Affirm the universality of Human Rights; Protect the equal human rights of Filipino LGBTIs

Affirm the universality of Human Rights; Protect the equal human rights of Filipino LGBTIs
This cause exists to convince the Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations to sign statements that uphold and protect the equal rights of Filipino lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders, intersex (LGBTI) and other 'sexual and gender minorities'.
We believe that:1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.2. All human rights are universal, interdependent, indivisible and interrelated.3. Sexual orientation and gender identity are integral to every person's dignity and humanity and must not be the basis for discrimination or abuse.

Sexuality (Sekswalidad) is a central aspect of being human throughout life and encompasses sex, gender identities and roles, sexual orientation, eroticism, pleasure intimacy and reproduction. Sexuality is influenced by the interaction of biological, psychological, social, economic, political, cultural, ethical, legal, historical and religious and spiritual factors. Sexual Orientation (Oryentasyong Sekswal) is understood to refer to each person's capacity for profound emotional, affectionaland sexual attraction to, and intimate and sexual relations with, individuals of a different gender or the same gender or more than one gender. Gender Identity (Kasariang Pagkakakilanlan) refers to each person's deeply felt internal and individual experience of gender, which may or may not correspond with the sex assigned at birth, including the personal sense of the body (which may involve, if freely chosen, modification of bodily appearance or function by medical, surgical or other means) and other expressions of gender, including dress, speech and mannerisms. 

Everyone is entitled to the enjoyment of human rights without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, as set out in Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 2 of the International Covenants on Civil and Political, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, as well as in article 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 

The principle of non-discrimination which requires that human rights apply equally to every human being regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. 

There is only "seeming tolerance" for LGBTIs, bakla, tomboy, bayot, bantut, etc. in the Philippines. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity exists, is "silent", and is compounded by structural and systemic violations of dignity, rights and freedoms. Poverty is a human rights violation. Patriarchy and sexism violates women's dignity, rights and freedoms. Heterosexism and homophobia violates the equality in dignity, rights and freedom of LGBTIs and other sexual and gender minorities. We condemn these systemic and structural violations of the dignity, basic human rights and fundamental freedoms of Filipinos. Likewise we condemn the State's failure to promote, respect and protect our human rights. 

Aside from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, Filipino LGBTIs and other sexual and gender minorities experience poverty, religious intolerance, sexism-machismo, racism, regionalism and discrimination on the basis of ethnicity on a daily basis. We believe that the freedom of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual and intersex (LGBTI) persons and other sexual and gender minorities in the Philippines is contingent upon genuine and sustainable development, justice and peace for all equally.

We also believe that the passage of the Anti-Discrimination Bill (House Bill 956) is a good first step to addressing the injustice faced by Filipino LGBTIs and other sexual and gender minorities.

Affirm the universality of Human Rights; Protect the equal human rights of Filipino LGBTIs
This cause exists to convince the Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations to sign statements that uphold and protect the equal rights of Filipino lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders, intersex (LGBTI) and other 'sexual and gender minorities'.
We believe that:1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.2. All human rights are universal, interdependent, indivisible and interrelated.3. Sexual orientation and gender identity are integral to every person's dignity and humanity and must not be the basis for discrimination or abuse.

Sexuality (Sekswalidad) is a central aspect of being human throughout life and encompasses sex, gender identities and roles, sexual orientation, eroticism, pleasure intimacy and reproduction. Sexuality is influenced by the interaction of biological, psychological, social, economic, political, cultural, ethical, legal, historical and religious and spiritual factors. Sexual Orientation (Oryentasyong Sekswal) is understood to refer to each person's capacity for profound emotional, affectionaland sexual attraction to, and intimate and sexual relations with, individuals of a different gender or the same gender or more than one gender. Gender Identity (Kasariang Pagkakakilanlan) refers to each person's deeply felt internal and individual experience of gender, which may or may not correspond with the sex assigned at birth, including the personal sense of the body (which may involve, if freely chosen, modification of bodily appearance or function by medical, surgical or other means) and other expressions of gender, including dress, speech and mannerisms. 

Everyone is entitled to the enjoyment of human rights without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, as set out in Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 2 of the International Covenants on Civil and Political, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, as well as in article 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 

The principle of non-discrimination which requires that human rights apply equally to every human being regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. 

There is only "seeming tolerance" for LGBTIs, bakla, tomboy, bayot, bantut, etc. in the Philippines. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity exists, is "silent", and is compounded by structural and systemic violations of dignity, rights and freedoms. Poverty is a human rights violation. Patriarchy and sexism violates women's dignity, rights and freedoms. Heterosexism and homophobia violates the equality in dignity, rights and freedom of LGBTIs and other sexual and gender minorities. We condemn these systemic and structural violations of the dignity, basic human rights and fundamental freedoms of Filipinos. Likewise we condemn the State's failure to promote, respect and protect our human rights. 

Aside from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, Filipino LGBTIs and other sexual and gender minorities experience poverty, religious intolerance, sexism-machismo, racism, regionalism and discrimination on the basis of ethnicity on a daily basis. We believe that the freedom of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual and intersex (LGBTI) persons and other sexual and gender minorities in the Philippines is contingent upon genuine and sustainable development, justice and peace for all equally.

We also believe that the passage of the Anti-Discrimination Bill (House Bill 956) is a good first step to addressing the injustice faced by Filipino LGBTIs and other sexual and gender minorities.

Petition to Affirm the universality of Human Rights, to Protect the equal human rights of all Filipinos regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity

We, the undersigned citizens, believe that:

1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

2. All human rights are universal, interdependent, indivisible and interrelated.

3. Sexual orientation and gender identity are integral to every person's dignity and humanity and must not be the basis for discrimination or abuse.

There is only "seeming tolerance" for lesbians, gays, bakla, bantut, bayot, bisexuals, tomboys, transgenders, transsexuals, intersex (LGBTI) and other 'sexual and gender minorities' in the Philippines. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity exists, is "silent", and is compounded by structural and systemic violations of dignity, rights and freedoms. Poverty is a human rights violation. Patriarchy and sexism violates women's dignity, rights and freedoms. Heterosexism and homophobia violates the equality in dignity, rights and freedom of LGBTIs and other sexual and gender minorities. We condemn these systemic and structural violations of the dignity, basic human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Filipinos. Likewise we condemn the State's failure to promote, respect and protect the equal human rights of all Filipino LGBTIs and other sexual and gender minorities in the Philippines. 

We, therefore, strongly urge the Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Philippines to sign statements that affirm the universality of human rights and that protect the equal human rights of Filipino lesbians, gays, bakla, bayot, bantut, bisexuals, tomboy, transgenders, transsexuals, intersex and other 'sexual and gender minorities' in the country. 

The Philippine Forum on Sports, Culture, Sexuality and Human Rights (TEAM PILIPINAS), together with the LGBTI community and its supporters, are lobbying locally for the passage of the Anti-Discrimination Bill (House Bill 956)--a bill that seeks to criminalize a wide-range of practices and policies that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The Bill covers discrimination in the workplace, educational institutions, health centers, commercial establishment, police force, and the military, among others. Internationally, at the United Nations, we are also lobbying for the recognition, promotion and protection of the equality in dignity, rights and freedoms of all Filipinos regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity and for the recognition, promotion, and application of the Yogyakarta Principles--the application of International Human Rights Law in relation to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.

Rest assured that we will support and continue to monitor developments regarding the Anti-Discrimination Bill and the issues of sexual orientation and gender identity at the United Nations.

To view the copy of the bill, http://www.akbayan.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=11&Itemid=61
To view the Yogyakarta Principles http://www.yogyakartaprinciples.org