Our society tends to regard as a sickness any mode of thought or behavior that is inconvenient for the

system and this is plausible because when an individual doesn't fit into the system it causes pain to
the individual as well as problems for the system. Thus the manipulation of an individual to adjust
him to the system is seen as a cure for a sickness and therefore as good.”

AN ACT PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY
OR EXPRESSION (SOGIE)

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in Congress
assembledThis Act shall be known and cited as the "Anti-Discrimination Act." The Declaration o f Policy. -
The State recognizes the fundamental right of every person, regardless of sex, age, class, status,
ethnicity, color, disability, religious and political beliefs, sexual orientation or gender identity, to be free
from any form of discrimination. It shall therefore intensify its efforts to fulfill its duties under
international and domestic laws to respect, protect and fulfill the rights and dignity of every individual.

Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms shall be defined as follows: a.
Discrimination - refers to any distinction, exclusion, restriction, or preference based on the grounds of
sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, hereinafter referred to as “SOGIE”, and has the
purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, access to, enjoyment, or exercise by all
persons on an equal footing of all rights and freedoms. For purposes of this provision, the actual sex,
sexual orientation or gender identity of the person subjected to discrimination shall not be relevant for
the purpose of determining whether an act of discrimination has been committed.
b. Gender Expression - refers to the outward manifestations of the cultural traits that enable a person to
identify as male or female according to patterns that, at a particular moment in history, a given society
defines as gender appropriate.
c. Gender Identity - refers to the personal sense of identity as characterized, among others, by manner
of clothing, inclinations, and behavior in relation to masculine or feminine conventions. A person may
have a male or female identity with the physiological characteristics of the opposite sex. d. Profiling -
refers to subjecting a person or group of persons to investigatory activities, which include unnecessary,
unjustified, illegal, and degrading searches, or other investigatory activities, in determining whether an
individual is engaged in an activity presumed to be unlawful, immoral or socially unacceptable.
e. Sexual Orientation - refers to the direction of emotional sexual attraction or conduct. This can be
towards people of the same sex (homosexual orientation) or towards people of both sexes (bisexual
orientation) or towards people of the opposite sex (heterosexual orientation).
f. Stigma - refers to the dynamic devaluation and dehumanization of an individual in the eyes of others
which may be based on attributes that are arbitrarily defined by others as discreditable or unworthy and
which result in discrimination when acted upon.

I am pro in this bill because One concern is that the bill is seen as conferring special treatment or “special rights” to
the LGBTQ+ community not just with the lgbt but everyone of us. Many question why the basic provisions that
uphold human dignity and facilitate protections for all are not enough

“[The SOGIE Equality Bill] will not promote equality but will, instead, unduly give ‘special’ rights to some
members of our society at the expense of the rights of the other members and to the detriment of the social order in
our community.
However, it is important to remember that the discrimination which members of the LGBTQ+ face are of a higher
and more intense degree than non-LGBTQ+ individuals. It is precisely because of this that additional protections for
them become essential. Just as the Magna Carta for Women exists due to society’s acknowledgment that women
have always been and continue to be less privileged than men, so should the SOGIE bill.

Yes, the protections the bill affords may be considered ‘special’ but that does not make them unfair. It is special
because it is necessary. Non-LGBTQ+ members simply don’t face the same harassment, discrimination, and hate
crimes that the LGBTQ+ do for their identities. 

Another contention from the people is that it impedes religious freedoms. There is a fear that the speech of
preachers, priests, and the like will be controlled as the bill penalizes speech which is discriminatory against the
LGBTQ+. 

“What happens to a Christian like me, and to the majority of the people in this chamber, if we are to be threatened
by punishment every time we share our Bible-based beliefs on matters of transgenders and homosexuals?” Someone
asked .

Religious institutions need not worry as long as their beliefs and actions are not discriminatory. A preacher should
be able to express his views on sexuality without making inflammatory remarks against a person’s SOGIE. It would
only be an issue if these sermons are aggressive enough to amount to hate speech. 

Religious freedom pertains to the ability of people to practice their faith and beliefs but only to the extent that it does
not impede on anyone else’s freedoms. Meaning to say, religious freedom can be trumped if it is directly harming
the rights of any individual. Since discriminating against a person on the basis of their SOGIE is not intrinsic to any
religion, there is no real reason for it to be justified. 

What then is our reality without the SOGIE bill? It is incidents like transgender individuals being violently treated
for going into the “wrong” bathroom. It is LGBTQ+ individuals being denied employment because of who they are.
It is barring members of the LGBTQ+ from dining in a restaurant or buying a product. It is unactionable
discrimination that they will have to put up with for the rest of their lives. 

Sure, the basic protections for any average individual exist but how do you address intent then? Not affording these
protections makes these actions permissible. It sends the message that discrimination based on a person’s SOGIE is
acceptable. 

- It protects lgbt persons from discrimination

- It gives equal access to lgbt persons to employment, education, and social services.
- It will programs for non-discrimination and diversity in schools and workplace
- It will penalize employers who discriminate against lgbt persons.
- It will provide programs to protect lgbt lids in schools
- The bill extends equal rights to all persons. Gay or straight, sexual harassment and assault are punishable
by law.
- It is not a same sex marriage bill.
- It will not penalize people who practice religious or academic freedom
- It will not dictate churches on their teachings or hiring process.
- It will not allow a change of gender –makers in birth certificate,.
- It does not violate the rights of straight people.

It breaks my heart and saddens me that people are so against the passing of the bill when in fact, it all
boils down to equal rights as HUMAN BEINGS... but sadly because of discrimination, a bill like this has to
be made.... because, instead of kindness, compassion, respect and UNDERSTANDING it has come to a
point where they need this bill to protect their rights as human beings. “Equality is all they seek for.
Equality regardless of what gender they identify as or how they choose to express themselves and
equality as human beings and citizens of this country.

“Institutionalized rejection of difference is an absolute necessity in a profit economy which needs

outsiders as surplus people.”