UP GLPP Gender Sensitivity Orientation for Incoming First Year Law Students and Petition Signing for the Statement of Support for the Urgent Passage of the SOGIESC Equality Bill

The UP Gender Law and Policy Program (UP GLPP) organized and hosted a Gender Sensitivity Orientation (GSO) for UP Law Students, prioritizing the incoming first year students of the UP College of Law for Academic Year 2024-2025 last 16 August 2024. This marked the first time the GSO was held in person since its inception in 2020. The orientation was part of the lineup of events for the ADAPT 2024: UP Law Freshie Welcoming Program, conducted in partnership with the UP Law Student Government (UP LSG). Over 100 participants attended the GSO in person and via Zoom Webinar for Iloilo and Eve students.

The annual GSO aims to both increase awareness and sensitivity on gender issues in the legal practice, in the academe, and society at large and foster a gender-sensitive, gender-aware, and gender-responsive legal community. By providing the participants an introductory course to gender-related concepts and principles, the GSO hopes to create an environment that promotes inclusivity and is conducive for legal learning.

Prof. Nathalie Africa-Verceles, DSD of the Department of Women and Development Studies, College of Social Work and Community Development (CSWCD), UP Diliman, gave a talk on “Examining Gender and Society,” which gave an excellent overview of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC), sexism, misogyny, and patriarchy, feminism and intersectionality, and gender mainstreaming, among others. 

Prof. E. (Leo) D. Battad, Program Director of UP GLPP, then gave a talk on “The Use of Gender-Fair Language.”, explaining how sexism is often reflected in language that, despite its harmful effects, is commonly considered acceptable due to social programming, and provided various techniques and strategies for promoting more inclusive language.

Atty. Flordeliza Vargas-Trinidad, Director of the UP Law Center’s Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR), then gave an overview of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act and the UP Anti-Sexual Harassment Code, even delving into the Safe Spaces Act. This talk underscored the need for effective policies to convey the commitment of educational institutions to a harassment-free work and school environment.

As a new addition to the lineup of topics in previous GSOs and in support of the petition for the urgent passage of the SOGIESC Equality Bill, Mx. Jap Ignacio, the Executive Director of Babaylanes, Inc.  and Secretary-General of the Lagablab LGBT Network, presented the critical provisions of the bill and emphasized the pressing need for its swift passage. 

During the event, the participants were also invited to read and review the Statement of Support drafted by the UP GLPP, advocating for the expedited passage of the said bill. Participants were also given the opportunity to become signatories thereof. The petition successfully garnered around 114 signatures from the attendees, demonstrating a strong collective commitment to advancing the rights and protections outlined in the SOGIESC Equality Bill.