The plight of the Filipino LGBTQIA+ community in fighting against brutal hate crimes and discrimination has witnessed more than two decades of legal struggle but is progressing a step further after the House Committee on Women and Gender Equality approved The Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity Expression, and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) Equality Bill, also known as the Anti-Discrimination Bill, which Congress proposed in 2000.
The bill intends to end gender and sexual orientation-based discrimination not limited to advertising, producing, and publishing any form of media that has the effect of promoting, encouraging and perpetuating stigma or inciting violence and sexual abuse against any person or group on the basis of SOGIESC; denying access to public services to any person on the basis of SOGIESC; the disclosure of one’s SOGIESC, in the criteria for hiring, promotion, transfer, designation, work assignment, re-assignment, dismissal of workers, performance review, and in the determination of employee compensation, access to career opportunities, training, and other incentives, privileges, benefits or allowances, and other terms and conditions of employment; denying a person access to public or private medical and other health services open to the general public on the basis of such person's SOGIESC; denying a person access to or the use of establishments, facilities, utilities, or services, including housing, open to the general public on the basis of SOGIESC; engaging in public speeches meant to shame, insult, vilify, or which tends to incite or normalize discriminatory practices against persons of diverse SOGIESC, and which acts or practices in turn, intimidate them or result in the loss of their self-esteem, etc. by penalizing any person or party partaking in such activities.
The House panel's approval was confirmed by Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas on Tuesday after deliberation from the committee. “We stand firm that it is the right of each member of the LGBTQIA+ community to have fair rights in education, work, healthcare services, and others without any fear,” Brosas stated.
References: Rappler , Tatler Asia , GMA News , CNN Philippines
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