History has not been kind to people belonging to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersexed (LGBTQI) community as its members have long faced intolerance and viciousness -- even in the Philippines.
This is why the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) joined in the commemoration of the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia today, May 17, as a reminder of the violence and discrimination experienced by LGBTQI communities around the world.
"Only in more recent years have researchers and psychiatrists asserted that sexual orientation is both a normal expression of human sexuality and is immutable," the CHR said in its social media post.
"However, in the Philippines, reports of discrimination and harassment of LGBTQIs continue to persist. Let us keep doing right by our LGBTQI kins," the CHR urged Filipinos.
It said it is doing its part to promote the rights of the LGBTQI community by objecting to nations that punish, jail, or execute individuals based upon sexual orientation.
"Embrace and celebrate the diversity of all," the CHR urged. "Let us reflect not only on the progress that has been made in the global effort to advance human rights but also on the specific challenges that remain for members of LGBTQI communities around the world," it stressed.