“I FELT powerless,” says Carla Jalbuna, a victim of discrimination.
The fight to end discrimination against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender (LGBT), persons with disability (PWD) and religious and ethnic minority groups seems to be a difficult battle.
People coming from these minority groups are main targets of discrimination. They experience all forms of discrimination—from policies down to public humiliation.
Last Oct. 10, 2016, Jalbuna, a transgender woman and LGBT Human Rights Advocate, experienced an incident of discrimination.
Carla and her friends decided to go out for drinks and they ended up choosing a local bar on Gen. Maxilom Ave.—the heart of parties in Cebu City. While they tried to enter the bar, the security guard stopped them and told them that “cross-dressers” are not allowed.
She politely replied and asked the guard, “Why? I have my own money to pay for my drinks and I am with my friends who happen to be regulars of this club.”
“I was humiliated. I felt like I am something that’s gonna cause harm inside that club. I wasn’t so sure why, because in the first place, I didn’t get any clear response from them aside from ‘because it is the policy.’”
“Cebu is not exempted from cases of discrimination and stigma,” says former councilor and principal author of the Anti-Discrimination Ordinance Alvin Dizon.
The Cebu City Anti-Discrimination Ordinance of 2012 aims to promote equality and human rights in the Cebuano community. It is geared toward providing equal opportunity to sectoral groups.
“Cebu City is the first local government unit to adopt an anti-discrimination ordinance,” added Dizon.
The ordinance aims to prohibit discrimination against any person and/or group of persons on the basis of their disability, age, health status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity and religion.
It was passed on Oct. 17, 2012. The Anti-Discrimination Commission, which will be the implementing body of the ordinance, is in the process of convening its members.
“We have representatives coming from women, LGBT, Muslim groups and PWD.”
The campaign against anti-discrimination will focus on public education. Various activities such as student assemblies in the academe and caravans are to be expected.
Dizon emphasized the importance of the participation of the youth in this campaign. The youth can serve as a strong network to educate the barangays and spearhead awareness-raising and capacity-building activities.
“The anti-discrimination campaign is specifically targeted to students because the students are the most affected and, therefore, when they grow they will eventually build a culture that will be dominant in our society,” says Justine Balane–Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP) Visayas Coordinator.
Last Oct. 1, 2016, SCAP and Cebu City held an Anti-Discrimination Students’ Congress (ADSC).
Balane said the youth have the capacity to pressure local legislators to pass anti-discrimination law.
Discriminatory policies in schools hinder the students coming from the LGBT, PWD and other ethnic and religious groups to enter and perform their duties in school. Students are sometimes barred from entering the university premises because of their uniform and haircut policies.
“Schools should be safe spaces for everyone. This is where we shape and create the future leaders of our country and if they grow up in an environment that is discriminatory in the first place, that only looks at preferred sectors of society, they will also grow up like that,” says Balane. Patricia Candaza, UP Cebu Mass Com 2