MANILA, Philippines — A critic brought up Wednesday the subject of necrophilia and pedophilia in questioning the proposed Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Equality bill, earning the ire of Bataan 1st District Rep. Geraldine Roman.
During the online hearing of the House committee on women and gender equality on SOGIE, Atty. Lyndon Cana from the Coalition of Concerned Families questioned the boundaries of the “plus signs” in the LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, plus) community as stated in the proposed measure.
In his argument, Cana mentioned the issues of necrophilia and pedophilia, asking if these are also included as “fundamental human rights.”
“Ang question, when will this end? When will the orientation end? What’s the legal limitation of the right to sexual orientation? For example, if an old man is attracted to very young children, sexual orientation na ‘yun, pedophilia yun. Included din ba yan sa fundamental human right?” Cana said.
“How about those who are sexually attracted to the dead? Included din ba yan sa LGBTQ+? The proposed bill does not define a boundary or limitation hanggang saan ito ang maabot ng concept ng gender identity at sexual orientation,” he added.
The arguments did not sit well with Roman, the first transgender woman to be elected to the lower chamber, who slammed Cana for raising such points in the debates.
“I would just like to request, I hope this is the last time I hear about necrophilia or pedophilia. How dare you!” a clearly irritated Roman said.
“We are here in the House of Representatives. Do you seriously think that we would legislate something that would allow necrophilia and pedophilia? How dare you!” she added.
In questioning the SOGIE Bill, Cana also asked if the rights of the heterosexual community are also recognized in the proposed measure.
Cana argued that some concepts in the measure are too subjective.
“Sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression. All of these are subjective, emotional, fluid, changing versus constant gender. Ang nangyayari dito, feelings which are orientation, identity, expression, will be stronger than facts,” Cana said.
“For example, yung… CR toilet, a man who feels he is a woman, goes to the toilet for women. And yung basis nya ng gender identity. There are several women there who are uncomfortable with the presence of a man who feels that he is a woman,” he added.
Further, Cana said: “Under SOGIE, talo si gender kay gender identity. We would like to raise the question, what is in the bill for the straight community. What are their rights? Do they also have feelings? Do they also have orientation and identity and expression?… There is not even a mention of the straight community in the SOGIE Bill.”
In the 17th Congress, the House approved the SOGIE bill on final reading but its counterpart bill in the Senate only languished in the period of interpellation.
During Wednesday’s hearing, the committee approved to adopt the 17th Congress-approved version of the measure as their working draft in the discussions.