The Phillipenes is currently in the throes of passing the SOGIE (Sexual orientation, Gender Identity and Expression) bill. The bill is intended to protect rights for the LGBTQ community.
Objections are as you'd expect- on one hand, dissent from a largely conservative Christian population about the recognition of homosexuality enshrined in law and on the other, concern from a female population acutely at disadvantage from their reproductive capacity.
SOGIE now represents two things:
. Laws to protect LGBT rights
. The equivalent of the British GRA, defining sex (not gender) as assigned at birth
I'm not much of a writer apologies :) but the sex/gender aspect has entered mainstream in the Phillipenes and as I haven't seen it mentioned thought I'd share:
Video: 'Sex is assigned at birth'
Gretchen Diaz, Trans rights advocate discusses women's facilities after meeting with the president:
news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/21/19/trans-woman-gretchen-diez-positive-about-passage-of-sogie-bill
Gretchen Diaz discusses running for office in order to prioritise the use of women's CR (toilets) by trans women:
filipinotimes.net/news/2019/08/25/transgender-woman-gretchen-diaz-ready-enter-politics/
(Image attached) Filipino trans women object to Diaz, claiming it brings the LGBTQ community into disrepute and puts women's rights in danger.
Reproductive capacity is a major factor in the proliferation of destitute, working class and middle class women. Manila's abortion ban explained:
foreignpolicy.com/2019/05/29/manilas-abortion-ban-is-killing-women/
Context: President Duterte gains global criticism for authoritarian policies which saw drug dealers and users taken from the street with mandatory recovery in poor conditions for users and possible execution for sellers. He remains by large, popular in the Phillipenes with communities claiming they previously were at high risk for crime and that conditions are improved. Sources suggest Duterte is in favour of SOGIE reform, including the reformation of biological sex.