Senator “Tito” Sotto asked why there is a need for the so-called “lengthy” label known as LGBTQ+ where he asked the question: “Why not just Homo sapiens?”
On Wednesday, after trans woman Gretchen Custodio Diez, 28, was restricted from using a female restroom in Quezon City, Sen. Risa Hontiveros called for passing the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression Equality (SOGIE) bill immediately.
“What this underscores, Mr. President is that there is a grave and urgent need for a SOGIE Equality Bill. It is time that we say we will stand by those who speak their truths,” said Hontiveros.
“I am calling my colleagues in this plenary to pass the SOGIE Equality Bill. For Gretchen, for all Filipino lesbians, gays, transgenders, intersex, queers, and asexuals” long-suffering from discrimination, she added.
Watch the video below where Senator Sotto suggests that we should call the LGBTQ+ community as homo sapiens:
“Why the lengthy letters? Why not just homo sapiens? We’re all the same. Why do we have to segregate the gays from the lesbians, straight guys?” Sotto asked.
In which Hotiveros gave her response on Twitter:
So:on the question kung bakit kailangan mag-“segregate,”bakit ang daming letra ng LGBTQIA at may ‘+’ sign pa?
It’s because we’re gradually describing the fineness of human experience & sexuality,& because gender is not black or white but a rich spectrum,a beautiful rainbow.🌈 https://t.co/5AcmSM82Wg
— risa hontiveros (@risahontiveros) August 15, 2019
Senator Richard Gordon chimed in with his own thoughts: “it’s kinda getting difficult to live in the world today because we’re making adjustment.”
In response to this, Senator Risa Hontiveros said: “If the good and very kind gentleman from Zambales thinks that it’s getting more and more difficult to live in the world, speaking as a man, you should try living in this world as a woman. You should try living in this world as an LGBT person.”
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