Manila—Senator Ma.
Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos is seeking to expand the list of punishable acts
of discrimination against the LGBT community in Senate Bill 412, which also
prescribes measures to preempt such acts.
The incident of a transgender
woman handcuffed by the police recently after using a women’s toilet at the
Araneta Center was “a blatant act of discrimination that defies Quezon City’s
Gender-Fair Ordinance and makes me livid,” Ms. Marcos said.
“The harassment of LGBT
members by law enforcers is a punishable offense in the Senate bill,” she added.
By prescribing gender-neutral
toilets, as those specially assigned for persons with disabilities, the bill
seeks to protect transgender women from public humiliation.
Among the punishable offenses
against LGBT members that Ms. Marcos added to those in previous bills are the
refusal to admit a child in school due to a parent's or guardian's sexual
orientation, preventing a child from exhibiting gender identity, denial of
access to public services including military service, and exposing an LGBT
member’s sexual orientation without prior consent.
If found guilty, offenders
must pay a fine of not less than PHP100,000 or face one to six years in jail.
Although Filipinos are known
to be tolerant towards LGBT members, hate crimes and unjust treatment in public
venues like malls, restaurants, leisure establishments, schools, workplaces,
and even within the family continue undeterred, Ms. Marcos stressed.
"We must establish the
equal footing of LGBT members as Filipino citizens and as human beings," Ms.
Marcos noted. "LGBT members deserve the fullest measure of participation
in society." (BVV)
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