In a first, transgender woman competes in Miss Universe competition

Miss Spain, 27-year-old Angela Ponce, broke barriers in the 66-year-old competition, which this year
was held in Bangkok, Thailand.
While she didn’t win the crown, Angela Ponce broke barriers on Monday in the 67th Miss Universe
pageant. The 27-year-old Spanish beauty became the first transgender woman to ever participate in the
international competition.
“I never imagined (I would make it to Miss Universe) because I lived in a society where everyone said I
couldn’t do that,” Ponce told NBC’s "Today" through a translator. “And I didn’t have the information to realize
that my dream to be a woman could ever actually be realized.”
Prior to this week’s pageant in Bangkok, Thailand, Ponce beat 20 other contestants in June to be
crowned Miss Universe Spain. In the final competition, however, she did not make it to the final round.
Catriona Gray, a 24-year-old model from the Philippines, came in first place Monday, with Miss South
Africa and Miss Venezuela coming in second and third, respectively. This is the fourth win for the Philippines
which previously took the crown in 2015, 1973 and 1969.
Shortly after being crowned Miss Universe Spain earlier this year, Ponce said, “If my going through all
this contributes to the world moving a little step forward, then that's a personal crown that will always
accompany me."
Hailing from southern Spain, Ponce won her first pageant in 2015, just three years after the Miss
Universe pageant rejected Jenna Talackova from Canada’s Miss Universe pageant because she was not a
“naturally born” female. Talackova threatened legal action, and the organization — then owned by Donald
Trump — relented and changed the rules to allow transgender women to compete.
It was an uphill battle: Ponce said she faced discrimination as a model and was rejected from jobs
because of her gender identity. Fortunately, Ponce said her family embraced her identity and supported her
decision to live openly as a woman.
“I always had the support of my family, and they’re my foundation so that my life could unfold,” Ponce
told NBC’s "Today." “They saw to it that I did not have a traumatic childhood. They are my strength.”
In another milestone for the Miss Universe pageant, the competition did away with male judges and
featured, for the first time, an all-female panel of judges.
Checking In with Cebu Pacific’s First Trans Flight Attendants!
Catching up with Jess Labares and Mikee Sicat Vitug — Cebu Pacific Air's first transgender flight
attendants and historic figures in the Philippine aviation industry.

Over on Facebook, with big hearts and even greater pride, we shared the stories of Miss Jess
Labares and Miss Mikee Sicat Vitug — upon their becoming Cebu Pacific Air’s first transgender flight
attendants. Theirs have been stories of hard work, grace and grit, and passion for equality and representation.
And their awe-inspiring personal achievements have doubled as historic feats.

Jess, who is a former physical therapy intern, wrote upon her graduation, “I passed the most difficult
training I’ve ever had in my entire life. This job may seem glamorous to look at, but what people don’t really
see are the battles, both personal and professional, that we face. It has never been about looking pretty, but our
passengers’ comfort and, most importantly, their safety.”

“I will forever cherish this opportunity given to me,” wrote Jess. “I’d like to extend my deepest gratitude
to Cebu Pacific Air and CebGo for their acceptance. On behalf of the LGBTQ community, thank you very
much. This means that we have progressed into a more accepting society [that] has learned to respect and
celebrate human individuality and expression. It is another milestone in our country that proves that reputable
companies such as Cebu Pacific Air can be diverse and multicultural — and this would have never been
possible without their indiscriminate and forward-thinking supervisors, managers, and big bosses. Thank you!”

Mikee has been admirably vocal about equality and representation on her personal platform, and
encourages dreamers to keep fighting the good fight: “To those people who are afraid of going out of their
comfort zone, to those people who wants to make a change but keep on holding themselves back because of
prejudice, judgement and discrimination — just listen to your heart and make it happen because nothing is
impossible.”

Jess, in turn, urged her readers to continue embarking on fulfilling personal journeys: “I hope my role
will inspire, not just the LGBTQ community, but everyone else with big dreams and are determined to never
give up on something they want to achieve in life. Dedication, positivity, and perseverance will definitely guide
you toward personal success and happiness.”

Once again, we thank Mikee and Jess for their representation, and wish them all the best up in the skies.

New FBI Hate Crimes Report Shows Increases in Anti-LGBTQ Attacks

Today’s report shows that hate crimes based on sexual orientation represent 16.7% of hate crimes, the
third largest category after race and religion. The report also shows an uptick in gender identity-based hate
crimes rising from 2.2% in 2018 to 2.7% in 2019.
 Because reporting hate crimes to the FBI is not mandatory, these alarming statistics likely represent only
a fraction of such violence. The number of law enforcement agencies reporting hate crimes data decreased by
451 from 2018 to 2019. 71 cities with populations exceeding 100,000 either did not report data to the FBI or
affirmatively reported zero hate crimes which is clearly not credible. The lack of mandatory reporting means
that the FBI data, while helpful, paints an incomplete picture of hate crimes against the LGBTQ and other
communities.
It’s not only LGBTQ people who are affected by this epidemic of violence. Bias-motivated crimes based
on race, religion, disability and gender remain at troublingly high levels. Racially-motivated crime remains the
most common hate crime, with nearly half of race-based hate crimes targeting Black people. For the fourth year
in a row, there was a significant uptick in hate crimes targeting the Latinx community, increasing 9% from last
year. Crimes involving religion-based bias increased with crimes targeting Jewish people and Jewish
institutions rising 14% and anti-Muslim hate crimes rising 16%.

Manny Pacquiao provokes storm by calling gay people ‘worse than animals’
Pacquiao, running for senate in the Philippines, causes outrage
Manny Pacquiao has provoked a storm of controversy in his home country after saying people in same-
sex relationships “are worse than animals”. The 37-year-old, who is running for a seat in the Philippines senate
in May’s elections as a conservative Christian, made the remark in a video posted on local TV5’s election site.
“It’s common sense,” the eight times world champion, who later apologized, said. “Do you see animals
mating with the same sex? Animals are better because they can distinguish male from female. If men mate with
men and women mate with women they are worse than animals.”
The country’s most popular gay comedian, Vice Ganda, posted #PrayForMannyPacquiao to his 6.7m
followers on Twitter as he hit back at the boxer, adding: “Some people think they can judge people like God
just because they’ve attended a prayer meeting and read the Bible. The senate needs experts on politics and law,
not blind prophets.”

Responding to the controversy via Instagram, Pacquiao initially posted an image of himself with his
wife, quoting the Bible and writing: “I rather obey the Lord’s command than obeying the desire of the flesh. I’m
not condemning anyone, but I’m just telling the truth of what the Bible says.”

“Just Let Us Be”

Discrimination Against LGBT Students in the Philippines
Schools should be safe places for everyone. But in the Philippines, students who are lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) too often find that their schooling experience is marred by bullying,
discrimination, lack of access to LGBT-related information, and in some cases, physical or sexual assault.
These abuses can cause deep and lasting harm and curtail students’ right to education, protected under
Philippine and international law.
In recent years, lawmakers and school administrators in the Philippines have recognized that bullying of
LGBT youth is a serious problem, and designed interventions to address it. In 2012, the Department of
Education (DepEd), which oversees primary and secondary schools, enacted a Child Protection Policy designed
to address bullying and discrimination in schools, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender
identity. The following year, Congress passed the Anti-Bullying Law of 2013, with implementing rules and
regulations that enumerate sexual orientation and gender identity as prohibited grounds for bullying and
harassment. The adoption of these policies sends a strong signal that bullying and discrimination are
unacceptable and should not be tolerated in educational institutions.
But these policies, while strong on paper, have not been adequately enforced. In the absence of effective
implementation and monitoring, many LGBT youth continue to experience bullying and harassment in school.
The adverse treatment they experience from peers and teachers is compounded by discriminatory policies that
stigmatize and disadvantage LGBT students and by the lack of information and resources about LGBT issues
available in schools.
 This report is based on interviews and group discussions conducted in 10 cities on the major Philippine
islands of Luzon and the Visayas with 76 secondary school students or recent graduates who identified as
LGBT or questioning, 22 students or recent graduates who did not identify as LGBT or questioning, and 46
parents, teachers, counselors, administrators, service providers, and experts on education. It examines three
broad areas in which LGBT students encounter problems—bullying and harassment, discrimination on the basis
of sexual orientation and gender identity, and a lack of information and resources—and recommends steps that
lawmakers, DepEd, and school administrators should take to uphold LGBT students’ right to a safe and
affirming educational environment.
The incidents described in this report illustrate the vital importance of expanding and enforcing
protections for LGBT youth in schools. Despite prohibitions on bullying, for example, students across the
Philippines described patterns of bullying and mistreatment that went unchecked by school staff. Carlos M., a
19-year-old gay student from Olongapo City, said: “When I was in high school, they’d push me, punch me.
When I’d get out of school, they’d follow me [and] push me, call me ‘gay,’ ‘faggot,’ things like that.” While
verbal bullying appeared to be the most prevalent problem that LGBT students faced, physical bullying and
sexualized harassment were also worryingly common—and while students were most often the culprits,
teachers ignored or participated in bullying as well. The effects of this bullying were devastating to the youth
who were targeted. Benjie A., a 20-year-old gay man in Manila who was bullied throughout his education, said,
“I was depressed, I was bullied, I didn’t know my sexuality, I felt unloved, and I felt alone all the time. And I
had friends, but I still felt so lonely. I was listing ways to die.”

Philippines: Supreme Court Rules on Same-Sex Marriage

On January 6, 2020, the Philippines’ Supreme Court announced it had dismissed a motion to reconsider
its September 2019 ruling denying a petition to approve same-sex marriage in the country, effectively
concluding this case “with finality.”
The petition had essentially requested that the Court declare unconstitutional on equality grounds certain
provisions of the Philippine Family Code that define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. The
Court indicated in its ruling that the petitioner’s request was too limited in scope, as there are a wide variety of
other statutes besides the Family Code that similarly treat marriage as a heterosexual institution. Thus, it stated
that the petitioner should have made a direct argument against those other statutes as well, which he failed to
do.
In the absence of such arguments, the Court stated that granting the petitioner’s request would cause the
Court to arrogate to itself quasi-legislative powers, as this would be necessary in order to amend all the statutes
that inevitably would have to be changed to accommodate his petition. The Court thus explained that such a
task should be done by the Philippine Congress through the pertinent legislative process.
 In addition, the Court stated that petitioner had failed to demonstrate that he was directly affected by the
provisions he deemed unconstitutional, as he did not request (and thus was not denied) a license to enter into a
same-sex marriage, and consequently could not establish the proper standing to file his lawsuit.
Furthermore, the Court indicated that petitioner had failed to abide by the principle known as the
“hierarchy of courts,” according to which he should have filed his case in a trial court (which he did not do),
where factual and evidentiary matters are properly processed. Instead, the petitioner filed his lawsuit directly in
the Supreme Court, which, being the Philippines’ highest court, may not appropriately process and discharge
those procedural matters.
In its decision announced in January 2020, the Court stated that “no substantial arguments were
presented to warrant the reversal of the questioned decision,” and thus, “no further pleadings or motions will be
entertained” on this matter.

Same-Sex Marriage Legalization by Country

Since the Netherlands’ legalization of same-sex marriage in 2000, more than two dozen countries have
followed in the path they blazed for LGBT rights in the 20 years since the law’s passage. 2021 in particular has
seen leaps in the realms of same-sex marriage and parental rights.
A decision made this week by the European Court of Justice has furthered the rights LGBTQ families in
the European Union.
The court ruled that all countries in the European Union must recognize a child’s parental relationship if
another member state has already done so. Though the landmark ruling doesn’t legalize same-sex unions across
the EU, it represents a step forward in breaching the east-west split over LGBTQ rights.
As of December 2021, 31 countries across the globe have legalized same-sex marriages nationally or
regionally through legislation or court decisions. Despite continued prohibition in South and Central Asia as
well as many African nations, there’s hope that the tides will turn in countries such as the Philippines where
candidates supporting same-sex marriages and civil unions are increasingly present in elections.
Here are the countries that have legally recognized same-sex marriage, according to the Human Rights
Campaign and other sources.
Chile: December 2021
Switzerland: September 2021
Costa Rica: May 2020
Ecuador: June 2019
Taiwan: May 2019
Austria: January 2019
Australia: December 2017
Malta: July 2017
Germany: June 2017
Colombia: April 2016
United States: June 2015
Greenland: May 2015
Ireland: May 2015
Finland: February 2015
Luxembourg: January 2015
Scotland: December 2014
England and Wales: July 2013
Brazil: May 2013
France: May 2013
New Zealand: April 2013
Uruguay: May 2013
Denmark: June 2012
Argentina: July 2010
Portugal: June 2010
Iceland: June 2010
Sweden: May 2009
Mexico: December 2009
Norway: January 2009
South Africa: November 2006
Spain: July 2005
Canada: July 2005
Belgium: January 2003
Netherlands: December 2000

Homosexuality: The countries where it is illegal to be gay

A crackdown on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in Cameroon has resulted in the arrest or
assault by security forces of dozens of people this year, according to Human Rights Watch.
In the most recent incident, two transgender Cameroonians have been sentenced to five years in prison
after being found guilty of "attempted homosexuality".
There are 69 countries that have laws that criminalise homosexuality, and nearly half of these are in
Africa.
However, in some countries there have been moves to decriminalise same-sex unions.
In February this year, Angola's President Joao Lourenco signed into law a revised penal code to allow
same-sex relationships and bans discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
In June last year, Gabon reversed a law that had criminalised homosexuality and made gay sex
punishable with six months in prison and a large fine.
Botswana's High Court also ruled in favour of decriminalising homosexuality in 2019.
Mozambique and the Seychelles have also scrapped anti-homosexuality laws in recent years.
 In Trinidad and Tobago, a court in 2018 ruled that laws banning gay sex were unconstitutional.
But there are countries where existing laws outlawing homosexuality have been tightened, including
Nigeria and Uganda.
And in others, efforts to get the laws removed have failed.
A court in Singapore dismissed a bid to overturn a law that prohibits gay sex early last year.
In May 2019, the high court in Kenya upheld laws criminalizing homosexual acts.
Colonial legacy
Many of the laws criminalizing homosexual relations originate from colonial times.
And in many places, breaking these laws could be punishable by long prison sentences.
Out of the 53 countries in the Commonwealth - a loose association of countries most of them former
British colonies - 36 have laws that criminalize homosexuality.
Countries that criminalize homosexuality today also have criminal penalties against women who have
sex with women, although the original British laws applied only to men.
The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (Ilga) monitors the progress of
laws relating to homosexuality around the world.
It says the death penalty is the legally prescribed punishment for same-sex sexual acts in Brunei, Iran,
Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and in the northern states in Nigeria.

Why Representation Matters: LGBTQ Youth React to Tuesday Night’s Historic W

NEW YORK, NY (November 9th, 2017) – Tuesday night, history was made as numerous LGBTQ
candidates, women, and people of color were elected to office. Of particular interest to GLSEN’s work to create
safe and inclusive schools for all, Tyler Titus an out transgender man and father of two was elected to school
board in Western Pennsylvania. Jenny Durkan became the first lesbian mayor of Seattle and Andrea Jenkins
became the first out trans person of color to be elected to a major US city's council. In Virginia, Danica Roem
became the first out transgender person to be elected to a state assembly, ousting an anti-LGBTQ incumbent
and author of Virginia’s North Carolina style anti-trans bathroom bill.
These are only a snapshot of the many firsts throughout the country. Hoboken elected the first Sikh
Mayor in the US. Virginia elected its two first Latinas to their House of Delegates, and the people of Charlotte
elected the first African American woman to be mayor of Charlotte, NC.
Tuesday night’s victories were a clear repudiation of the politics of hate and division that has brought
fear and uncertainty to so many young people. Tuesday, we saw our friends and neighbors across the country
reject that message and vote for inclusion and affirmation. With these wins, many in the LGBTQ community
have responded enthusiastically regarding the promise and hope of having LGBTQ candidates be elected to
public office.
“It is a joy to see new faces of leadership emerging in elected office all across the country. It is a joy to
see a trans woman defeat an opponent who termed himself the ‘homophobe-in-chief’ in VA. It is a joy to see a
trans woman of color in city government in MN, black women mayors in NC and GA; out lesbian mayors in
WA in NC, and out trans and LGB school Board members in WA, OH, MA, VA. And an attorney for Black
Lives Matter as DA for Philadelphia,” exclaimed Eliza Byard, Executive Director for GLSEN. “Love won.
Inclusion and respect won. A government that works for everybody won.”
Most importantly, Tuesday’s victories sent a strong message to LGBTQ young people everywhere.
GLSEN National Student Council leaders shared the following responses to yesterday’s election results:
Philippine Transgender Murder Becomes a Rallying Point for LGBT Rights

The burial of transgender woman Jennifer Laude has sparked a “National Day of Outrage” in the
Philippines, with LGBT organizations staging candlelight vigils across the country on Friday.
A U.S. Marine has been accused of her killing.
“We will deliver messages of solidarity and push for justice,” says Charlese Saballe, chairwoman of the
Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP). “The media attention to Jennifer’s case means a
slow movement toward bringing transgender issues to the mainstream.”
Following Laude’s Oct. 11 murder, media have mostly focused on the fact that suspect Joseph Scott
Pemberton has been held under U.S. guard, under a defense agreement between the two countries. Loud
criticism has been raised over the agreement, with protesters attempting to carry a mock coffin to the U.S.
embassy in Manila on Friday.
However, as Steven Rood, the Asia Foundation’s representative in the Philippines, points out, much of
that will blow over.
“There’s the sensitivity of not treating Filipinos as second-class citizens in their own country,” he says.
“But the backdrop is that the average Filipino citizen is very much in favor of having U.S. troops here. This
doesn’t threaten U.S.-Filipino relations; the strategic benefits for the alliance will override this specific issue.”
Rather, some people hope that the strong bilateral connection between the two countries could impact
the LGBT rights struggle in the Philippines. LGBT groups have participated in several protests outside the U.S.
embassy in Manila and at vigils in the U.S.
“If media and other groups in the U.S. frame [Laude’s murder] as a hate crime and focuses on
transgender rights, it might trickle down to people in society here and affect how they treat transgender and
LGBT people,” says Saballe.
While visible, LGBT people in the Philippines lack anti-discriminatory legislation and the legal
recognition of transgender available in many other countries, including the U.S.
“[Seen] with American eyes, the position of the LGBT community in the Philippines is an unusual one,”
says Rood. “It’s a normal part of the Filipino community, but the violence they may be subjected to has not
been very visible. This will certainly be a rallying cry.”
Saballe, whose organization also monitors violence against LGBT people in the Philippines, stresses that
the community is “not really accepted in society.” She adds, “Only days after Jennifer was killed, two other
trans women were murdered.”
Friday’s protest action is being held simultaneously in four cities in the Philippines, with a solidarity
event also arranged in the Netherlands and a discussion forum in Thailand.

Social Media Hate Speech, Harassment 'Significant Problem' For LGBTQ Users: Report
The top social media sites — Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Twitter — are all "effectively
unsafe for LGBTQ users," according to a new report by GLAAD.
"Of special concern, the prevalence and intensity of hate speech and harassment stands out as the most
significant problem in urgent need of improvement," the organization focused on ending discrimination against
LGBTQ people said in its inaugural social media index report.
 Sixty-four percent of LGBTQ social media users reported experiencing harassment and hate speech, a
much higher rate than all other identity groups. Users on Facebook experienced the highest percentage of online
harassment. About 75% of those who experienced online harassment reported at least some of that harassment
occurred on Facebook. Smaller shares experienced harassment or hate on Twitter (24%), YouTube (21%),
Instagram (24%) and TikTok (9%).
In an interview with Axios on HBO that aired Sunday night, GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate
Ellis said the organization planned to give each of the social media sites a grade as part of its index, but
abandoned that plan after determining all would receive a failing grade.
Ellis said online hate speech and harassment can be tied to real-world consequences, including the recent
wave of legislation targeting the transgender community across the country.
"I think that there are direct lines to, unfortunately, suicides of our community," she said.
Physical violence against the transgender and gender-nonconforming community is also at its highest
level since the Human Rights Campaign began tracking the phenomenon in 2013. The group reported that in
2020 at least 44 transgender or gender-nonconforming people were fatally shot or killed by other violent means.
The majority of the victims were Black and Latinx transgender women.