SOGIE

‘Where Discrimination Ends, Growth Begins’

“Respect for the rights of others means PEACE”.

Being able to navigate daily affairs such as education, health care, employment, etc.,

one should not rely on the sexual orientation and gender identity or even the speech of an

individual. However, human history is sodden with discrimination. It is shaped in distinct

ways, and contemporary society is no exception. It is a question of cultural history and

influenced many social, cultural and economic events which we are witnessing today.

Recently, the detention of the transgender woman Gretchen Custodio Diez, who was

prevented from using the women’s restroom, is causing the public outrage and putting

pressure on legislators to implement the Anti-Discrimination Bill. More specifically, the

netizens urged lawmakers to push for the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and

Expression commonly known as the “SOGIE” equality bill.

As defined in the Wikipedia, the SOGIE is intended to prevent various economic and

public accommodation-related acts of discrimination against people based on their sexual

orientation, gender identity or expression. The bill was first filed in Congress in the year 2000

by the late-Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago and then Akbayan Partylist Representative

Etta Rosales, in which the bill passed 3rd reading in the House but stalled in the Senate.

Ma. Jiandra Bianca F. Deslate, Underbar Associate, Divana Law, shared that the

purpose of the bill is meant to fulfill the rights set forth in the 1987 constitution, particularly

the equal protection clause. It organizes the members’ organization as equal being that

ensures the rights as protected in as much as everyone is. In particular, the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and The International Pact on Civil and Political Rights are

recognized by the Philippines under international law. Thus, the designed bill is recognized

as a national as well as global obligation to prevent discrimination. Furthermore, the draft sets

out and defines the concept of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression and

other relevant terms. It further includes the practices which are regarded as discrimination

and elicit under the bill, such as the refusal of the LGBTQ+ community’s right to access

public services including housing, and the rights to apply for an occupational license. Any

worker or person engaged to provide services such as denied admission or deportation from

instructional establishments shall be subject for differential treatment. It also deems the act of

forcing individual to undertake any medical or psychological examination. The bill is

objectively preventive not just punitive. Although in the lower house the bill has already

overcome the resistance, it is still heatedly debated in the Senate.

As for me, though the bill is facing an uphill battle in the halls of the congress, this

matter must be give resolution as soon as possible to eradicate the struggles in fighting all

forms of discrimination. Regardless of who are the victims of this undesirable act, this

instance must be taken into consideration devising practices that promotes peace. Everyone

can be a victim of discrimination. However, the LGBTQ+ remains a vulnerable sector. We

have laws already but there could be no clearer evidence to show that mere tolerance is not

enough and that, indeed, a policy doesn’t guarantee the enforcement of LGBTQ+ rights.

That’s because many individuals are still either ignorant or just bigoted. Many of them are

well educated and still are harmful and some of them are pathologically hated the members of

the said organization. As well, many religious conservatives will be on the way to achieve the

successful pursuit of pushing this bill. As a Christian, it is always instilled in my mind and in

my heart the church teachings that molded me of who I am now. The values and the ethical
practices are the factors that determine our well-being. But, a great number of people

nowadays are not living to the teachings that they have learned.

It’s about time!

We always wanted an opportunity to build a better society with better facilities which

moves away from the common view that bathroom is about gender privacy and that

communal bathrooms are okay if they are gender-separated. The time for the bathroom is

private and no one else should be in the bathroom with you, no matter what sex. However, in

the issues of the LGBTQ+ community regarding the usage of bathrooms, I believed this can

be addressed if our society can create unisex mini-bathrooms, as in the case of all aircrafts.

These bathrooms would address not only the issue of transgender bathroom usage, but

generally address the privacy concerns. If I were to give a resolution, I would want to have

another bathroom for the LGBTQ+ community. I believe that they also deserve privacy and a

safer place to comfort themselves and freshen up in times of natures calling. I personally

think that there is nothing wrong with giving them their space because after all they are

human too, they have feelings and they get hurt.

We should always put in mind the respect everyone deserves. There is no greater

thing than to respect each other’s perspective, preference and views in life. Conflict may arise

but everything can be fixed through understanding. Respect begets respect. Where

discrimination ends, growth begins.

Caren D. Banuelos