LOVE HAS NO GENDER

Ghian Andrey G. Diaz

In the Philippines, there has been debate over same-sex marriage for many years.
Many people oppose it, despite the fact that some people do. Arguments in favor of and
against same-sex unions often fall into one of two categories: those who believe marriage
should only be between a man and a woman, and those who believe that love is love and
ought to be permitted to exist without restriction. The country’s House of Representatives
legalized same-sex unions in 2013, but the Senate has not yet taken up the matter. If so, a
two-thirds majority vote would be required to enact the bill, which is improbable given the
country’s still sharply split public sentiment.

Same-sex unions should be permitted without discrimination. Ask any individual, and
they will all have an opinion on the subject of same-sex marriage because it is such a
controversial issue. Everyone should be entitled to marry after they have equal rights to
public benefits, the right to equal housing, employment, and public amenities, as well as
equal protection under the law. I’ll go over common objections against same-sex marriage,
the actual justification for such opposition, and facts regarding such marriage. Given that it
has been a hot topic in politics and in your day-to-day life for the past few years, this subject
should be engaging.

Early in the new millennium, advocates in favor of same-sex marriage in the

Philippines started planning large-scale public protests. A group of Filipinos who identify as
lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) petitioned the Supreme Court in 2007 to
declare that laws prohibiting same-sex marriage were unconstitutional. The complaint was
ultimately dismissed by President Benigno Aquino III for lack of merit after the court
declined to consider it.

Since then, other groups have attempted, all without success, to draw politicians’
attention to the problem. The most recent effort was made in 2014 when a demonstration for
same-sex marriage was staged at the House of Representatives by a group of LGBT activists.
The majority of respondents to a Pulse Asia poll conducted in December of that year were
against same-sex unions.
 Many believe that homosexual or lesbian relationships are “unnatural” and go against
God’s design for humanity. However, the constitution is silent on the subject of acceptable
forms of government and how all of the Filipino people should be led. Instead, it offers a
framework for how government works under which any individual can specify their own
style of government. Religious leaders who oppose same-sex unions have claimed they were
barred from speaking at the event. Voters who wanted to hear from the bishops have also
protested the decision to deny them the opportunity to speak and share their opinions on
same-sex marriage.

In summary, I believe that granting LGBT individuals equal rights is a step toward
advancing society. In the Philippines, same-sex marriage is still illegal, but it appears that
more and more people are starting to embrace and support the concept. I think this will
eventually come to pass in our nation.