As the nation observes the annual 18-day campaign to end gender-based violence (GBV), FamiLigtas reminds us to also address the violence and discrimination experienced by the LGBTQ+ community.
FamiLigtas is a digital campaign against GBV in the Philippines during the time of COVID-19. But because GBV is most commonly associated with spousal and domestic violence against women, the experiences of violence among lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders, queers, and other non-binary individuals are often left unheard.
“We advocate for the equal treatment for all persons, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression,” said Sabrina Gacad of Lunas Collective. “While there are numerous urgent challenges facing LGBTQ+ persons worldwide, there are many windows of opportunity to promote and protect their human rights.”
As the LGBTQ+ community continues to fight for the passage of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill in congress, more and more non-binary people continue to experience discrimination, and even violence, at home and in public spaces.
A lack of protection for LGBTQ+ persons
According to Human Rights Watch, only 15% of Filipinos are living in areas with ordinances against discrimination and violence on the basis of SOGIE. The same report also states that the low reporting of GBV to the community is caused by the negative messages that the victim-survivors are receiving from authorities.
Additionally, there is little to no statistical data on the cases of GBV against the LGBTQ+ in the Philippines, unlike violence against women and children, which has an annual report from the Philippine National Police and other government and non-government organizations. GBV cases against LGBTQ+ are often either unreported, undocumented, or misclassified due to absence of specific laws to protect them against discrimination and violence.
That lack of legislation is emphasized by Justin Francis Bionat, Executive Director of Youth Voices Count, as problematic for youth. “Because we’re LGBTQ+ at the developmental stages of our youth, we already have a lot of things to go through. But there are barriers that you have to go through, with some big firms not hiring people just because they dress or identify a certain way.”
Kasama ang LGBTQ+ sa pamilya
The family is the most common perpetrator of GBV in the Philippines—whether targeted against women, children, or LGBTQ+ persons. According to the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, LGBTQ+ children are often verbally, emotionally, sexually, and physically abused by their own families. This is due to the notion that the children’s non-conforming gender attitudes are unnatural and immoral.
A recent survey by Youth Voices Count across Asia-Pacific revealed that 65% of LGBTQ+ youth are still dependent on their parents. According to Bionat, this indicates that many have had to go back home because of COVID-19, potentially leading to re-exposures to trauma and certain vulnerabilities.
For Melo Esquerra, a broadcast journalist and staunch LGBTQ+ advocate, and Mommy Vie, a proud Pride mom, safety at home begins with acceptance, love, and compassion from members of the family, without regard for gender.
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Dapat talaga anuman ang kasarian ng isang tao ay may equal treatment o pag respeto . Nakakalungkot dahil marami sa atin ang nakararanas ng Physical abuse o Verbal abuse napakalaking impact nito sa ating pagkatao anjan yung nagiging Depress na dahil sa pag iisip .Buti nalang merong campaign na FamiLigtas para sa mga LGBT na madalas nakakaranas ng physical o mental na pang aabuso .Sana mas dumami pa yung mga ganitong campaign,sana rin bilang magulang pakinggan at respetuhin natin ang kasarian ng ating mga anak.Dapat sa mga magulang nagsisimula ang lahat .
Totoo po yan na mas mababa ang narereport na kaso ng mga LGBTQ+ dahil sa kanilang sekswalidad nila. Nakakalungkot po na hindi na lang babae at bata ang inaabuso pati ang mga nasa LGBTQ+ na hindi matanggap ng mga tao sa knayang paligid o mismong kapamilya ang misong nang aabuso. Kaya mahalaga po talaga magkaroon ng mga grupo na pwede pagsumbungan ng mga ganitong pang aabuso..
Kailangan talaga natin bigyan ng attention ang usapin about sa gender-based violence. Nakaka sad lang Ang dami padin di tanggap ng ibang tao.
Love the advocacy of FamiLigtas,dapat PO talaga equal treatment sa lahat mapa LGBTQ man o hindi.
No gender discrimination dapat, dahil kahit anong uri pa ng kasarian meron ang isang tao ,itrato ng ayos, pero syempre sa pamilya muna magmumula ang pag tanggap at pagmamahal para mas tanggapin ng lipunan.Mapa physical man o verbal violence yan di dapat ginagawa.This is great advocacy
. napakagandang campaign nito mamu para sa mga walang kakayanan maipagtanggol ang kanilang sarili dala ng kanilang takot .. support po ako sa campaign na ito . 💯💯💯
. kahit napakahirap ng buhay sa panahong ito marame paren talaga ang mabubuti ang kalooban 💜💜
. salute to all of you godbless po . ! 💜💜
I stand for the LGBT community dahil na din siguro na merin kame sa pamilya tomboy at bakla pero we treat them fair dahil sa mga matang mapanuri at mapang mata na nadidiscriminate sila i hope na maging patas at walang kinakampihan dahil pare pareho lang tayaong tao na likha ng DIYOS na may likha
I am so happy dor this campaign. Nakakatuwang malaman na nabibigyan pansin na ang karapatan ng mga LGBTQ. Marami akong kaibigan at kakilala na miyembro ng LGBTQ community at halos lahat sila parepareho ang nais. ACCEPTANCE. RESPECT. LOVE. Kasi the moment na they daw na i-reveal nila ang totoo nilang kasarian parang hindi na raw nila naramdaman na mahal sila ng pamilya nila. Ramdam nilang hindi sila tanggap at hinuhusgahan sila. To rhe point na sinasaktan sila. Which is mali at himdi dapat. Tao lang din naman sila. Kaya yung iba, haggat kayang itago, tinataho nila ang kanilang totoong kasarian to protect themselves from getting hurt and insults. 2021 na next year. Sana matutunan na ng lahat na kahit anong kasarian mo, tayo ay pantay pantay. This 2021, baguhin natin ang nakasanayan. Let’s break norms.
Maganda po etong campaign na eto mamu to protect LGBTQ. Dpat po tlaga na kahit anong gender matuto tayong rumespeto. Kapamilya man po natin o hindi. Sometimes sexual abuse hindi lang physical kundi Pati verbal and mental abuse. Stop violence against LGBTQ, show respect to one another anuman ang gender at estado sa buhay.😊
Wow, ang ganda ng Advocacy na ito.
Tama ang pagtanggap at pagrespeto sa sinuman ay dapat nagmumula sa pamilya, wala kahit sino ang may karapatan manakit ng kapwa, dapat pantay pantay ang pagtingin sa bawat isa kahit iba ang kasarian.
#FamiLigtas
Nakakatakaot na nga po talaga ang pagtaas ng bilang ng domestic violence ngaung nagkapandemic. Hindi na lang mga kababaihan an at bata pati na rin ang mga kapatid nating nasa LGBTQ+ dahil sa kanilang gender preferences kaya pati sila nakakaranas nito at ang masakit eh mismong sa kanilang pamilya nanggaling ang pananakit na ito. Dapat mas ma i voice out pa po ito dahil talagang nakakaalarma po ang mga ganitong nangyayari.
It is good to have this kind of campaign… safety of the members of the LGBTQ+ community should start at home.
Ang ganda po ng hangarin ng campaign na ito mamu to protect LGBTQ. Wala naman po sa edad o kasarian yan lahat po tayo ay dapat irespeto. Nakakalungkot po na may mga taong nakakaranas ng pang aabuso. Kaya itong campaign ito ay maganda talaga sana dumami pa ang ganito ang hangarin. 💜
true yan Mamu most of the time issues about them are being neglected more individuals are just focusing on what they are just seeing and didn’t know the story behind of those LGBTQ members hoping sana wla ng discriminattiotio
I support this advocacy. Kahit ano pa na kasarian, it should be treated the same.