AI joins clamor for law against discrimination of gays, lesbians

Saying gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders have their rights, human rights group Amnesty International has joined the campaign for the passage of an antidiscrimination law in the Philippines. AI appealed to lawmakers to pass the groundbreaking legislation that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. "Adoption of this law is very significant for the entire region because only one other Asian country – Fiji – currently prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation," AI-USA OUTfront director Michael Heflin said in a statement posted on its website Wednesday. Heflin added that by taking this step, the Philippine government can show its citizens and the world its commitment "to protect the basic human rights of every individual." AI said the lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender (LGBT) community in the Philippines encounters discrimination within schools, employment, public establishments and even their own families. It scored the so-called "masculinity" and arbitrary tests to separate possible LGBT students during the admissions process to some schools. There are also reports of lesbian students being dismissed after school officials discovered their sexuality, it said. AI said the proposed Philippine legislation will guarantee LGBT people equal access to important civil, political and economic rights by making it unlawful for any person, group, institution or establishment to: * Deny access to public service, including military service; * Include sexual orientation and gender identity in the criteria for hiring, promotion and dismissal of workers; * Refuse admission or expel a person from educational institutions; * Refuse or revoke the accreditation, formal recognition, and/or registration of any organization, group, institution or establishment, in educational institutions, workplaces, communities, and similar settings; * Deny a person access to medical and other health services; and * Deny access to or the use of an establishment, facilities, utilities or service, open to the general public. AI Philippines is partnering with the Lesbian and Gay Legislative Advocacy Network Philippines (LAGABLAB-Pilipinas), a broad network of LGBT organizations and allies, to push for enactment of the antidiscrimination legislation. AI also said it had documented a wide range of serious human rights abuses against LGBT people around the world. It has called on governments to secure greater legal protections against abuses based on sexual orientation and gender identity by adopting constitutional and other statutory provisions that clearly prohibit such discrimination. - GMANews.TV