Gaps in SOGIE awareness, policy led to violation of trans woman’s rights in QC mall — TUCP

The discrimination experienced by a transgender woman in Quezon City on Tuesday exposes the country's great gaps in awareness and policy on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression (SOGIE), the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) said.

Gretchen Diez was handcuffed and brought to the police station after a mall janitress had led her out of a women's restroom and to the mall's security office, where she struck and taunted Diez.

"This shameful incident [that happened to] Gretchen will continue to happen to more transgenders like Gretchen  because there is a brimming lack of SOGIE sensitive and responsive awareness and orientation among our people," TUCP party-list Representative Raymond Mendoza said in a statement on Wednesday.

"This type of discrimination is bound to happen because there is also no mandatory SOGIE sensitive and responsive workplace and business policy standards that businesses and employers must abide to," he added.  

The lawmaker said it was high time to revisit the SOGIE-sensitive Anti-Discrmination Bill in both the Senate and the House of Representatives and "ensure high standards and immediate compliance for our transgenders alongside a serious nationwide awareness campaign."

"For the meantime, the TUCP calls for the Department of Labor and Employment to immediately institute a SOGIE sensitive and responsive workplace policy in all workplaces including awareness among employers and employees nationwide," Mendoza said.

READ: No Filipino company has LGBT-inclusive policy

Diez recorded her confrontation with the janitress, identified as Chayra Ganal, who eventually apologized through a written letter.

Diez, who was released after the mall withdrew its complaint that same evening, said she is still determined to file charges over the incident.

QC Mayor Joy Belmonte has likewise condemned the discrimination against Diez, saying the mall "clearly violated" the city's Gender Fair Ordinance "for its failure to put up all-gender toilets for the LGBT+ community." — Margaret Claire Layug/BM, GMA News