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Women's group offers free SOGIE webinars to delivery app riders

Philippines | National

Women's group offers free SOGIE webinars to delivery app riders

By Gabriela Baron

A women's group is offering free Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression (SOGIE) webinars to delivery app riders following backlash over homophobic remarks.

(JANSEN ROMERO / MANILA BULLETIN)

Last week, Grab Philippines suspended delivery partners who were involved in a series of homophobic social media posts against the Korean boyband BTS.

This after BTS fans, popularly known as ARMY, called out Grab after a series of screenshots went viral amid the release of the "BTS Meal."

The alleged riders called BTS "biot," a play on the Visayan word "bayot" or gay.

Gabriela Women's Party maintained that while homophobia and discriminatory remarks are wrong, Grab drivers "should not be made sacrificial lambs" following the backlash.

"The company can embrace inclusivity through SOGIE education, which we are willing to offer for free, instead of suspending the workers," Gabriela Women's Party Secretary General KJ Catequista said in a statement.

Catequista added that the suspension would mean lost income for their families.

"The move of BTS fans to call out gender-based discrimination is correct. It is Grab's response to the issue which requires a careful reexamination."

Related Tags

bts Grab Philippines BTS ARMY gabriela womens partylist BTS Meal

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