CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Gender equality is a vital right and gender-based violates its rights. Discrimination and inequality

concerning with gender are widely interrupting in today's world, whereas many people classified gender as a

factor to suit and belong in our society. Up into this generation, gender discrimination is still rampant and

most likely to happen in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (abbreviated as

LGBTQIA+ hereafter) community members.

Regarding in the research conducted by Delos Reyes & Blanco (2022), it has consistently found that

the LGBTQIA+ community faces greater stigma, prejudice, and discrimination than cisgender people over the

past 25 years. In relation, the data from a nationally representative survey of LGBTQIA+ people conducted by

CAP, 25.2 percent of the respondents have encountered discrimination due to their sexual orientation or

gender identity. Additionally, 68.5 percent of respondents said that discrimination had a negative impact on

their psychological wellbeing. The physical well-being of 43.7 percent of respondents was negatively impacted

by discrimination. Moreover, 47.7 percent had a detrimental effect on their spiritual wellbeing. 38.5 percent of

them reported that discrimination had a negative impact on their educational setting. While 52.8 percent said

it had a negative impact on their workplace. Lastly, 56.6 percent said it had a bad impact on their

neighborhood and community (Singh & Durso, 2017).

Furthermore, in a news report by ABSCBN News, a trans woman was denied access to a female

restroom in a mall in Quezon City; she was also harassed and detained after her sexual orientation and gender

identity (SOGIE) was misidentified (Manahan,2019). Up until this point, the issue of whether or not the

LGBTQIA+ community needs a third restroom has been in dispute. However, we are torn between prioritizing

privacy or equality for all people, including homosexuals, and this is a difficult decision.
 In conformity with the research of Nieto, Gomez & Salas (2021), it has said that violence and

discrimination based on SOGIE has consequences in the LGBTQIA+ students’ life. They have been found to

exhibit more severe signs of anxiety and despair as well as a variety of physical aches and pains. According to

analysis, it is harder for students to concentrate on their studies that affects their future prospects and

academic achievement. Additionally, this homophobia harms the social integration and interpersonal

relationships of students who identify as sexual minorities.

To address these issues, The Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality

with Senator Risa Hontiveros prepared and submitted the Senate Bill No. 1271, in substitution for Senate Bill

No. 935. This bill is an Act Prohibiting Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity or

Expression (SOGIE) and Providing Penalties Therefore recognizes the fundamental right of every person,

regardless of sex, age, class, status, ethnicity, color, disability, religious and political beliefs, sexual orientation

or gender identity, to be free from any form of discrimination. Furthermore, according to Senate Bill No. 1271,

Section 4 interprets that SOGIE Bill seeks to protect individuals and communities that experience human rights

violations on the basis of SOGIE, including, but not limited to, individuals and communities of diverse sexual

orientation or gender identity or expression who are children, young, poor, differently abled, of different

ethnic background or cultural background, and of various religious belief.

Based on these data, the researchers decide to look into the degree of knowledge that Grade 11 and 12

students have about the SOGIE Bill, particularly to see how this status affects their conduct about the subject.

It also looks at the goals of the SOGIE Bill, including what exactly it is, its history, its advantages and

disadvantages (for being and not being aware), its coverage, its discriminatory practices, and the rights of

LGBTQIA+ people. Additionally, it will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the SOGIE Bill and why we should

support it, particularly in cases when LGBTQIA+ people have faced discrimination, abuse, and inequity.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Miguel National High School with regard to the advantages and disadvantages of being aware and not being

aware in SOGIE Bill. Alongside with the progress of this study, the following questions are intended to be

answered:

1) What is the profile of the students, in terms of:

a) Name (Optional)

b) Grade Level

c) Track and Strand

d) Age

e) Sex

2) What is the level of awareness about SOGIE Bill of Senior High School students (Grade 11 and Grade

12), in terms of:

a) information

b) SOGIE Bill recipients

c) discriminatory practices

d) penalty for engaging in any form of discrimination

3) What are the advantages of being aware of SOGIE Bill? What are the disadvantages of not being

aware in SOGIE Bill?

1.3 Scope and Delimitations

students in San Miguel National High School. This study will provide information about SOGIE Bill including its

beneficiaries, discriminatory practices and penalties for these.

Out of 385 students, the subjects of the study are a sample of 75 respondents for Grade 11 and also 75

respondents for Grade 12, respectively, a total of 150 respondents as a representative of the whole population

of Senior High School.

This study delimits the students in the lower level at San Miguel National High School and students

from other school.

Each of the respondents will be given a survey-questionnaire to answer. The selected respondents are

from, Academic Track such as Humanities and Social Science (HUMSS), Accountancy and Business

Management (ABM), General Academic Strand (GAS), and Technical Vocational Livelihood (TVL) Track such as

Home Economics (HE), and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

1.4 Significance of the Study

This research focuses on the level of awareness about SOGIE Bill of the Grade 11 and 12 students in San

Miguel National High School. This study aims to give information and awareness to the students, specifically

the Senior High School students of San Miguel National High School. The research is considered significant to

the following:

SOCIETY. This study will increase public awareness of the issue of how each person's gender identity

and expression affect society as a whole. This will also act as a guidance for the aforementioned issue.

COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS. This survey will help the agency of the government to learn more

about the level of SOGIE Bill awareness in the targeted region. Additionally, it will enable them to move

forward and enact regulations not just in the aforementioned areas but also in the whole country. It may

benefit the respondents at this government agency to be more informed about the policies and other
implementations that they can carry out. These policies can also teach kids to be more responsible when it

comes to their sexual orientation and gender identity or expression, which will eliminate their ignorance of the

problem we are trying to solve.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. With the aid of this study, the Department of Education will be able to

better understand the situation of students enrolled in public schools with regard to safety and issues of

inequality and discrimination regarding sex orientation and gender identity.

FACULTY AND STAFFS. Through this study, faculty and staffs are better able to understand how their

students behave and express themselves in terms of gender. They are also able to develop a strategy in a

committee that will assume responsibility for and provide direction for the students.

PARENTS. This will also serve as a guide for them to learn about the SOGIE Bill and to develop an

accepting attitude toward gender identification. Additionally, it will assist them in developing responsibility

and awareness of their child's or children's genuine identity. Moreover, to accept and appreciate the gender

expression of their child or children.

STUDENTS. Through this study, it will enable them to become aware and knowledgeable about SOGIE

Bill or Anti-Discrimination Act.

RESPONDENTS. Since the Senior High School (Grade 11 and 12) students are the main subjects. They

will be able to provide awareness of and clarification on some SOGIE Bill facts with the use of this research

study. In terms of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression, this will also provide them the chance

to broaden their viewpoints and appreciate others.

FUTURE RESEARCHERS. With the help of this study, they will have a resource or direction for future

research connected to raising awareness of the SOGIE Bill. It will also act as a challenge to them to put in more

effort to advance their researches.

1.5 DEFINITION OF TERMS

meanings are included to provide significant meaning.

SOGIE BILL In this study, the researchers emphasize the SOGIE Bill to determine the degree of

knowledge of Senior High School in San Miguel National High School in the said topic.

AWARENESS Here, it determines the awareness of selected respondents in the targeted area about

SOGIE Bill.

LGBTQIA+ An abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (one's sexual or

gender identity), intersex, and asexual/aromantic/agender (Merriam Webster, n.d.). In this instance, it seeks to

determine the status of LGBTQIA+ students in San Miguel National High School, especially Grade 11 and 12

students.

PROFILE It determines the name (optional), grade level, track and strand, age, and sex of the selected

respondents.

INFORMATION Operationally, it is the basic details of SOGIE Bill, such as its meaning and goals.

RECIPIENTS Here, it is used in determining the beneficiaries that are included in Anti-Discriminatory

Act.

DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES Operationally, it is the practices that are stated in Section 5 of the said

Senate Bill.

PENALTIES From this, it is the punishment for committing in any form of discriminatory practices based

from Senate Bill No. 1271, Section 7.

Delos Reyes and Blanco (2022). Anti-Discrimination Bill based on SOGIE: An Occupational Justice

Perspective. Journal of Social Health.

Hontiveros, et al. (October 07, 2016). Senate Bill No.1271 Anti-Discrimination Act. Retreived October 5, 2022,

from https://legacy.senate.gov.ph/lis/bill_res.aspx?congress=17&q=SBN-1271.

Manahan J. (August 13, 2019). Trans woman detained after being harassed for using ladies' toilet in QC mall.

Retreived October 7, 2022, f rom https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/13/19/trans-woman-arrested-

after-prevented-from-using-womens-comfort-room-in-qc-mall.

Nieto, Gomez and Salas (2021). Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Gender Expression-Based Violence in

Catalan University: Qualitative Findings from University Students and Staff. Archives of Public Health.

Senate Bill No. 1271, Section 4

Singh and Durso (2017). Widespread Discrimination Continues to Shape LGBT People's Lives in Both Subtle and

Significant Ways. CAP.

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). LGBTQIA. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/LGBTQIA.