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| Photo from ABS-CBN |
Gretchen Diez, a transgender woman, was barred from accessing her preferred restroom at a mall in Quezon City back in August of 2019. She was later detained by the cops, cuffed, and shamed.
While she only intended to use the restroom, she was treated like a criminal for such an act. This incident sparked debates as people clamored for gender equality and fair treatment.
Private establishments and companies assert their management prerogative in hiring and distinguishing who can and cannot enter their premises which can be discriminatory towards the LGBTQIA+ community. Schools and academic institutions assert rules against cross-dressing and reserve the right not to accept or even expel students that violate these policies.
The general consensus regarding Filipinos’ attitude towards the LGBTQIA+ is open and accepting. Much has been written on how the Philippines can move towards bridging gaps between gender and sexuality—the biggest step—passing an anti-discrimination or the SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression) Equality bill.
However, we can agree that such a mindset does not fully exist. The Philippines, as a posit, is not an LGBTQIA-friendly country and is a misnomer in this case.
The LGBTQIA+ community continues to suffer from discrimination and violence perpetrated by a society that thrives on ill-founded beliefs and traditions. The plight of the LGBTQIA+ community has been known for decades of legal struggle, yet the problem is hardly addressed in modern society.
Senator Manny Pacquiao provoked storms calling homosexual people worse than animals. He is one of the chief propagators of a never-ending culture that degrades, objectifies, and discriminates against the LGBTQIA+ community, and exhorts homophobes and misogynists to disrespect the minority. People resort to thinking that it is normal to do so because of people in authority, creating a disparity in treatment that stems from gender biases adhering to the patriarchal concept of man, and discriminating against those who do not fit in the socially constructed norms of heterosexuality.
SOGIE is the abbreviation for sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression. It refers to characteristics shared by all human beings because everyone has SOGIE. This bill is a notable piece of legislation in advancing the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community in the Philippines as it seeks to halt discrimination and inequality suffered by the group. This legislation aims to protect the Filipinos who are members of the LGBTQIA+ against incidences of abuse and discrimination.
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| Photo from Rappler PH |
The absence of the SOGIE Bill leaves the sector to be even more marginalized. The social conditions and stigma that the community face in their everyday lives create a stressful environment that takes a toll on their mental, emotional, and physical well-being. The anti-LGBTQIA+ prejudice and discrimination are most often based on moral condemnation rhetoric and are fostered by ignorance or erroneous beliefs that link gender expressions and sexual orientations to psychopathology or maladjustment.
Enacting the SOGIE Bill will affirm and enforce the equal application of existing laws that safeguard the human rights of persons who are subjected to violations because of their sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, as well as address the impunity with which they are treated. The constant struggle to pass such legislation strongly reflects the kind of discriminatory culture of thinking in our country.
As of now, Sen. Risa Hontiveros aims to revive the SOGIE Bill in the 19th Congress as she believes that the bill is a practical measure in promoting equal treatment for all sexualities and that it goes in alignment with the spirit of the Constitution and being a Filipino.
