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NORTH CENTRAL MINDANAO COLLEGE
Maranding, Lala, Lanao del Norte

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
GEC. ELECT 1: Gender and Society
1st Semester of A.Y. 2020-2021

Topic
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SOGIE EQUALITY BILL

Introduction

The SOGIE Equality bill is meant to fulfill the rights set forth in the 1987 constitution, particularly the equal
protection clause. It recognizes the LGBTQIA as equals and ensures that their rights are protected in as much
as everyone’s is. The bill also acknowledges the Philippines duties under international law particularly the
Universal Declaration of human rights and the international covenant on civil and political rights. It thus
recognizes the non-discrimination of LGBTQIA as both a national and international duty.

Intended Learning Outcomes

ILO 1: Achieve a knowledge base about LGBTQ+ people’s role in history — their contributions,
oppression, and resistance;
ILO 2: Describe the manner in which race, class, gender, and sexuality intersect;
ILO 3: Become aware of women’s and LGBTQ+ people’s experience in cultural contexts, both nationally
and globally, including understanding the roles of gender and sexuality in social justice
movements around the world;
Activity/Activities

Lecture, Online Quiz

Discussion

Uphill Battle
House Bill No. 4982 or “An Act Prohibiting Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation or
Gender Identity or Expression (Sogie) and Providing Penalties Therefor” is the first of its kind in the
country. Other anti-discrimination bills have been filed in the past, but these were never SOGIE-
specific, lumping the lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual, and queer sector (LGBTQ++ sector) with
others such as the differently abled or the indigenous groups.

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The first version of the SOGIE Equality Bill was filed in the 11 t h  Congress by the late Sen. Miriam
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Defensor-Santiago and Akbayan Rep. Etta Rosales. It was pending for nineteen years, and is now
coming to fruition in the 17 t h  Congress through the ardent efforts of Bataan 1st District
Representative Geraldine Roman, Diwa Party List Representative Emmeline Aglipay-Villar, and
Dinagat Islands Representative Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao. While the bill still has to hurdle the Senate,
its passage in the House is already a victory in itself for the LGBTQ++ community.

The Purpose
The SOGIE Equality Bill is meant to fulfill the rights set forth in the 1987 constitution,
particularly the equal protection clause. It recognizes the LGBTQ++ as equals and ensures
that their rights are protected inasmuch as everyone’s is. The bill also acknowledges the
Philippines duties under international law particularly the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It thus recognizes the
non-discrimination of the LGBTQ++ as both a national and international duty.

The Specifics
The bill first introduces and defines the concepts of sexual orientation, gender identity, and
gender expression, as well as other terms that are pertinent to the aforementioned.

It then lists the practices to be considered discriminatory and unlawful under the bill, like the
denial of rights to LGBTQ+ community on the basis of their SOGIE, such as their right to
access public services, right to use establishments and services including housing, and right
to apply for a professional license, among others. Differential treatment of an employee or
anyone engaged to render services, denial of admission to or expulsion from an educational
institution, refusal or revocation of accreditation to any organization due to an individual’s
SOGIE will also be penalized. The bill also deems as discriminatory the act of forcing any
person to undertake any medical or psychological examination to alter his SOGIE, the
publication of information intending to “out” a person without his or her consent, public
speech meant to vilify LGBTQ+, the harassment and coercion of the latter by anyone
especially those involved in law enforcement, and gender profiling. Children under parental
authority are given particular attention in the bill, as the prevention of the expression of their
SOGIE will also be penalized. Any act of harassment or coercion directed to the LGBTQ+ is a
discriminatory act under the SOGIE

Commission of any of the said acts will be meted out a fine of one hundred thousand to five
hundred thousand pesos (P100,000 to P500,000) or a prison sentence of one to six years (1 to
6 years), or both. Additionally, the court may impose community service in the form of

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attendance In human rights education.

The bill is not only punitive, but more importantly, is preventive. It orders the inclusion of
SOGIE concerns in all police station activities and services, with the renaming of the Women
and Children’s Desks to Women, Children, and LGBTQ++ Protection Desk, and the
imposition of human rights based training on the police. It directs the promotion of
nondiscrimination through social protection and diversity programs, and even incentivizes the
positive portrayal of the LGBTQ++ in the media. A SOGIE Equality Oversight Committee
shall be created to effectively implement the Act.

THE DIFFERENT TERMS STANDING FOR SOGIE ARE FURTHER DEFINED

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BELOW:

1. SEXUAL ORIENTATION: covers the three dimensions of sexuality, namely;

 A. Sexual attraction, sexual behavior, sexual fantasies;

 B. Emotional preferences, social preferences, and self-

identification;

 C. Heterosexual or homosexual lifestyle.

 Sexual orientation involves the person to whom one is attracted

and how one identifies himself or herself in relation to this
attraction which includes both romantic

2. GENDER IDENTITY

 Refers to one’s personal experience of gender or social relations.

It determines how one sees himself or herself in relation to
gender and sexuality. A person could identify himself or herself
as masculine or feminine.

 And sexual feelings.

3. GENDER EXPRESSION

 Determines how one express his or her sexuality through

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the actions or manner of presenting oneself.

LGBTQIA
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Is short for lesbian, gay, transgender, queer/ questioning, intersex, asexual. This
category describes distinct groups outside of heteronormativity who are usually
defined by their SOGIE.

HETEROSEXUAL

Or straight refers to people who have sexual and romantic feeling mostly
for the opposite gender- men who are attracted to women, and women who are
attracted to men.

HOMOSEXUAL

Describe people who have sexual and romantic feelings for the same
gender-men who are attracted to men, and women who are attracted to women .

CISGENDER

is someone whose gender identity corresponds with his or her biological

sex.( a person can be a homosexual and at the same time a cisgender.) identify with the
gender they were assigned to at birth because of their sex.

LESBIAN

Pertains to women who are attracted to other women.

GAY

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Refers to men who are attracted to other men

BISEXUAL

or “Bi” denotes people who are attracted to both genders.

TRANSGENDER

Is an umbrella term that refers to someone whose assigned sex at birth

does not represent his or her gender identity.
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QUEER

Is an umbrella term for sexual and gender minorities who are not
heterosexual or are not cisgender

INTERSEX

People are born with sex characteristics, such as genitals, gonads, and
chromosome patters that, according to the UN office of the high commissioner for Human
Rights. Do not fit the typical definitions for male or female bodies

ASEXUALITY

Is the lack of sexual attraction to anyone, or low or absent interest in sexual

activity. It may be considered the lack of a sexual orientation, or one of the
variations thereof, Alongside heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bisexuality .

SEXISM

 Is defined as the prejudice against a certain sex. Because we live in a

patriarchal society, men are still seen as dominant, leaders, and the norm. This
notion places women and the LGBT at risk for discrimination.

Exercise
Guided Questions:

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1. Are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender people dangerous to children?
2. Is homosexuality a mental illness or emotional problem?

Assessment
Essay Questions:
Direction: Students are given 3 essay questions. Answer all of them. For each essay questions provide short
and concise answer with some relevant example for clarification, if necessary.

1. How to talk to early childhood kids about LGBT families/ partners in the classroom.
2. How does poverty affect the LGBT community?
3. The negative effects of victimization of LGBT adolescents.
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Reflection

“If the church desires to address the contemporary world effectively it must consider using the
terms by which the world understands itself.”
---ANONYMOUS

Resources

 Williams, Joan. 1999. Unbending Gender: Why Family and Work Conf/ict and What To Do About
It. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
 Bellinger, D. and Gleason, Jean Berko. 1982. Sex differences in parental directives to young
children. Journal of Sex Roles, 8:1123–1139.
Prepared By

LOID JAY B. KADILE, LPT

CED Faculty

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