PUP Kasarianlan’s statement on the delay in the passage of the SOGIE Equality Bill

Countless are the documented and undocumented hate crimes and instances of discrimination experienced by LGBTQIA+ Filipinx. This is evident even on a daily basis at schools, offices and other public places. Services and opportunities are regularly withheld from LGBTQIA+ persons on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression (SOGIE), which should not be happening in such a progressive era and in a place many consider as “accepting”. Ultimately, the right of LGBTQIA+ Filipinxs are constantly threatened and under attack due to the stigma attached to the community by a bigoted majority, in addition to the absence of a legal safeguard.

This is why it is imperative to enact an anti-discrimination law. The blatant disrespect for basic human rights could be curbed if the perpetrators are penalized, and the victims are offered safeguards. In perspective, the promise of the right to life, liberty and property, and equal socio-political and civil rights can finally be fulfilled for LGBTQIA+ Filipinxs. Read more via Outrage