US President Donald Trump’s declaration that there are only male and female genders, prompted activists in the Philippines to call for the enactment of a “gender-equitable” bill, after the American leader ordered the shutdown of federal programs aimed at promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
Nathalie Africa-Verceles, former Director of the University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies, specifically called for the passage of the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Expression or Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) bill which remains pending in Congress.
Africa-Verceles emphasized the urgency of these initiatives in light of Trump’s executive order repealing DEI programs in the US federal government, even as she acknowledged it was premature to conclude it would set a global trend.
“While they undoubtedly represent a setback for SOGIESC equality and DEI efforts in the US, the response of other governments will largely depend on the strength of pro-LGBTQI movements and DEI organizing on the ground, as well as the support of champions within their governments,” she said.
Africa-Verceles, however, warned that such developments in the US should serve as a wake-up call for the Philippines.
“Trump’s alarming actions should serve as a signal for us to intensify our efforts toward the enactment of the SOGIESC Equality Law and the institutionalization of DEI programs. We should be ready for any possible adverse scenarios,” she told the Manila Standard.
Meanwhile, LGBTQIA+ advocacy group Bahaghari condemned Trump’s statements, calling them “anti-equality sentiments.” They urged global solidarity against this form of discrimination.
“Working people of diverse genders are your allies, not your enemy. Exploitative bureaucrat capitalists like Trump are the enemy,” said Bahaghari chairperson Reyna Valmores Salinas.
She encouraged “Filipinos, as well as all equality- and peace-loving citizens of the world” to “push back” against Trump’s regressive ideologies and “preserve the victories we have made towards gender equality.”
“Let us be brave enough to speak out against the imperialist US government which remains to be the #1 threat to human rights, democracy, and equality in all forms across the globe—from Palestine, to the Philippines, and even to its own people in America,” Salinas said.
Editor’s Note: The print edition of this story wrongly attributed a quote to one of the sources. This mistake has been corrected. The lead paragraph was also revised to better reflect the intended message of the interviewees.
