breath and took a swig of water before continuing with her next words. "And those who claim to support us but are silent when our fellow siblings are being shot just for being gay: You are not our ally. I repeat: YOU ARE NOT OUR ALLY."

She then zeroed in on the people that got her in the mess she got into just before that speech. "It's people like you that are the reason kung bakit kinailangan mag-tago si Bubbles upang masabi lang sa kanyang lady love na mahal niya siya. It's people like you and the effect of your actions on people like Bubbles and Princess kaya nangyari ang nangyari sa kanila ni Princess a good few weeks ago na ngayon lang naayos. And those who know both of them - Blossom, Buttercup...can attest to that."

The chatter buzzing in the entire plenary hall stopped the moment the said those five words and the silence was so intense one could hear a pin drop. Risa then looked at Leni behind her sitting beside President Rody, who then nodded her approval before Risa proceeded to break the silence. "Let me conclude this speech by making a confession: Kilalang-kilaka ko si Bubbles because Bubbles in this story is me."

The male senators stared at each other the moment Risa said the line. Meanwhile, Grace and Leila, who transferred to the seat next to her, high-fived each other, and right behind them, she found Loren trying not to sob on her seat.

"Ako po si Risa Hontiveros: A woman and as of today and perhaps for a long time now, a proud bisexual woman.

In line with this, Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, the committees on cultural communities, and women, children, family relations and gender equality are presenting to you Senate Bill Number 935 under committee report no. 201 for the consideration of the Senate.

Marami pong salamat and love always wins."

As soon as Risa concluded her speech, she was greeted with a resounding applause by her colleagues. The adrenaline has worn off and it started to sink in that she finally did it.

"Okay, calling for a one minute suspension before we proceed." Koko said before hitting the gavel.

During the suspension, Loren, Leila, and Grace rounded up to give Risa the biggest group hug, while Sonny and Bam patted her back. She certainly didn't expect that her story would be received this warmly and supportively by her colleagues and the fact that they did overwhelmed her more than she already was.

Even the Senate President himself joined in sending well wishes.

When session resumed, Loren took the floor. "Thank you, Mr. President. This is not really an interpellation but a message of support to the lady from Panay, Iloilo, Cavite, and of course, Abkayan, and a question to my fellow colleagues in the Senate. Usually as vice chair of the committee on cultural communities I always say study the bill first, but after her speech and a few personal encounters with the lady from Akbayan, I don't see any reason why would someone oppose to the passing of the Anti-Discrimination Bill. Is there even a point in debating whether or not to pass it? Why not get this over with already?"

Risa continued, eyeing two senators in particular. "Thank you Mr. President, and thank you to the lady from Malabon, Laguna, and Antique for helping me get to this point. I agree with the good senator Legarda that there is no point in debating whether or not to pass it but instead discuss the many nuances and loopholes within it because, unlike a lot of other measures, this I feel is a no-brainer unless perhaps one is still deep in their bigotry."

The other senators eyed Tito and Manny as they hung their heads.

---

After the session was adjourned, Risa was ambushed by a flurry of journalists and media personnel desperate to get a story out of her, and especially the identity of Princess in the story. She then saw Leni, Loren, Leila and Grace on her line of sight and rushed to her. 

"Pangga!" Risa exclaimed, giving Leni a long hug in front of the crowd of journalists.

Leni looked into her eyes and gave her a kiss on the nose. "So proud of you, Bubbles."

"Thank you...Princess." Risa whispered and rested her head on Leni's shoulder before wrapping her arms even more tightly around her waist.

When their hug became a minute too long, Grace called their attention. "Hoy, Bubsy, mamaya na kayo lumandi. Ang aga-aga pa."

But neither of them heard what she said in the middle of the haze surrounding them. The next day, Risa's privilege speech became viral on social media, as were the pictures of Risa and Leni hugging each other after the speech. 

Leni decided to cancel her scheduled press briefing and instead personally posted pictures of her and Risa together, including some kissing photos, on her social media accounts for everyone to see with the caption "I guess I shouldn't say anything more and let these pictures speak for themselves. I love you Sasa. You may have stolen my heart so quickly and so suddenly, but I'm glad you did. Love, your Princess in Yellow"