03/06/2025
โ๐๐ข๐๐จ๐ ๐กโ
๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ช๐ฏ๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ธ
๐๏ธ by: Shawn Derick Sistoso
๐ป by: Eden Rei
My rights as an LGBTQ+ student remain at high risk, bit by bit fading from the grasp of my hand; just like how rainbows fade into the atmosphere. As much as I hate to admit it, Iโm terrified.
Being a kid who grew up in an unsafe household, where events like yelling and dishes being thrown against the cold cement wall would always triumph over communication, made me feel like I was stranded in no man's land. The only time when a kid like me felt heard was when I had my sisters by my side, always reassuring me that weโd make it through all the hardship together. They taught me how to be investigative, empathetic, and most of all, the voice of the oppressed. After a few years, I finally had the courage to open up to my family about my homos*xuality and how I donโt feel safe in the outside world, let alone my house itself. They understood and took my concerns seriously, something that religious governments wouldnโt dare to do.
Imagine that youโre a child of two overly religious parents, claiming that if youโre romantically attracted to the same gender, youโd never end up in Godโs good graces and be sent to hell, the inferno of the damned. You fear for your life as you walk around the streets, constantly on edge due to the rise of hate crimes in your area. You live your life as if you were to be shot on sight if someone were to find out you were attracted to the same gender, dress like the opposite s*x, or even act outside of the norm for that fact. That scenario only encapsulates a fraction of today's problems, and we have failed to make it right.
๐๐๐ง ๐: The Social Stigma
According to a research paper entitled โ2024 Philippines National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People,โ conducted by The Trevor Project, found that 3 in 4 (75%) of young people who identify as LGBTQ+ have seriously considered su***de, and nearly half (46%) have attempted to take their own lives. Along with that, 62% have reported having symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as engaging in self-harm in the past year, with a staggering 59%.
Almost 1 in 5 (19%) of the LGBTQ+ youth have been threatened or subjected to conversion therapy. George Barasa, a Gay gender non-conforming Kenyan living in South Africa, and a survivor of conversion therapy, explained that, โConversion therapy is not a single eventโit is a process of continued degradation and assault on the core of who you are. There are often repeated violations in the form of psychological and sometimes physical abuseโฆIt is not one instanceโit is a continued sense of rejection. The pressure is enormous.โ
The Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP) found that LGBTQ+ Filipinos continue to experience stigma, prejudice, and discrimination in various aspects of society. The stigma manifests in different ways, such as bullying, teasing, and harassment in families, schools, and communities. Experiences like these contribute to intense psychological distress, which includes the following: fear, sadness, anger, alienation, and internalized hatred towards oneself.
๐๐๐ง 2: Religion, Culture, and Background
According to an article in Time Magazine, reconciling LGBT identity with Catholic faith presents challenges in the Philippines, a predominantly Catholic country. Many LGBTQ+ individuals still face opposition and struggle to integrate their faith with their s*xual orientation and gender expression. This tension reflects the broader societal challenges of balancing religious beliefs with LGBTQ+ acceptance.
A 2024 study published in the International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science found that LGBTQ+ Filipinos with strong religious affiliations often experience internal conflicts between their faith and s*xual identity. The study highlights that many individuals face discrimination and exclusion within their religious communities, leading to feelings of isolation and distress. These challenges are compounded by teachings that label homos*xuality as morally wrong, exacerbating the psychological burden on LGBTQ+ individuals striving to reconcile their beliefs with their identities.
๐๐๐ง3: Importance of the SOGIESC bill
The S*xual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, and S*x Characteristics (SOGIESC) bill focuses on a country where no person is discriminated against based on their s*x, age, class, status, ethnicity, color, disability, religious and political beliefs, s*xual orientation, gender identity or expression, or s*x characteristics. This bill ensures equal rights for all Filipino citizens, not just the LGBTQIA+ community.
A common misconception that has been ingrained in the mediaโs mind is that the said bill only chases after more rights and is claimed โunfairโ as they already have the same rights as the average man. However, they fail to realize that this also protects heteros*xual men and women from discrimination, rendering their arguments almost ironic to the entire point of the bill. From what Iโve observed in my city, homophobic religious people usually use the bible as an excuse to undermine the true colors of the Bible. The clashing part of their โword from Godโ is that they, too, are protected, as religious beliefs are to be respected.
Being a child is one thing, but being a child who identifies as a homos*xual is an entirely different story. I worry about my education, because to think that one day, if the wrong people are elected, the only thing thatโll ever help me get to a safe place would be stripped away from me. It is said that the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines guarantees the right to liberty. Specifically, Section 1 of the Bill of Rights states that "no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law". This fundamental right is enshrined within the constitution to protect individuals from arbitrary deprivation of their freedom.
Hopefully, one day, I will wake up to see the birds chirping, the streets safe and lively, and the rainbow full of color.
