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The sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression equality bill - or otherwise known as the SOGIE Equality Bill - remains in limbo as debates surrounding the proposed law continue, both in Congress and the Senate.

In a nutshell, the law aims to prevent discrimination against people based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression.

It's worth noting that the first version of the bill was filed in congress way back in 2000 by the late senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago and former Akbayan party-list representative Etta Rosales.

Several attempts have been made since then to push the bill to become law.

Now, the bill is once again stirring arguments between those labeled as conservatives and progressive groups including the LGBTQIA+ community.

Equal rights

“When talking about the SOGIE Equality Bill, people often focus on SOGIE, but this bill is not trying to legislate SOGIE. We cannot legislate identity,” Babayanes Inc.'s Atty. Claire de Leon told GMA News Online in June this year.

“This bill merely seeks to ensure that our sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression will not be used to restrict us from accessing the rights that everyone is supposed to have access to.”

She added, “The SOGIE Equality Bill is an anti-discrimination bill. It seeks to prohibit acts of discrimination that are committed based on an individual's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.”

Having a law in place, according to de Leon, will protect those in the LGBTQIA+ segment against discrimination in the workplace, schools, and in accessing services.

There have been various instances where an individual has been expelled or denied even basic rights like entry to establishments or access to services just because of his or her sexual orientation.

The SOGIE Equality Bill aims to put an end to these practices by clearly defining provisions based on specific violations and imposing corresponding penalties.

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A post shared by Risa Hontiveros (@hontiverosrisa)

Fact vs. fiction

There are many misconceptions about the SOGIE Equality Bill.

Here are just some of the facts about the bill and its objectives:

• It protects LGBTQIA+ persons from discrimination.
• It gives equal access to LGBTQIA+ persons to employment, education, and social services.
• It will promote programs for non-discrimination and diversity in schools and workplaces.
• It will penalize employers who discriminate against LGBTQIA+ persons.
• It will provide programs to protect LGBTQIA+ kids in schools.
• The bill extends equal rights to all persons. Gay or straight, sexual harassment and assault are punishable by law.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, the bill's principal author, made it clear that the bill is not a same-sex marriage bill, as claimed by opponents of the proposed bill.

There's also no proposal in the bill seeking to allow a change of gender-markers in the birth certificate, and lastly, the bill does not in any way violate the rights of straight people.

During an online hearing last November 4, Coalition of Concerned Families of the Philippines lawyer Lyndon Caña insinuated that the bill promotes necrophilia and pedophilia and that it does not provide benefits to the “straight community.”

That statement was condemned by the LGBTQIA+ group Metro Manila Pride, saying, “The misinformation Atty Caña shared is glaringly dangerous: Diminishing 'orientation, identity, expression' as mere 'feelings,' as well as implying that pedophilia and necrophilia are included in the LGBTQIA+ community.”

The further said, “As the SOGIE Equality Bill continues to face opposition for two long decades now, the violence against the community grows ever-increasing, and has become endorsed by a macho-fascist leadership.”

Uphill battle

As it stands, the chances of the SOGIE Equality Bill being passed into a law faces an uphill battle as both the Congress and the Senate remains divided on the issue.

Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto has said that the bill has no chance of passing under his watch.

“Anti-discrimination on persons, puwede, pero [it's possible, but] focused on gays, which the SOGIE bill is, and religious and academic freedom impeded plus smuggling of same-sex marriage? No chance!” he reportedly told reporters in a text message in August last year.

However, supporters of the bill are not giving up and have found allies from different segments of society.

Celebrities like Heart Evangelista, Catriona Gray, Iza Calzado, Nadine Lustre, Pia Wurtzbach, and Janine Gutierrez have all given their support to the bill.

The UP Babaylan has said that the bill “is for everyone because everyone has SOGIE.”

Senator Hontiveros, meanwhile, said: “I am hopeful for the day that none of us have to convince people that we are worthy of our own basic human rights.”

See the list of actors who played LGBTQIA+ roles: