Beyond the rainbow: Promoting intersectional awareness through the SOGIE bill in the Philippines

• Main Author: Toleran, Monica Cyra P.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2024
• Subjects: Intersectionality (Sociology); Homosexuality—Law and legislation—Philippines; Human rights—Philippines; Gender identity—Law and legislation—Philippines; Human Rights Law; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etdb_philo/8
• Institution: De La Salle University

The numerous LGBTQ+-related human rights issues in the Philippines led the supporters of the SOGIE Equality bill to call for its advancement in the Senate. Some of these issues are discrimination in the educational sector and workplace, which denies them access to these institutions, and prejudice due to non-conformity to gender norms. These issues can be identified as epistemic injustices experienced by the LGBTQ+ community since there is the presence of identity power and identity prejudice. This wrongs them in their capacity as knowers and causes harm to their epistemic, practical, and psychological aspects in life. According to Fricker, these epistemic injustices can be neutralized by having both personal and political group efforts. On a personal level, it can be neutralized by practicing the virtues of testimonial and hermeneutical justice. With this, I claim that the SOGIE Bill is a political group intervention that tries to neutralize epistemic injustice against the LGBTQ+ community through its promotion of intersectional awareness which can eventually cultivate epistemic virtues. This can empower the LGBTQ+ community and protect their fundamental human rights regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics. The paper analyzed the existing laws and ordinances in trying to promote intersectional awareness such as the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, Quezon City’s Gender-Fair Ordinance, and the Safe Spaces Act. Analyzing them has shown that the SOGIE bill can be more beneficial and effective in promoting intersectional awareness increasing the likelihood to cultivate epistemic virtues.