Kaladkaren advocates for education over humiliation after transgender incident

TV host-actress Kaladkaren has garnered praise from netizens for her thoughtful and humane response to the controversy involving transgender woman Jude Bacalso.

Bacalso faced backlash on social media after allegedly punishing a waiter who addressed her as “sir” by making him stand for almost two hours at a restaurant in Cebu.

Despite Bacalso’s denial of the punishment and her subsequent public apology, skepticism and criticism persisted. Kaladkaren responded to the situation on her Facebook account, emphasizing the importance of educating rather than humiliating individuals.

“Educate NOT Humiliate,” Kaladkaren began in her post.

“Sometimes, I still get called ‘sir’… but I know how to choose my battles. When this happens, most of the time, I just smile, be the bigger person, and let it pass,” she continued.

Kaladkaren shared that she often responds humorously or politely corrects the person. “Sometimes I answer in jest, ‘ikaw naman kuya/ate, ang ganda ko naman pong sir’ sabay tawanan kami or sometimes I seriously ask them, ‘kapag nakabihis babae pwede tawagin na lang ng ma’am or miss. If you’re not sure po, pwede sila tanungin.’”

She emphasized that people usually don’t mean to offend and that using “ma’am” or “sir” is often an attempt to show respect. Kaladkaren highlighted the importance of correcting such mistakes with respect to receive respect in return.

“Sadly, not everybody is 100% aware of how to use the right pronouns. As members of the community, I believe it is our responsibility to educate others about this,” she said. “We have to let them understand the importance of using the right pronouns for every SOGIE. But educate properly. People commit mistakes… I do also.”

Kaladkaren concluded her message by advocating for kindness and empathy. “I believe, being kind makes us empathize more with other people. Let’s love and respect one another.”

Her post received numerous positive comments from netizens, praising her for her classy and respectful stance on the issue.

Kaladkaren’s message resonates with many who believe in fostering understanding and respect through education rather than humiliation.