Tuesday, August 13, transgender Gretchen Custodio Diez was arrested for trying to use a

women’s restroom in a mall in Quezon City. According to Diez, she was prevented to use the
women’s restroom by a janitress. It appeared that she had been held inside the mall and she took
a video of the incident. This event lead to the rise of arguments about the implementation of
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity or Expression more commonly known as SOGIE Bill. It
is a bill seeking to eliminate gender-related discrimination and prohibits unfair treatment on the
basis of a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. The original bill includes
clauses about the application for professional licenses, access to establishments or facilities,
criteria for hiring or dismissal of works, admissions or expelling students and other things related
to the human rights of a person despite of his or her gender preference. But, the version of
SOGIE Bill that is being pursued by the advocates this time involves provisions concerning the
penalized assigning of sex to newborns and even the acceptance of same-sex marriage in the
country. Discrimination is one of the biggest issue that we encounter today.There are many
suggestions and perceptions from people to avoid discrimination and have an equal treatment
especially to LGBTQ+ community. Is it really SOGIE Bill a solution for equal treatment or a just
a disguise of special treatment?

For the LGBTQ+ community, being different is never a problem, the society is. They say
that SOGIE Bill is not an act of being special but protecting the rights of a human who wants to
attain freedom in identity. Advocates believe that SOGIE Bill is a must, for there are several
reported incidents in which, LGBTQ rights were not exercised.It also includes stories of cis
gender (also known as straight) who have experienced discrimination. This is why even other
people from other countries support it, such as Warren Mucci, Canada’s charge d’affaires stated
that humanizing SOGIE Bill will take stories away from margins. Canada is proud to support
organizations advancing inclusion and equality in the Philippines,” In addition, SOGIE
supporters showed researches that prove mental and physical effect of discriminating LGBTQ
community. Some may say that most people see SOGIE Bill as not needed because other
discrimination does not have this specific bill. However, handicaps and even people who are
black are protected by laws, unlike LGBTQ who is neglected by the community because they are
different. As these different incidences happen, there are alarming effects that is constantly
spreading. The reports are that Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer / questioning
(LGBTQ) youth have greater vulnerability to a wide range of health, mental health, and social
problems such as eating disorders, sexually transmitted diseases, school difficulties, forced sex,
homelessness, violence and suicide (Austin et al., 2009;). These negative outcomes are not
inevitable as a result of a sexual minority status (Diamond, 2003) but their occurrence may
increase due to the discrimination, marginalization, and isolation that are often associated with
being LGBTQ (Remadefi, 2008; Savin-Williams, 1995 ).

It’s understandable that the LGBTQ+ community seek acceptance, respect and equality
from the society. After all, they are still humans with right. But, that’s exactly the point why
there is no need for the legalization of SOGIE Bill. Under the Human Rights law, there are rights
inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion or
any status. If its equality that they dreamed of, they already have that given that like every other
Filipino, they are bounded by the same law, they are living in the same country with the same set
of rules to follow. The thing about the SOGIE Bill that is being pursued by the advocates
nowadays is that instead of equality, it seems to seek for special treatment. Senator Nancy Binay
said almost exactly the same when the senate held a meeting to tackle the SOGIE Bill. Yes,
people like the handicaps are protected by the law just like what the opposing side said but that is
because they are humans just as the same with the LGBTQ+ community. In addition, the clauses
SOGIE advocates include in their own version of the bill seems to be too demanding. Penalizing
the assignment of sex in the birth certificates of the newborns will only lead to complications. .
From the first place, sex is something that is assigned to someone the day they were born, it
shouldn’t be altered. . If it will be left blank, it’s the child who will suffer in taking care of his or
her legal registration that is supposed to be taken care of. Another one is their provision
regarding the punishment for any priest or pastor who will refuse to perform same-sex marriage.
It is known to all that the Catholic Church is so much against to same-sex marriage because
biblically speaking, humans can only be either a man or a woman. The church respects LGBTQ+
community But, forcing the priests and pastors to do something that is against their religion is
already breaching the church rights. The Article III, Section 5, “No law shall be made respecting
an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. Thus, they cannot force
religious groups to conduct same-sex marriage when it is against their belief. How can they talk
about rights when they are trying to deprive other’s rights? The point here is that SOGIE Bill
shouldn’t be implemented for the rainbow community is already protected by the law and we
cannot please everybody. They have their own preferences and it is their right. Respect and
support are two different things. Even if you cannot support a certain someone because you don’t
really like her/him, you can still show respect to them knowing that they deserve it.
 SOGIE Bill;
Equality or Special
Treatment?

Jasmine Abucejo

Angel De Padua

Mae Ann Ilagan

Kimberly Anne Pagkaliwangan

Jeron Sernat

Angeline Tapang