MANILA — Celebrities aired support on social media for the SOGIE Equality Bill, amidst debates on the protection of the LGBT community from discrimination.
Fashion icon Heart Evangelista took to Instagram her support. “Equality is everything. I am #ComingOut4Equality to support the SOGIE Equality Bill”.m, she said in her post that gathered more than 60,000 likes to date (https://www.instagram.com/p/B170xhwnPG1/?igshid=el16wk9b7otg).
“A little goes a long way. Our support means the world”, she also added.
Power couple Angie and Joey Mead King also took to Instagram to appeal to the public. “I need your help to create awareness about the SOGIE Equality Bill”, Angie, a car enthusiast and racer, said in her post (https://www.instagram.com/p/B1tAhxIh8bW/?igshid=1v2ozudgnh70v). Angie started her transition in 2015 and is married to her wife Joey.
Tim Yap, Bianca Valerio and Cat Arambulo commented as well on her post with the hashtag #loveislove in support of the LGBTQIA+ community.
TV host and model Bianca Gonzalez tweeted her support. “I am a straight woman, and I believe the SOGIE Bill does not in any way hamper my rights as a woman and human being”, she tweeted to her more than 7 million followers on Twitter (https://twitter.com/iamsuperbianca/status/1169443356126015488?s=21) on Thursday morning.
Actress and singer Saab Magalona also tweeted her support for the SOGIE Equality Bill using the hashtag #YesToSOGIEBill. “As a woman and human being, my rights are not at all threatened by the SOGIE bill”, she said in a tweet (https://twitter.com/saabmagalona/status/1169782426869977088?s=21).
The SOGIE Equality Bill is championed by Akbayan Sen. Risa Hontiveros and will protect all persons from discrimination based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. The bill prompted fierce debates on the rights and welfare of LGBTQ+ persons.
Meanwhile, Bataan Representative Geraldine B. Roman further stressed that a bill seeking to ban discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression (SOGIE) is needed to address the special needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) sector.
“Mga kababayan, hindi po kami humihingi ng mga special rights and privileges. Kaya nga lang po, talagang may isang sektor na may espesyal na pangangailangan na hindi natutugunan kasi noong araw, hindi naman natin naiintindihan at hindi tanggap ‘yung LGBTQ [sector,]” Roman said during an interview with CNN Philippines’ The Source.
