9 in 10 Pinoys say gays, lesbians have right to be protected - SWS

MANILA, Philippines - Nearly nine in 10 Filipinos believe gays and lesbians have the right to be protected against any form of discrimination, a 2013 survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed.

To the statement “Just like me, gays and lesbians also have the right to be protected against any form of discrimination,” 85 percent of 1,200 respondents agreed, five percent disagreed, and 10 percent were undecided.

Results of the survey, conducted from June 28 to 30, 2013 and Sept. 20 to 23, 2013 were released by SWS only yesterday.

Meanwhile, the SWS survey conducted in September showed that 67 percent of Filipinos claimed that gays and lesbians are trustworthy, while only 18 percent said otherwise. The remaining 14 percent were undecided about this matter.

The same survey also found 54 percent of respondents saying that gays and lesbians have contributed a lot to societal progress, while 24 percent of them disagreed.

For a little over half or 54 percent of Filipinos, being gay or lesbian is not a form of mental illness. However, 25 percent said otherwise, the June 2013 survey showed.

Forty-five percent of respondents also disagreed to the statement that being gay or lesbian is contagious. About four in 10 respondents (38 percent) agreed to the statement, while 16 percent were undecided.

The September 2013 survey also found 45 percent of respondents claiming that AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) can be considered a sickness of gays and lesbians. Thirty-three percent disagreed and 21 percent were undecided.

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source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pinoy LGBT rights group welcomes 'anti-gay' pope

MANILA, Philippines – A gay rights group in the country said it welcomes the newly elected Pope Francis, formerly Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, despite his conservative views on homosexuality.

In a statement released Thursday, the Progressive Organization of Gays in the Philippines (ProGay) said it accepts Pope Francis “as the new leader of the world’s largest organized religion with guarded hope for reforms in the scandal-tainted hierarchy.”

“The marginalized lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities especially the discriminated, poor and jobless millions living in the slums welcome a leader who has publicly criticized neoliberal economic policies that destroy livelihoods, the ecology and health,” ProGay spokesman Jomar Amores said.

“However, we remain hopeful that Pope Francis continues to become more attuned to a world in conflict. He is known for his outreach to the poor, his simple lifestyle, his demonstrated compassion for persons hospitalized with AIDS complications, and his disdain for hypocrite church officials. He once reminded his fellow priests that Jesus went around with prostitutes and thieves,” he added.

Amores said, however, that the group hopes to see the Vatican open discussions on the inclusion of LGBTs in the life of the church. He noted that Pope Francis said in 2010 that same-sex marriage is “a destructive pretension against the plan of God.”

Many Catholics across the globe have been hoping for a pope that would champion same-sex marriage, since today’s Church includes a huge number of LGBTs.

Pope Francis earlier said that same-sex marriage is the work of the devil and is a “destructive attack on God’s plan,” according to the Huffington Post. The report added that the new pope considers gay adoption as a form of discrimination against children.

source: abs-cbnnews.com