Cyreen Ritlie G.

Camus
12 STEM-3

“SOGIE EQUALITY BILL, A bill for everyone.”

SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression) Equality Bill also known
as Anti-Discrimination Act is an act that forbids discrimination and human rights violations on
the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression.

This equality bill is actually a hot topic right now in our country. In this case, I am in
favor for implementing this bill because it mainly tackles about our basic human rights, the anti-
discrimination one. It cannot affect nor threatened my rights as a straight person.

It does not propose special rights to individual base on their SOGIE, instead they
prohibit human rights violations. Some of you point outs that it is going to be superiority rather
than equality because it is only for LGBTQ+, then I think that’s wrong because they are just the
ones who are more likely to experience discrimination on the basis of their sex. This bill literally
proposing equality in general, a bill for everyone—whether you are straight or a member of the
LGBTQ+ community. According to Section 2 of the bill, it 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.
Also SOGIE bill does not include clauses on same sex marriage and it will not dictate churches
on their process because this bill’s mainly focus is about the anti-discrimination and according to
the Article II, Section 6 of the 1987 Constitution of the Republic Act of the Philippines—“The
separation of Church and State shall be inviolable”, therefore the government can’t meddle in the
church’s decision. Then are also some certain exceptions in discriminating like the Bona Fide
Occupational Qualifications, a type of employment law, for example the standards for flight
stewards.

We all know that there are already existed laws about anti-discrimination and anti-
bullying but why are they proposing SOGIE Bill as an anti-discrimination act? SOGIE bill tends
to intensify and more strictly enforce these two already existing laws to protect and surround
each individual. The right of an individual ends when oppression begins. Saying NO to SOGIE
Equality bill is like saying NO to your own basic human rights!

“Eliminating discrimination is not a zero-sum game. Nobody will suffer if others gain
equality.” –Mina Tenorio (Likhaan Center for Women)
Cyreen Ritlie G. Camus
12 STEM-3