Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple — these colors would dye the monochromatic streets as the march of the LGBTQIA+ people would rattle the world as the month of June arrives. In celebration of one of the most radiant and colorful events, PRIDE Month, the call for equality is the battle cry of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Hence, the SOGIE Equality Bill sought to be the solution.
Other countries have finally heard and embraced the community. However, in the Philippines, this has yet to see light as the country is still at a standstill if it is truly the answer to the country’s problems. Is the bill worth being legislated, or is it better for it to be left in the dark?
SOGIE, SOGIE Bill, and Its Importance
The word SOGIE stands for Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression. Sexual Orientation refers to someone’s identity in which they identify who they are sexually attracted to. The terms, “heterosexual, homosexual, asexual, lesbian, gay” and many others are some of the terms used to explain one’s sexual orientation. While someone’s personal interpretation of their own gender is the basic definition of gender identity, not only limited to being female and male. Cisgender (identifies to their assigned gender at birth), nonbinary (either identifies no gender or a fluctuating gender), intersex (has both male and female parts), and transgender (the change of their gender from their assigned at birth) are some of the terms associated with gender identity. And Expression refers to how someone shows their whole existence to those around them.
The SOGIE Equality Bill is the notion that aims to stop the discrimination that has been riveting the LGBTQIA+ community and promote equality among everyone. Any act of discrimination such as: harassment to the person, being denied access to public establishments and health facilities, or being expelled from learning institutions, are guaranteed to face punishments in front of the law.
The Birth of the SOGIE Bill
The SOGIE Equality Bill — one of the most known slowest-moving bills in the Philippines. Originally drafted two decades ago by Akbayan Representative Loretta Rosales and the late Miriam Defensor-Santiago during the 11th Congress, the bill aims to promote equality and abolish the discrimination brought to the LGBTQIA+ Community. This stemmed from the policy proposal by the Lesbian and Gay Legislative Advocacy Network. Contrary to the belief, though the SOGIE is usually attached to the LGBTQIA+ or the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and More community, it is not only limited to them, as those who identify themselves as heterosexuals are still inclusive, but the latter community is given more importance on the effects and protection of the bill. History of the SOGIE Bill After the draft of the bill in the 2000s, this bill never reached legislation. Even after countless times it had been passed, it never went through official signings. After the death of trans woman Jennifer Laude in 2014 and the harassment of Gretchen Diez in 2019 sparked the debate once more for the bill. However, in 2022, Senator Risa Hontiveros has sworn to bring justice to the bill in the 19th Congress. In 2023, the bill had finally reached committee level. In a recent interview, Vice President Sara Duterte had voiced her support for the legislation of the SOGIE bill.
The Stigma Against the SOGIE Bill and the LGBTQIA+ Community
Like the mistreatment and the discrimination brought to the community, there are still people in power who are hostile to the bill. Notable lawmakers such as Manny Pacquiao, Joel Villanueva, and Tito Sotto have expressed their opposition. Even the act of the bill being constantly pushed away to the light is an act of defiance. Even so, there are many instances that our fellow Filipinos who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community suffer in the hands of mistreatment and discrimination are constantly searching for answers of their plight, yet only find themselves suffering more.
Despite the hindrance of the bill being far from being called as a real “law”, it still stands as a beacon of hope that there is still a future where the LGBTQIA+ are free to live from the obstructions caused by discrimination. In a world where they could wear their pride on their sleeve, show the ripple of the most colorful flag up in the air, dyeing these streets in such rainbow colors evermore.