By Floyd Scott Tiogangco
Communications Director, DAKILA
Running for senator in the May 2025 elections, Heidi Mendoza – a former commissioner in the Commission of Audit (COA) – packaged herself as pro-LGBTQIA+… until she wasn’t, saying it’s a “qualified no” for her when it comes to the anti-discrimination bill and marriage equality. Post-election, with Heidi failing in her quest, some people now claim that the LGBTQIA+ people’s non-support affected her votes; and that they should have considered the big picture by forgetting LGBTQIA+ people’s issues. Here is a response from the 2018 Outstanding Young Human Rights Defender awardee of Amnesty International – Philippines.
Naglabasan na ulit ang mga seemingly progressive yet deeply homophobic after the election results. And I dare say, misplaced na naman ang galit ng mga tao regarding Heidi Mendoza’s loss. I get the frustration. I also voted for her out of spite against those we do not want to win.
But to blame solely the queer community for her loss? I’m so sorry, but it’s a no for me.
While I don’t entirely agree with how some of us in the queer community handled the situation during the campaign period, I cannot, in principle, accept these sentiments that it was the community’s withdrawal of support that made Heidi lose her senatorial bid.
No. Minority vote ang queer community. Mas marami pa ring straight na voters. Kailangan niyo lang naman kami when it’s convenient for you, but when the time comes, and rest assured it will always do, that we demand our full rights, kakabig kayo.
Tapos na ang mga araw na isasakripisyo namin ang buhay, kabuhayan, at pamumuhay namin for the betterment of everyone BECAUSE WE TOO ARE FOR THAT BETTERMENT. You just do not include us in the equation. So bakit kami ang laging “Saka na muna ‘yan”?
Imagine living your life asking — actually almost begging — for your fundamental human rights. We’ve already struggled with it way before Heidi, and sure as hell will continue to struggle with it kahit sino pa man ang nakaupo diyan.
Sa tingin ko, ang mas mainam na tanong ay kung bakit against si Heidi sa SOGIE Equality Bill and marriage equality.
I’ve also read her updated statement about it and welcomed it. BUT if you run for public office, the people expect you to be informed of the issues that affect them. Sure, you can study or read about it all you want, but I wish she could have said yes but with reservations, which I can take. Because to me, that means deep inside, you really believe we deserve human rights, you just don’t know/understand how, yet. Not why.
You argue that good governance and anti-corruption are more important than our rights, but I believe pushing for good governance also means no one gets left behind. Pushing for accountability also means human rights for all people, including the queer community, because justice is for everyone.
There is no hierarchy of oppression. Posibleng sabay-sabay nating ipaglalaban ang lahat ng ‘yan. But if you say, anti-corruption muna bago SOGIE Equality Bill, you’re missing the fucking point. Because when you fight for the SOGIE Equality Bill, you also fight corruption at homes, in schools, in workplaces, and in communities where queer people are also a part of and almost always get affected by it.
Gone are the days when we become your punching bags, literally and figuratively, because we refuse to. Because we fight back.
