Page 20 - The Josenian Premier Volume 5 Issue 1

OPI

ONE FUTURE:

NION
Different Hues, Equal RIGHTS

By: Vanessa Mae Catubig and Heart Danielle Nakila

magine a future with equal rights and opportunities. A community but everyone in the society. All humans are entitled
nation that set aside people’s differences that accepts to their rights. Social Inequality because of Gender Expression
Iand respects one another. A safe, discrimination- is a price to one’s right of liberty, hence the oppressed should
free, and progressive society. Read the first word again. have their voices amplified and be heard. Approving the said
bill would be a great leap towards a more united society.
Rainbow has been the emblem of the LGBTQ+ There is no problem with manifesting a different hue, the
Community portraying the different colors of the spectrum. only problem is how other people treat them with disrespect.
Many members who have shown their unique colors have been With SOGIE Bill, not only will nondiscrimination be relished by
tolerated in the country but the insensitive remarks, bigotry, every individual of all genders, but equal opportunities await.
gender-based violence, and discrimination are still present Standing in solidarity and removing the drawn-out battle
today and due to a lot of coontroversies, the unanswered for equality and security, a colorful future can be attained.
demand has once again been brought to the attention
of the Filipino people — “Where is the SOGIE bill now?”

The Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression
(SOGIE) Bill or otherwise known as the Anti-Discrimination
Bill was first proposed by the late Senator Miriam Defensor-
Santiago and former Akbayan Leader Lorette Rosales in the
year 2000, and though it was once again brought to awareness
by Senator Risa Hontiveros in her fight on Human Equality, the
bill still remains pending. Many opposed the bill from religious
communities to the majority of the Senate. The fight for justice
is still aflame as protests are being voiced out and posted
around on different social media platforms.Many citizens are
not aware of the dangers that the LGBTQ+ Community faces.
What’s wrong with being authentic to oneself? One shouldn’t
be deprived of opportunities just because of gender. Even
though the country has been influenced by the conservative
perspective from Christian notions, SOGIE bill will not dictate
the religion on their teachings. To the individuals who use
same-sex marriage to counter SOGIE bill, the claim isn’t
even included in the bill, so constant fact check is a must.
SOGIE bill doesn’t violate nor lessen the rights of straight
people.Everyone’s rights won’t be trampled by this bill and
it is basically human rights. It has already been made clear
that the Bill’s main focus does not only benefit the LGBTQ+
Beaten to STRENGTH and VIGOR

By: Arisa Abygylle G. Encabo
n a generally less civilized time, a because in our generation we've got been exceptionally punitive and extreme
few centuries ago, eager spectators boxing. For most people, professional is the year 2020. Every year has its fair-
Igathered in the Roman arenas to boxers are those heavyweights muscled share of redefining moments but this
watch gladiators fight, sometimes to fist-fighters but 2020 proved it wrong. year, we have undeniably experienced
death. Eventually, the emergence of We can all be considered as boxers, much more paradigm-shifting events
Christianity turned a blind eye to the metaphorically at least. that it's becoming impossible to decipher
cruel, destructive "sport." Although we're not in some sort of simulation
as much as we may think, civilization One of the times when our that runs every possible scenario all at
has so far not progressed completely distributed weather conditions have once. From World War III speculations

18 The Josenian Premier | First Semester S.Y. 2020-2021 Illustration: jane latorza