SOGIE Equality Bill)

SOGIE equality bill is a bill that was proposed by the Congress of the Philippines.
It 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 current version of the bill is sponsored by Kaka Bag-ao, Geraldine
Roman, Tom Villarin in the House of Representatives, and Risa Hontiveros in the
Senate. The version in the House of Representatives passed its third reading most
recently on September 20, 2017, but died in the Senate. It has been refiled for the 18th
Congress.
The bill was first filed in congress in 2000 by former Senator Miriam Defensor-
Santiago and former Akbayan party-list Representative Etta Rosales. The bill passed a
third reading in the House but stalled in the Senate. Similar measures were filed by
other senators in the 15th and 16th congresses without success.[5] The bill was refiled
by Defensor-Santiago in every congressional period in the Senate until her last term in
2016. The counterpart bill in the House was also filed continuously by the
representatives of Akbayan.

What does SOGIE mean?

This is probably the most important question! SOGIE stands for Sexual
Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression. But what do those words mean anyway?
Sexual Orientation is about to whom you have sexual or romantic feelings. You
can be heterosexual (attracted to the opposite gender); homosexual (attracted to the
same gender); bisexual (attracted to both genders); or pansexual (attracted to all
genders).
You can even be asexual or ace (you have romantic feelings towards people but
not sexual attraction), or a romantic (you can be sexually attracted to people but you
don't have romantic feelings).
Gender Identity is about how you identify yourself, regardless of you sexual
orientation. You can be male or female, and if you feel that the gender assigned to you
at birth is true to who you are, you are cisgender. Or you can be transgender, meaning
you feel that your real identity is different from the one assigned to you at birth (think
Caitlyn Jenner, BB Gandanghari, Angelina Mead King).
Gender Expression is how you express or show your gender, by the way you
dress, act, move, talk.
 Arguments

*The Philippines is a ‘gay-friendly’ country

Capitulo also argued that the SOGIE bill is not necessary since the Philippine
society is “innately tolerant of LGBTs” or lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transexuals.
He mentioned the election of the country’s first transgender lawmaker, Rep.
Geraldine Roman (Bataan), is proof of such acceptance.
Capitulo then added that he has never experienced discrimination “growing up,
whether in school or at work.”
However, a 2018 survey released by the Philippine LGBT Chamber of
Commerce and research firm Cogencia reveals that local companies are not yet
accepting of LGBTQ members in their policies.

*It ‘violates’ people’s freedom of religion

Capitulo also expressed his fear that the SOGIE bill might be used to “stifle or
violate” people’s freedom of religion and their freedom to live out their faith.
“What will happen to a seminary or convent that will uphold Church laws by
refusing admission to a transgender who wants to study and become a priest or nun?”
he asked.
“What will happen to parishes and Catholic universities that will not allow or
recognize LGBT organizations in keeping with their mandate to abide by Church
doctrines?” Capitulo added.
“What will happen to Catholic and Christian offices or companies like bookstores,
travel agencies, radio stations, television networks or religious organizations that will not
hire LGBT employees because it violates their faith-based beliefs?” he asked.
Capitulo mentioned that under the proposed measure, such scenarios would
merit religious communities and faith-based organizations to be legally penalized for
perceived discrimination.
Under the bill, violators can be sanctioned for up to P500,000 and be imprisoned
for up to six years.
“We cannot expect the followers of the great religious traditions of the world to
change their doctrines to accommodate a law that will violate their fundamental right to
freely practice the very religion that they uphold,” Capitulo said.
 Last week, Senate President Tito Sotto revealed that the SOGIE bill has “no
chance” of passing in the upper chamber “if it transgresses on academic freedom,
religious freedom and women’s rights.”
He made the remark following a public hearing on the proposed measure’s
passage that was initiated by the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family
Relations and Gender Equality headed by Senator Risa Hontiveros.
Hontiveros, for her part, argued in a Facebook post that the bill “will not penalize
people who practice religious or academic freedom.”
She added that it “will not dictate churches on their teachings or hiring process”
as well.

Confront Divergence

This is to extend to the Senate of the Republic of the Philippines our plea to fast
track the passage of the House Bill Number 4982, also known as the Sexual
OrieTntation and Gender Identity or Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill or the Anti-
Discrimination Bill, which was already been approved by the House on 20th of
September last year on its third and final reading with a vote of 197-0. The LGBT
community has been openly asking the society to hear them out in regards to the way
they are being treated. Alarmingly, the LGBT community is recurrently awakened with
the experiences of children, teens, and even adults discriminated due to their sexuality.
Actually, among the many crimes in Manila, 60% are lesbian victims, some of which are
even killed by gunshots or stab wounds, which is very worrying to know. One’s sexual
orientation and gender identity makes somebody someone, and this should never lead
to discrimination or mistreatment. Therefore, we are asking the Senate, to hear our
voice by accelerating the review of the SOGIE Equality Bill and pass it as a law.