Loving Rainbows

SOGIE Bill's 3rd Restroom

A woman is supposed to wear women's clothes and a man is supposed to wear men's clothes.

A few weeks ago, the plights of LGBTQ ( Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer) community have
been the central issue. It has been reported that the members of LGBTQ family have experienced
maltreatment like the news flashed in TV discriminating the Filipino transgender, Gretchen Diez, after
using the female's restroom in one of the mall in Quezon City.

Senator Risa Hontiveros as well as the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations,and Gender
Equality proposed to the lawmakers that "SOGIE" or Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity and
Expression Equality Bill, of constructing a 3rd restroom for transgender is the best policy tool to protect
the LGBTQ.

It is the first version of the SOGIE Equality Bill filed in the 11th Congress by the late Senator Miriam
Defensor-Santiago and Akbayan Rep. Etta Rosales. It was pending for nineteen years and is now in a
comeback of realization in the 17th Congress through the earnest efforts of Bataan's 1st District
Representative Geraldine Roman, Diwa Party List Representative Emmeline Aglipay-Villar, and Dinagat
Island's Representative Arlene "kaka" Bag-ao.

This bill is also known as the House Bill No. 4982 which is meant to fulfill the rights set forth in the 1987
Constitution particularly the equal protection clause. Unequal treatment of an employee or anyone
engaged to render activities, denial admission or expulsion from an educational institution, refusal or
revocation of accreditation to any organization due to an individual's SOGIE will be penalized.

In addition, it recognizes the LGBTQ+ equally and ensures that their rights are protected in as much as
everyone's is.It includes their right to apply for professional licenses, the right to access public services
and the right to use establishments like the public restrooms.

When Roman and Hontiveros were identified as champions of the Anti-discrimination Act, they also have
counterparts when it comes to Gender Identity issues.

Senators Titto Sotto and Manny Pacquiao defensively argue clarifying that the construction of 3rd
restrooms for transgenders is not the best way to gain respect.

According to Manny, cross-dressing can lead to a crime like that Filipino transgender , Jennifer Laude ,
who happened to dress women's clothes and was killed by the U.S. Marine Pfc., Joseph Scott Pemberton
in 2014 because of the presumption that he was really a woman.
Sen. Titto Sotto also said that the proposed Anti-discrimination law may be exploited by the criminals.
Inside the ladies' room,if a nympho man dresses up lika a transgender or pretends to be gay just so he
could peep on woman and rob them, the danger might take place. He suggested that restrooms should
be gender-neutral toilets , meaning, only female and male can go in.

The passage of SOGIE Bill and the proposal of building the third comfort room are bringing no advantage.
Comfort room is intended for the people to feel comfort and excrete many ways from the body . Besides,
there is no significant difference of how people use the comfort room. It will only costs a thousands of
money to waste where in fact , it is not necessary anymore. Building the 3rd separate restroom is not a
best solution for the alarming incident that happened weeks ago. This will only lead to a waste
investment without a meaningful gain and result.

Eventually, this bill should not pass as a law because it will only undermines the role of the parents in the
family, thretens the academic freedom, imperils freedom of speech and religion and puts into question
of the very foundation of the country's law.