Filipinos tolerated gays in Philippine society, but they don’t want anything to do with them. In fact, if they have an opportunity to distance themselves and disassociate from gays, they would do take it immediately.
According to a study by Michael Tan that was funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), discriminatory behaviour still persists and may not subside in a country that does not allow gays, lesbians, transgenders and bisexuals (LGBTs) to adopt children.
"Cultural and social attitudes towards LGBT people are complex, with signs of acceptance, particularly among the young," the study said.
Very few cities have passed ordinances banning LGBT discrimination and efforts to pass a national law have foundered amid opposition from the powerful Catholic Church, it added. Even if there are anti-discriminatory ordinances, majority of the Filipinos still does not believe in same sex marriage and will go to full length to prevent one.
Michael Tan, the author of the study, told a news conference recently that the recent informal survey of 700 Filipino LGBT respondents found one in 10 had been a victim of violence and abuse, mostly committed at home by their parents. However, the study is not clear if the violence stemmed from LGBT issues inside the household or to some other matters (i.e. a gay boy trying to bully a younger sibling).
The study further states that hate crimes remained a threat, with 28 killings involving the community tallied in the first half of 2011 alone. However, just like violence at home, the study is not clear if the crime was committed because the victim was a LGBT person or because that person was doing something illegal in the community.
“What we have in the Philippines is tolerance, not acceptance,” Manila-based gay rights campaigner Jonas Bagas of the TLF Sensuality, Health and Rights Educators Collective told the meeting.
He also added that the Filipino LGBT community was “a long way off” the rights enjoyed by their counterparts in many Western countries. But one side of the argument would rather say that the straight people in Western countries was “a long way off” from enjoying the rights of their counterparts in the Philippines.
In the Philippines, transgender people are not allowed legally to change their identity, first name and sex, mainly because they cannot change the biology that they were born. Their chromosomes remains the same whatever they do with their sex organs, so why would the government allow them to change their sex.
Gays can also be discharged from the military because who in their right mind would sleep in a tent alone with a known gay soldier? If gays want to join the military, then they should form their own squad or company and maybe even design their own outfit.
Lastly, cross-dressers are barred from some nightclubs because these are private commercial institutions that have the right to choose whoever they want to serve. This is the same right that prevented minor children from walking inside the bar and ordering a drink. Besides, we have the religious freedom law that allow individuals to not associate themselves with people who is contrary to their religious beliefs.
Good work, Pinoy!
According to a study by Michael Tan that was funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), discriminatory behaviour still persists and may not subside in a country that does not allow gays, lesbians, transgenders and bisexuals (LGBTs) to adopt children.
"Cultural and social attitudes towards LGBT people are complex, with signs of acceptance, particularly among the young," the study said.
Very few cities have passed ordinances banning LGBT discrimination and efforts to pass a national law have foundered amid opposition from the powerful Catholic Church, it added. Even if there are anti-discriminatory ordinances, majority of the Filipinos still does not believe in same sex marriage and will go to full length to prevent one.
Michael Tan, the author of the study, told a news conference recently that the recent informal survey of 700 Filipino LGBT respondents found one in 10 had been a victim of violence and abuse, mostly committed at home by their parents. However, the study is not clear if the violence stemmed from LGBT issues inside the household or to some other matters (i.e. a gay boy trying to bully a younger sibling).
The study further states that hate crimes remained a threat, with 28 killings involving the community tallied in the first half of 2011 alone. However, just like violence at home, the study is not clear if the crime was committed because the victim was a LGBT person or because that person was doing something illegal in the community.
“What we have in the Philippines is tolerance, not acceptance,” Manila-based gay rights campaigner Jonas Bagas of the TLF Sensuality, Health and Rights Educators Collective told the meeting.
He also added that the Filipino LGBT community was “a long way off” the rights enjoyed by their counterparts in many Western countries. But one side of the argument would rather say that the straight people in Western countries was “a long way off” from enjoying the rights of their counterparts in the Philippines.
In the Philippines, transgender people are not allowed legally to change their identity, first name and sex, mainly because they cannot change the biology that they were born. Their chromosomes remains the same whatever they do with their sex organs, so why would the government allow them to change their sex.
Gays can also be discharged from the military because who in their right mind would sleep in a tent alone with a known gay soldier? If gays want to join the military, then they should form their own squad or company and maybe even design their own outfit.
Lastly, cross-dressers are barred from some nightclubs because these are private commercial institutions that have the right to choose whoever they want to serve. This is the same right that prevented minor children from walking inside the bar and ordering a drink. Besides, we have the religious freedom law that allow individuals to not associate themselves with people who is contrary to their religious beliefs.
Good work, Pinoy!