So G! Debunking Misconceptions About SOGIE Bill

So G! Part 2: Debunking Misconceptions About SOGIE Bill

#1 Harmful to religious beliefs and freedom?

Numbers of group members of the church oppose the SOGIE bills as they believe “it is harmful to the Philippines being a Christian nation,” and it only “violates one’s freedom to express his or her religious beliefs which are embedded in the Constitution.”

But in reality, the proposed SOGIE bill aims to protect members of the LGBTQ from discrimination- that this will further address the commonality of all religions, which is to protect everyone regardless of faith, gender, and race.

#2 Doesn’t promote equality; only “special rights” to the LGBT community?

The SOGIE bill will only “unduly give special rights” to some members of society at the expense of others, and of other members and to the detriment of the social order in our community.

On the other hand, the bill just wanted to emphasize that the rights of everybody should also be applied to them- without special treatment. “I don’t see that this bill is giving any special right to this group. They are just saying that the rights of everybody should also be applied to them,” Mananzan said in a Senate hearing on the proposed bill of minority Sen. Risa Hontiveros.

#3 The only focus is on same-sex marriage and marriage equality.

The dead-set idea that the “SOGIE bill will only open doors to same-sex marriage”- but in fact, The SOGIE Equality Bill is an Anti-Discrimination Bill and not a Marriage Equality Bill, nor does it grant civil union rights to members of the LGBTQIA+ community. It is clearly stated that a marriage license is excluded. The bill is not a gender recognition that allows us to change our legal markers. This is not about civil union; it is not about same-sex marriage or civil partnership.

#4 No need for SOGIE Bill since it can be found in other existing laws.

The SOGIE Bill is particular in Anti-Discrimination Bill. The Constitution does have laws that protect human rights such as the Safe Spaces Act (2019), the Anti-Bullying Act (2013), and the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act (1995), but there is no specific provision on preventing discrimination, criminalizing acts against sexual orientation and gender identity.

#5 The SOGIE Equality Bill violates the rights of other people.

The bill is a double-edged sword but among it all, it highlights the word “equality”. The idea of the bill does not cause harm to everyone’s rights and to exercise the beliefs without compromising the rights of others. It aims for equal rights for everyone regardless of their SOGIE. This only means that all people in the community will have the same standards of basic rights and services.

Some may object to passing this bill- what would other people lose if SOGIE-based discrimination gets penalized? It is always just their "right" to discriminate.

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Written by Cerdeñola, Riana Ferrice A., & Embuestro Janine Beatriz C.

Source(s):

San Beda College Alabang. (2020). SOGIE Equality Bill: The Facts, History, and Misconceptions. Retrieved from https://sbcahrcwebsite.wixsite.com/home/post/sogequality-bill-the-facts-history-and-misconceptions