MODULE 2

Lesson 11:
SEXUAL BEHAVIOR

Lesson objectives:
When you finish reading this chapter, you should be able to:
1. Discuss the variety of sexual behaviour in human;
2. Tackle a typical sexual variation; and
3. Show appreciation of the diversity of human sexual expression

Definition of terms:
 Sexual behaviour – an action with sexual intention and context
 Erotic – related to sexual stimulation; has something to do with the erogenous
zones
 Sexual response cycle – sequence of events from arousal to organism to
resolution of sexual tension.
 Sexual dysfunction – a concern or problem in any of the phases of the sexual
response cycle (e.g., inability to have an eretion or organism, painful
intercourse).
 Copulatory behaviour – related to the penis to the vagina.
 Paraphilia – arousal from non-living object and or no consenting person.

INTRODUCTION
In earlier discussions, we mentioned that psychology has three primary components: affect
(emotion and feelings), cognition (thought process) and behaviour (action). Hence, when used as a
framework in understanding human sexuality, it is only appropriate to explore the diversity of
behaviours relevant to our understanding of human sexuality.
What is behaviour? In simpler term, it refers to action. These are things that we do, both
overt or observable and covert or not readily observable by the naked eye. On a daily basis, we act
because of a motivation – something that drives us to do something. Some psychologists believe
that we behave as a response to stimuli. Others believe that we do things because we want to achieve
pleasure or avoid pain. Some think it is because we want to achieve a goal towards the fulfilment
of our own potentials and aspirations as a human in search for meaning.
What is interesting about behaviour is it is readily measurable as opposed to feelings and
thoughts. You can look at its frequent – how many times an action is done in a span of time. You
can also check on the duration – how long does an action take place, say, in second, minutes or
hours. A Behaviour has an intensity – the magnitude by which it is done: it is forceful? Is it weak?

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Then there is diversity – what are the varieties of a similar behaviour done in various context or
what are the different behaviours we are capable of depending on our physical characteristics.

SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS
Sexual behaviours are action that humans agree to interpret as an expression of their sexual
motivation or intentions. It is important to remember that behaviours are given meaning by people.
For instance, while hugging and kissing maybe considered sexual in nature, this is not always the
case because the context of the behaviour matter.
Sexual behaviours are generally erotic behaviour such that they involve any of the primary
or secondary erotic zones. Earlier we mentioned that body parts such as face, neck, genitelia, and
chest, among others are erogenous zones.
Sexual behaviours can be typed according to the aim of the behaviour. For instance, sexual
behaviour such as masturbation or the stimulation of one’s own genitals can be considered as auto-
erotic (self-directed). Erotic motivations can also be directed to other people of the same- sex or of
the opposite sex. Homoerotic behaviours are sexual behaviour oriented to the same sex. On the
other hand, heteroerotic behaviours are used to refer to sexual behaviours oriented to the other sex.
For reproductive purposes, copulation or the insertion of the penis to the vagina is
necessary. Humans can assume two positions in this process. More common is the ventral-ventral
position (ventris:abdomen), where in the male and the female species are facing each other.
Alternatively, a ventral-dorsal position (dorsum: back), ma be assumed where in the abdomen of
the male species in facing the dorsum of the female species, such that insertionof the penis to the
vagina is from behind.
However, sexual behaviours do not only refer to copulation – the insertion of the penis to
the vaginal orifice. They also include an array of non-copulatory sexual behaviours such as
hugging, kissing, and caressing. There are also sexual behaviours that involve oral stimulation of
the genitals such as fellatio (oral stimulation of the penis) or cunnilingus (oral stimulation of the
vagina). Then, there are also sexual behaviours involving stimulation or penetration of the anal
orifice (anal sex).

SEXUAL RESPONSE CYCLE

For heter osexual couples, one of the ultimate goals of the sexual act is reproduction.
This is made possible through the fertilization of the ovum by a sperm, which necessitates
ejaculation (release of the sperm) from the human male into the internal reproductive system of the
human female. Before this ultimate process, both the human male and female undergoes a sequence
of bodily changes which prepare them for the sexual climax. This sequence of changes is referred
to as the sexual response cycle.
Master and Johnson’s Model. Masters and Johnson (1966, 1970) proposed that the
following are four phases in the cycle.:
Excitement. The Excitement phase is the first phase in the cycle. For the human male, goal
of this phase is erection or tumescence (the elongation and stiffening of the penis) so that it can be
efficiently inserted into the vagina. At this phase, the testes and scrotum start to elevate and some
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parts of the skin (e.g., in the breast and chest) reddens – a phenomenon referred to as a sex flush.
For the human female, the goal of this phase is lubrication (wetness of the vaginal orifice to
facilitate insertion of the penis). Lubrication is made possible by vaginal vasocongestion. At this
phase, there is swelling of the glans clitoris and the labia minora, and there are sex flushes in breasts
and chest. In both male and female humans, heart rate increases during excitement and phase.
Plateau. The excitement phase is followed by the plateau phase. This phase is
characterized by a sustained peak in stimulation of the organs. In the human male, the corona and
glans penis become enlarge and reddish. Internally, the Cowper’s glands release a lubricating fluid
and the testes and the scrotum are totally elevated. In the human female, the outer vagina swells
while the inner vagina expands and become elongated creating the orgasmic platform (tenting).
Orgasm. The orgasm phase is the climax of the sexual response cycle. It is stage of release
where in the human male achieves ejaculation and the human female is ready to receive the sperm
for possible fertilization. In the human male, ejaculation is made possible by the contraction of the
rectal sphincter. In the human female, the vagina, uterus, and anal sphincter also contract.
Resolution. In the Resolution phase, the male penis returns to its normal unerected phase,
whereas the testes and the scrotum descend. In the human female, the outer and inner reproductive
organs also relax.
Kaplan’s Model. Unlike Master and Johnson’s model, Kaplan’s model (1979) sees the
sexual response cycle as having relatively independent stages. The three phases of this model
include: (1) Desire (2) Arousal, and (3) Orgasm.
Desire. Desire is the psychological component of the sexual response. It involves sexual
thoughts and feelings, which are necessary for a satisfying sexual experience. However, desire does
not necessarily translate into action.
Arousal. Arousal phase is the phase where the excitement and plateau (as defined by
Master and Johnson) take place. It is the physiological component of the sexual response, where in
bodily changes occur as an outcome of sexual stimulation. Just like Desire, Arousal may not
necessarily translate into Orgasm.
Orgasm. Orgasm in Kaplan’s model is generally similar with that of the Master and
Johnson model, except that this phase also includes the Resolution phase. In Kaplan’s model,
Orgasm is the completion of the sexual response.

SEXUAL RESPONSE DYSFUNCTIONS

Some people experience difficulty or problems in some of the sexual phases. The following
are the common sexual response dysfunctions:
 Sexual desire disorder – when an individual has low levels of desire or has an aversion to
sexual activity.
 Sexual arousal disorder – when an individual has problems in achieving necessary
physiological state for copulation (e.g., erectile dysfunction in males)
 Orgasmic disorder – when an individual has problems in achieving orgasm (e.g.,
premature ejaculation among males; male and female orgasmic disorders); and
 Sexual pain disorder – when there is an experience of pain during the sexual response
cycle (e.g., painful erection or dyspareunia, and vaginal spasms or vaginismus).
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The origins of sexual dysfunction disorders are varied. It can be organic (problem with the
anatomy and physiology of the reproductive organ). It can also be psychosomatic (a
psychological concern which manifests physical). Hence there are also a gamut of interventions
that are either biomedical (e.g., surgery, medication) or psychological (e.g., psychotherapy,
education, marital or couple’s counselling).

PARAPHILLIAS
While there are typical sexual behaviours among humans, there are also those behaviours
that are relatively a typical. They are atypical due to any of the following reason: (1) they are
not prevalent, (2) they are dangerous to self and to others, (3) they are bizarre and are not
socially acceptable, and (4) they are distressing either to the doer or to other people involved in
the act.
Among these atypical sexual behavioural variations, which is also considered by the APA
as a disorder, is paraphilia. Paraphilia is when an individual gets sexually aroused by non-
consenting person). A paraphilic disorder is when the urge or act lasts for a least six months
and is a manifestation of clinically significant distress.
Some of the common paraphilic disorders are as follows:
 Exhibitionism – pleasure from exposing one’s genitals to non-consenting people;
 Fetishism – arousal from non-living object (e.g., shoes, socks, body parts);
 Frotteurism – touching or rubbing one’s body or genitals to non-consenting people;
 Pedophilia – arousal from children (prepubescent);
 Sexual masochism – arousal from actual suffering or humiliation;
 Sexual sadism – arousal from actually inflicting pain to others;
 Transvestic fetishism – (for heterosexual males only) arousal from wearing clothing
by the opposite sex during sexual activities; and
 Voyeurism – observing other people engaged in sexual activities
Note: for paraphilia to be considered a paraphilic disorder, diagnosis has to be made. Only
trained psychologists or medical doctors can make such clinical judgements after lengthy
and comprehensive assessment.

COMMUNICATION: some of the paraphilias, when acted on, my lead to criminal

offenses. One of the controversial paraphilia is pedophilia – engaging in sexual activity
with a non-consenting person who is a child. Look for one article on the news that
discusses this particular paraphilia.

SUMMARY
The behavioural aspect of human sexuality provides a holistic perspective as to how
physiological psychological elements coalesce towards actions. In certain cases, behaviours often
serve as an indicator whether an organism in functional or are having problems. By knowing what
behaviour is normal and acceptable, as well as what behaviour is the opposite, we are able to make
intelligent judgement on issues concerning human sexuality.

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Lesson 12
STEREOTYPE, PREJUDICES AND
DISCRIMINATION

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. Differentiate stereotype, prejudice, and discrimination; and
2. Understand the manifestations of stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination on gender.

Definition of terms:
 Stereotype – extremely generalized briefly about a group of people.
 Prejudice – unjustified or incorrect attitude towards a person.
 Discrimination – when stereotypes and prejudice translate into a negative act
towards a person.

INTRODUCTION
There are 7.7 billion people across 195 countries and every race has their own belief system
religion, culture, and tradition. Yet, each individual is a unique mix of their own. That is why
appreciating diversity is very important to fully understand he human experience and for us to
coexist peacefully.
However, understanding diversity requires us to broaden our appreciation of the many
facets of the human race and recognize that we have our own stereotypes, prejudice, and
discrimination too.

Stereotypes
Stereotypes are an “over-generalized belief about a particular group or class of people”
(Cardwell 1996). It can be helpful in simplifying things, after all, there 7.7 billion people in the
planet. When we meet someone for the first time, we associate with them certain characteristics and
abilities that we usually base on the group they belong to.
While some stereotypes convey positive examples (like a student from Ivy league schools
would be stereotyped as very intelligent or matalino, or Filipinos being known for our hospitality),
most stereotypes, however, are drawn from negative generalizations like equating our muslim
countrymen as terrorist and viewing farmers and blue-collar worker as lazy and less educated.
It reflects our expectation and beliefs and is largely based on the social circle we belong to
as we try to conform or agree to the standard way of thought. However, these stereotypes change
through time depending on social and political conditions.

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A stereotype can be categorized as “explicit”, meaning the person is aware that they have
these thoughts towards a group of people and they can say it out loud. It can also be “implicit”
wherein a person does not know if they have these stereotypes since it lies in their subconscious.
When the stereotype is explicit, a person can choose not to turn their stereotype into action. While
with an implicit stereotype, a person has no control or awareness of it, and it may manifest into
action or behaviour.

Prejudice
Prejudice is an “unjustified or incorrect attitude (usually negative) towards an individual
based solely on the individual’s membership of a social group” (McLeod 2008). Prejudice represents
our emotional response upon learning of a persons’ membership to a specific group (like age, skin
colour, race, disability, generation, nationality, religion, sex, sexual expression, gender expression,
and so on).
This negative attitude (prejudice) can be dangerous since it often leads to negative action
and behaviours. For example, a sexist person is someone who has negative attitude toward the other
sex and sees them as the lesser sex. This negative attitude could manifest into action such as
bullying, discrimination, or violence.

Discrimination
Discrimination refers to actions or behaviours towards an individual or a group of people.
According to the United Nations “discriminatory behaviours take many forms, but they all involve
some form of exclusion or rejection.
People who are discriminated on are treated worse that the way people are usually treated
just because they belong to a certain group or they have certain characteristics. Here are a few
examples of discrimination:
 Genocide is the action of recognizing someone as different so much that they are treated
inhumanly and degraded.
 Apartheid (means separateness) is a form of racial discrimination wherein one race is
viewed as less than the other, resulting in the separation of black and whites and the mass
murder of Jews in concentration camps.
 Gender discrimination is another common form of discrimination. Statistically, women
earn less than men and are often relegated to be solely responsible for child-rearing and
house chores. Men, on the other hand, are discriminated in household responsibilities such
that they are perceived as less manly when they do their share of house chores or when
they become stay at home husbands.
 LGBT discrimination happens when LGBT people are treated as lesser than straight
people. Discrimination happens early in their childhood as they get bullied when they act
differently or dress differently than other kids. During adolescence, they get judge, bullied
or physical assaulted as they explore and express their sexuality.
Restricting opportunities or privileges that may be available to other groups is discrimination,
like the right to vote in national elections. In the Philippines, women only gained the right to vote
in 1937 and before that, Filipinos women had no legal rights even to own properties. That form of

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institutional discrimination was based on illogicalor irrational judgement that women are weaker
than men.
FREEDOM AND EQUALITY
Article I of the universal declaration of human rights (UDHR) states that “all human beings
are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” This declaration was drafted by member countries of
the united nation, including the Philippines, in 1948. This monumental document outlines the
fundamental rights of every human being that should be protected by everyone at all times.
Its preamble recognizes that the “inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of
all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in world.”
While discriminatory traditions, policies, ideas, practices, and law sexist in many countries,
many have shifted towards making opportunities and privileges accessible to everyone. In many
countries, people of the same sex can now get married and create their own families while enjoying
the same rights as straight couples. In the Philippines, all establishments are now required by law to
have an access ramp for people with dis ability.
Appreciating diversity of the human race is key to making a safer and more inclusive
environment for everyone, regardless of race, sex, religion, sexuality, gender, or creed.

SUMMARY
Stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination is a sensitive issue for many people since it can
be traced to our history, culture, tradition, and religion.
However, with the internet and technology, we now live in a world that seems to have no
boarders. It is important to create a society that respect the uniqueness of every human being and
uphold everyone’s dignity and rights.

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Lesson 13
LGBT PSYCHOLOGY

Lesson Objectives:
When you finish reading this chapter, you should be able to:
1. Discuss LGBT history and relevant LGBT term; and
2. Explain the importance of these terms.

Definition of terms:
 LGBT – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender; an acronym used to refer to
different genders.
 Lesbian – women who are emotionally and sexually attracted to women.
 Gay – men who are emotionally and sexually attracted to men.
 Bisexual – man or women who are emotionally and sexually attracted to men or
women.
 Transgender – when your gender identity (how you feel) is different from your
physical sex (male/female).

Introduction
Labels are so powerful it can be used to discriminate and oppress people. Like how the
German Nazi’s used the word ‘ Arayan race’ to mean superior and ‘Jews’ and ‘homosexual’ to
justify their mass murder of what they called as ‘inferior’ race.
However, labels can also empower people to claim their space in our society, especially in
the political sphere. Language can be used to avoid offense or disadvantage to certain groups of
people like using “persons with disability” instead of disability, ‘African American’ instead of
‘blacks’, and ‘LGBT’ instead of homosexuals.”

View on LGBT in History

Sexual and emotional attraction towards the same sex has been recorded throughout history
of mankind. In china 600 BCE, they used the term ‘pleasures of the bitten peach’ and ‘Brokeback’.
In Japan, they have ‘shudo’ or ‘nanshoku’. ‘kathoey’ is used in Thailand to refers to a lady boys. In
the Philippines we have the ‘babaylan’ and the ‘catalonan’ who were mostly women priests, but
some are males who lived their lives as women.
Society’s attitude towards homosexuality and other gender variants change through
history. In ancient Greek, all males are expected to take on a younger male lover in a practice called
pederasty. Some societies, like the indigenous Native Americans, accepted and celebrated what
they called ‘two-spirited’ person dance to the ‘Berdache.’

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However, later cultures see it as a “sin” following the Abrahamic Religion which branded
it as sodomy, a crime against nature. As these cultures colonized other countries, I enforced its belief
systems of viewing same sex attractions as a sin through violence such as killing homosexuals
through burning, stoning, or being fed to dogs.
Homosexuality was classified as an illness in the 19th century as a basis for them to legally
persecute homosexuals, imprison, and commit them to a mental institution. An example of this
prosecuted in 1952 for homosexual acts. He was sentenced with chemical castration treatment, and
he later died through cyanide poisoning.
As science advanced through years of extensive research, the APA removed homosexuality
as a psychiatric disorder or a sickness in 1973. This decision was after many years of struggle to
people of the same sex is a natural variation of the human experience, and it does not make anyone
any less of a healthy and functioning human being. Now that society is more accepting towards the
LGBT, new terms and labels have been used to cater to everyone.

The ABC’s of the LGBTQIA+

In an effort towards visibility and inclusion, a few letters were added to the LGBT. The
term “homosexual” sounded too clinical and it no longer adequately represents the diversity within
the LGBT community. These labels are changing, some you may be familiar wit but others may be
very new to you, so let us try to explain it as simple as we can.
 Lesbian –women who are emotionally and sexually attracted to women.
 Gay – men who are emotionally and sexually attracted to men.
 Bisexual - man or who are emotionally and sexually attracted to men or women.
 Transgender – when your gender identity (how feel) is different from your physical sex
(male/female).
 Queer – used by people who celebrate all gender identities, can also mean someone who
do not want to be restricted as lesbian, gay, or bi.
 Intersex – people who were born with sex genitals or chromosome patterns that do not fit
the typical male or female body.
 Asexual/Ally – asexual are people who do not feel sexual attraction to anyone, but does
not mean that they do not engage in romantic or sexual relationships. Allies are straight or
heterosexual people who are fighting for LGBT rights.
 Plus + - the plus sign refers to all sexualities that do not fit in LGBTQI spectrum.
Knowledge on the human sexuality is still evolving so there many terms that’s pops up.
Here are a few more to help s become more inclusive:
 Androgynous – people whose gender expression (their physical appearance) may or may
not be distinctly male or female.
 Gender – your internal sense of being masculine or feminine or neither.
 Gender identity – how you feel, man, women, or neither.
 Gender expression – how you express your sense of being male or female or neither,
maybe through hairstyle, clothes, etc.
 Sexual orientation – your emotional and sexual attraction to a person.
 Sex assigned at birth – your given sex when were born based on your sex organ.

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 Cisgender – when your gender identity matches with the sex you are assigned at birth
 Non-binary – people who do not feel like a boy or a girl; they may feel like they are both
or neither, so sometimes they use the pro nouns they, them and theirs.

Understanding transgenderism
Society attaches a lot of meanings to our biological sex or physical sex. Parents
unknowingly set up a gender-based pattern of raising their children upon knowing the biological
sex of their babies. Pink for girls and blue for boys is a reflection of our heteronormative culture
wherein we expect females to be feminine and males to be masculine.
This limited view on sexuality makes it harder for those who do not fit in the box of
masculinity and femininity, like the lesbians, gays, and bisexuals. However, it makes it so much
more difficult for the transgender people, those who feel like they were born in the wrong body or
given the wrong biological sex.
This means that a transgender person does not feel comfortable in their biological sex like
a person who is born male but feels like female, and a person who is born female may feel like he
is male. This “feeling” or gender identity is not something that changes through time, but is a feeling
that they have since childhood. This creates a problem for a heteronormative society wherein
everyone is expected and forced to fit in the boxes of male masculinity and female femininity.
However, history tells us that in different cultures across the world and in different times
in our history, there are people who lived their life expressing a gender that is different from their
biological sex. These gender noncomformity or gender crossings were celebrated by the Native
American through the “berdache” or the two-spirited people. We also have our own “babaylan” or
“catalonan”, pre-colonial priests who are mostly females but some are males who lived their lives
as female priests.
The transgender is also used as an umbrella term, this means that there are many identities
under this term. Transsexuals, for example is often used in medical field to refer to people whose
gender identity is different from their biological sex and they may want to change their body, so it
resembles how they feel about their gender identity. A biologically male person may feel like she
was just a child and in adulthood, she may choose to have a ‘hormonal replacement therapy or sex
reassignment surgery”. Medical advancements have helped transgender people live a full life;
however, it can be a long, difficult, and expensive process.
Other sexualities under the transgender umbrella term include:
 FTM – female to male, a person whose biological sex is female and has transitioned to
living his life as a male;
 MTF – male to female, a person whose biological sex is female and has transitioned to
living his life as a female;
 Crossdressing – some peopltime to time, however, unlike want to dress as the opposite
gender from time to time, however, unlike the transsexual, they are comfortable identifying
with their biological sex;
 Drag kings and queens – these are people who dress as the opposite gender for
entertainment which they do out of passion or for work; and

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 Gender queer – these are people who feel life their gender does not fit the gender binary
view that is limited to the male or female category because they feel that these are too
restrictive.

The transitioning process

When a person realizes that he or she may be transgender, a psychologist can guide the
person through the transition especially when a person wants to go through permanent changes like
sex reassignment surgery. In some countries, transitioning is covered by their medical insurance,
and they get support from their employers and families which are very crucial during transitioning
because it takes years to fully transition.
There are transgender people who cannot have do or not want to have hormonal therapy.

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LESSON 14:
MEN AND MASCULINITIES

Lesson Objectives:
This module discusses the many faces of men and masculinities. It also discusses themes
of masculinity and its relationship with well-being, fathering, domestic roles, and drug and alcohol
use. This module finally deals with hegemonic, protest, and caring masculinities. At the end of this
module, you are expected to:
1. Understand fully men’s studies and the constructs of masculinity;
2. Know fully the themes of masculinity and its relationship with well-being, fathering,
domestic roles, and drug and alcohol use;
3. Comprehend hegemonic, protest, and caring masculinities.

DEFINITION OF TERMS:
* MASCULINITIES – a social, cultural and historical construction of men dependent on and
related to other factors such as class, ethnicity, sexuality, age, and disability.
* HEGEMONIC MASCULINITY – form of masculinity which is culturally dominant in given
setting.
* PROTEST MASCULINITY – form of masculinity which is culturally dominant in marginalized
setting.
* CARING MASCULINITY – proposes that men are able to adopt what is viewed as traditionally
feminine characteristic.
Since 1970s, studies on different aspects of manhood (from men in the labor market to men
in the family and violent men, etc.) were made. By the 20th century, the number of these studies
increased dramatically.
A growing body of literature theorizing men and masculinities focuses on a variety of
topics including men’s violence, fatherhood, pornography, men’s crime, female masculinity, male
femininity, etc. these studies arose despite the clear dominance of men over global economic and
political power.
Men make up a large majority of corporate executives, top professionals, and holders of
public office. Worldwide, men held 93% of cabinet-level posts in 1996 and most top positions in
international agencies (Gieryz 1999).
Essentialist views of gender are still popular and are constantly reinforced in the media.
However, they are increasingly under challenge, not only in biology (Fausto sterling 1992), but also
in every day life. The rise of the womens liberation movements, and many feminisms that have

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followed from it, produced a massive disturbance in the gender system and people assumptions
about gender.
Large number of men now acknowledge that their position under challenge, that what they
once took for granted about what must be re-thought, making mens study and masculinity became
popular.

Men's Right Lobby

One of the main founding text of this lobby is by Warren Farrell, in his work. The Myth of
male power: Why are men the disposable sex? (1994) according to him;
Men are now the gender victims as a result of feminism having gone too far, with men
having increased responsibilities but few rights around issues of marriage, divorce, child custody
and access to children.
Modern legislation is seen to be overprotective of women’s interest, resulting in
discrimination against men at a time when they are under increasing threat within a rapidly changing
society.
Still, some researchers argue that these pro-male movements were only a reaction to
feminism- an attempt to accuse women and feminists for creating problems that men encounter in
society.

Masculinity Themes
Masculinity is a social, cultural, and historical construct dependent on and related to other
factors such as class, ethnicity, sexuality, and disability. Researches on men’s studies and
masculinity established common themes which strengthened and developed his evolving concepts.

1. Multiple Masculinity
Accordingly, there is one pattern of masculinity that is found everywhere.
Different cultures and different periods of history, construct masculinity differently.
Some culture make heroes of soldiers and regard violence as the ultimate test of
masculinity.Other culture look at soldiering with disdain and regard violence as
contemptible.
Some countries regard homosexual sex as incompatible with true masculinity.
Other countries think that no person can be a real man without having had homosexual
relationship.
The meaning of masculinity in working-class life is different from the meaning in
middle-class life and same goes among the very rich and the very poor. It is even possible
that more than one kind of masculinity can be found within a given cultural setting and
within a specific.
The only shows that masculinities cannot be delimited to a sole definition or
description as various countries, cultures, and levels in life view this concept differently.

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2. Hierarchy and hegemony

Typically, some masculinities are more revered than others. Others may be
dishonoured, i.e., homosexual masculinities in modern Western culture. Others are even
socially marginalized, i.e., the masculinities of disempowered ethnic minorities. Others are
even exemplary, taken as symbolizing admired traits, i.e., the masculinities of sporting
heroes.
The form of masculinity which is culturally dominant in a given setting is called
“hegemonic masculinity”. “Hegemonic” signifies a position of cultural authority and
leadership but not total dominance as other forms of masculinity persist alongside.
Hegemonic masculinity embodies popular heroes, role models, and fictional characters.
According to Kimmel (1997(, hegemonic masculinity:
“contains within it the image of the ‘man’ in power, a man with power and a man of power.
We equate manhood with being strong, successful, capable, and reliable in control. The
every definitions of manhood we have developed in our culture maintain the power that
some men have over other men and that men have over women”.
Hegemonic masculinity was understood as the pattern of practice that allowed men’s
dominance over women to continue. Hegemonic masculinity embodied the currently most
honoured way of being a man as it required all other men to position themselves in relation
to it and it ideologically legitimated the global subordination of women to men.
Men who received the benefits of patriarchy without enacting strong version of masculine
dominance could be regarded as showing as complicit masculinity. Hegemony did not
mean violence, although it could be supported by force; it mean ascendancy achieved
through culture, institutions and persuasion.
Hegemonic masculinity in western society hinges on heterosexuality, economic autonomy,
being able to provide for one’s family, being rational, being successful, keeping one’s
emotions in check, and above all, not doing anything considered feminine. Hegemonic
male norms stress value such as courage, aggression, autonomy, mastery, technological
skill, adventure, toughness in mind and body.
Moreover, hegemonic masculinity is hegemonic not just in relation to other masculinities,
but in relation to the gender order as a whole. It is an expression of the privilege men
collectively have over women.
The hierarchy of masculinities is an expression of the unequal shares in that privilege held
by different groups of men. Thus, some masculinities are deemed as higher than the others,
as well as higher than other forms of gender.
3. Collective Masculinities
Gender structures of a society define particular patterns of conduct of individuals as either
“masculine” or “feminine”. These patterns also exist at the collective level-in institutions,
armies, government, and even schools. Masculinities are also defined collectively in the
workplace and in informal groups like street gangs.

14
Masculinity also exist impersonally in culture. Video games, for example, circulate
stereotyped Images of violent masculinity. Cinema and TV shows portray stereotypes of
masculinity such as abandoning father, disgruntled, abusive partner, and the drug convict.
In sports, an aggressive kind of masculinity is created organizationally by its structure,
pattern of competition, system of training, and hierarchy of levels and rewards.
Masculinities and well-being
Research confirms a strong associated between rigid norms about what it means to be a
man and men’s negative health practices and vulnerabilities (Barker et al.2011)
Men are unlikely to talk about their worries and more likely to drink and engage in other
destructive behaviors when stressed. These findings echo the evidence in the literature that
conforming to stoic and rigid notions of masculinity contributes to suicidal behavior and
depression (Moller-Leinkuhler 2003; Emslie et al. 2006).
Culturally dominant forms of masculinity, which often urge men to practice strict
emotional control, serve as barriers to health- and help- seeking behavior, or encourage
some men to engage in practices detrimental to their own health and that of their families.
Evidence confirms that death and disability rates related to alcohol and substance abuse are
considerably higher for men than for women, making substance abuse and addiction
predominantly male phenomena worldwide (Phyne et al. 2002; WHO 2004).
The requirement of physical strength appears to be a nearly universal component of a
dominant masculinity has been promoted by globalization via film, toys, and other goods
(Katz 2003).
Katz points out the unrealistic evolution of action figures’ biceps, in many cases depicted
as larger than the doll’s heads. Katz even notes that these toys reinforce the association of
masculinity with violence is sometimes heroic.

Family formation, fathering, caregiving, and domestic roles

Domestic roles are closely associated with women as carrying them out can involve a loss
of face for men. Great deal was heard about increases in women’s labor force participation in recent
decades but less about men’s caregiving and domestic roles.
Research, however, shows that men are, on average, not greatly increasing their role in
household work and unpaid care (Barker and Pawlak 2011). Lest do they know, men are missing
out in not engaging more in their domestic and family roles. It has been shown that being involved
in the lives of their children brings psychological and health benefits to men (Dykstra and Keizer
2009). Research on child development demonstrates lasting benefits to children of their fathers’
involvement, in terms of their confidence and school performance (Ruhm 2000; Sarkadi et al.
Bremberg 2008).
However, it was said that men may contribute to the “domestic enterprise” in other
important ways, including through providing financial support, accompanying children to activities
outside of school or home (National Center on Fathers and Families 2002; Brown and Chevannes
1998).

15
Better-education men are more likely to put more time into domestic roles and caregiving
(Hernandez 1996; Garcia and Oliveira 2004; Barker and Verani 2008). Men’s schooling may have
expanded their sense of norms and weakened stereotypes through their exposure to broader ideas
and more diverse people.
Masculinities and alcohol and drug use
More men drink than women; and men drink more than women (Room et al. 2002).
Studies show that men were more likely to drink than women, drank alcohol in greater
quantity and more frequently than women, and were more likely to face alcohol-related health and
social problems than women (Wisack et al. 2000).
In many settings, men,s drinking encourages solidarity and stimulates courage. It is a key
peer group ritual as well as being a recreational activity ( Coombs & Globetti,1986). When men
become drunk fights and homicides are rationalized ( Pange,1998), and women are encouraged to
tolerate men’s drunkenness as a natural part of their being men ( Caetano,1984).
Drug use and drug dealing can serve as ways of construivcting a powerfully masculine
identity( Collision 1996)

Protest Masculinity
Protest masculinity is a form of marginalized masculinity which picks up themes of hegemonic
masculinity in the society at large but reworks them in a context of poverty ( Connel 2005). In other
words, it is akin to hegemonic masculinity but in socially-deprived context.
Protest masculinity refers to describe instances of extreme forms of sex-typed behavior on the
part of some males, Key to the concept of protest masculinity are high levels of physical aggression.
The protest masculinity profile is also proposed as including destructiveness, low tolerance for delay
gratification, crime, drinking and similar depositions ( Braude 1990).

Caring Masculinity
The emergence of caring masculinities in many parts of the world has been assessed in several
reports since the early 2000s, all of them highlighting the virtuous impact of this reshape in male
identities and practices for gender equality improvements in societies (Connell 2003; Norwegian
Ministry for Children and Equality 2009; Scambor et al.2013; Levtov et al. 2015; Heilman et al.
2017; Santos et al. 2016; Wall et al.2017).
After decades of women demanding equal rights and opportunities and for the end of male
domination and its harmful costs in their lives, caring masculinities arise as a strong ally against
hegemonic masculinity.
The concept of a caring masculinity proposes that men are able to adopt what is viewed as
traditionally feminine characteristics (i.e. emotional expression, sensitivity, domestication,
interdependence, caring, etc.) without departing from or rejecting masculinity (Elliott 2015; Miller
2011).
Caring masculinities can be seen as masculine identities that exclude domination and embrace
the affective, relational, emotional, and interdependent qualities of care; a critical form of men’s
16
engagement in gender equality because doing care work requires men to resist hegemonic
masculinity (Elliott 2016).
So, besides the commitment to care work and gender equality, caring masculinities entail a
mindful refusal of hegemonic masculinity and inherent prerogatives (privileges, domination,
power), as well as of the plural manifestations of “complicit masculinity” that it assumes (Aboim
2010).
Men who approximate this form of masculinity are viewd as a form of “new man” (Edley and
Wetherell 1999; Smith 2016; Singleton and Maher 2004).

17
Lesson 15.
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE: SURVIVOR, VICTIM,
PERPETRATOR, AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Lesson Objectives:
When you finish reading this chapter, you should be able to:
1. Understand the definition of gender-based violence, other related terms, and its forms
and consequences.
2. Understand gender-based violence as a human rights issues;
3. Determine the relationship between human rights and gender-based violence; and
4. Differentiate perpetrators, survivors, and victims in gender-based violence.

CONSEQUENCES OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

These consequences includes serious, immediate, and long-term impacts on the sexual,
physical, and psychological health of survivors.
Health consequences include unwanted pregnancies, complication from unsafe abortions,
sexually transmitted infections including HIV, injuries, mental health, and psychological effects
(depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, suicide and death). Violence also affects children’s
survival, development, and school participation.
Social consequences extend to families and communities. Families can also be
astigmatized as a consequence of gender-based violence. For example, when children are born
following a rape, or if family members choose to stand by a survivor, fellow members of their
community may avoid them.
Economic consequences include the cost of public health and social welfare systems and
the reduced ability of many survivors to participate in social and economic life. ( World Health
Organization, Global and Regional Estimates of Violence against Women 2013,
http://bit.ly/toTfGVG).

SURVIVOR, VICTIM, AND PERPETRATOR

Survivor is the preferred term ( not a “victim”) of a person who has lived through an
incident of gender-based violence. A perpetrator is a person, group, or institution that inflicts,
supports, or condones violence or other abuse against a person or group of persons.
Characteristics of perpetrators include:
a. Persons with real or perceived power;
b. Persons in decision-making positions; and
c. Persons in authority
In all incidents of GBV, there is always a survivor/victim and a perpetrator. Therefore,
all actions in the prevention and responses to GBV need to address both the survivor and
the perpetrator.
18
Remember: The words we use communicate a message to people who are
listening. Survivor is the preferred term for those who have lived through a GBV
incident. A perpetrator is a person who commits an acts of GVB, there is a survivor and a
perpetrators. All actions in prevention must address potential survivors and potential
perpetrators. Also, all action in response need to address both the survivor and the
perpetrator.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Human rights are universal, inalienable, indivisible, interconnected, and interdependent.

Everyone is entitled to all rights and freedoms without distinction of any kind, such as race, color,
sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other
status.

Prevention of and response to gender-based violence is directly linked to the protection

of human rights. Acts of gender-based violence violate a number of human rights principles
enshrined in international human rights instruments and in our Philippine Constitution.
These include the following, amongst others:
 The right to life, liberty, and property of persons;
 The right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health;
 The right to freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or
punishment;
 The right to freedom of opinion and expression and to education;
(UNFPA 2014)

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LESSON 16:
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE: POWER, USE OF FORCE,
AND CONSENT

Lesson Objectives:

At the end of the chapter, you are expected to:

1. Identify the relationship between abuse of power and GVB;
2. Understand that the term “violence” in the context of GVB means using some type of
force, which may or may not include physical force; and
3. Understand the meaning of “informed consent” and its relationship to GVB

POWER
Perpetrators can have “real” or “perceived” power. Some examples of different types of power
and powerful people are the following:
a. Social- peer pressure, bullying, leader, teacher, parents;
b. Economic – the perpetrator controls money or access to goods/service/money/favors;
sometimes the husband or the father;
c. Political- elected leaders, discriminatory laws, President of the United States;
d. Physical-strength, size, use of weapons, controlling access or security; soldiers, police,
robbers, gangs;
e. Gender-based (social) – males are usually in a more powerful position than females; and
f. Age-related- often, the young and elderly people have the least power.
Power is directly related to choice . The more power one has, there are more choices
available. The less power one has, fewer choices are available. Unempowered people have
fewer choices and therefore, more vulnerable to abuse. GVB involves the abuse of power.
Unequal power relationships are exploited or abused.

USE OF FORCE/VIOLENCE

“Force” might be physical, emotional, social, or economic in nature. It may also involve
coercion or pressure. Force also includes intimidation, threats, persecution, or other forms of
psychological or social pressure. The target of such violence is compelled to behave as expected or
to do what is being requested, for fear and harmful consequences.
Violence consist of the use of physical force or other means of coercion such as threat,
inducement, or promise of a benefit to obtain something from a weaker or more vulnerable person.
Using violence involves forcing someone to do something against her/his will –use of force.

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INFORMED CONSENT
Consent means saying “yes” agreeing to something. Informed consent means making an
informed choice freely and voluntarily by persons in equal power relationship.
Acts of GVB occur without informed consent. Even if she says “yes” this is not true
consent because it was said under duress- the perpetrators(s) used some kind of force to get her to
say yes. Children (under age 18) are deemed unable to give informed consent for acts such as
female genital cutting (FCG), marriage, sexual relations, etc.

CYCLE OF VIOLENCE

The cycle of violence refers to repeated acts of violence in a relationship. It starts with
minor incidents and moves on to more serious levels of violence. The cycle of violence may start
in a child who is a victim or witness to violence and may be repeated when child becomes an
adult.
The impact of being a victim or a witness to violence on a child is traumatic. It can make a
child scared, unhappy, lonely, lose self-confidence, blame themselves, lose sleep, and pick up
fights with peers.
Children should understand that having conflicts is alright, but resolving conflict through
violence is not right.
When children understand that violence is not acceptable, they will grow up into adults who
respect other people.

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Lesson 17:
WOMEN AND THE LAW

Lesson Objectives:
This module discusses about the various Philippine laws affecting women and their rights. At
the end of this module, you should be able to:
 know about the various Philippine laws affecting women;
 identify the various rights of women; and
 understand the impact of these laws and rights to the Filipino woman and society.

Definition of Terms:
 The 1987 Constitution – the fundamental law of the country upon which all the laws are
anchored or based on;
 Magna Carta of Women – the main law enshrining all the rights of women and their roles
in building the nation; and
 Nation Building – collaborative efforts and means to establish and develop the country.

INTRODUCTION
The 1987 Constitution
The Philippines is known for its very liberal and progressive Constitution that was
formulated during the euphoria of People Power Revolution in 1986. Gender equality is a key
element of this Charter and as enshrined in Article II Section 14 of the 1987 Constitution, “this
State recognizes the role of the women in nation-building and shall ensure the fundamental
equality before the law of women and men.”
Considering the unequal gender relations in the country, the Constitution further provided
for women representation (as one of the nine marginalized sectors) in the legislature through the
party-list system (which should cover 20% of the lower house).
Finally, Article 13 Section 14 specifically mentioned that the “State shall protect working
women by providing safe and healthful working conditions, taking into according their maternal
functions, and such facilities and opportunities that will enhance their welfare and enable them to
realize their full potential in the service of the nation”.

Various Laws Promoting Gender Equality

The legal framework provided for by the 1987 Constitution resulted to various legislations
promoting gender equality. These legislations include the following:
 Local Government Code of 1991. Provides for the election of sectoral representation,
including women, in local legislative councils.

22
 Party List Law. Provides for the creation of women-oriented or women-based parties to
complete under the party-list system. Women is one of the nine sectors identified in the
law.
 Labor Code (1989). Covers issues, such as night work prohibition, specifies that
employers must provide special facilities for women, prohibition of discrimination against
women in respect to terms and conditions of employment, and prohibition of discrimination
by reason of marriage of a woman worker.
 Women in Nation Building Law. Republic Act 7192 (1991) is an act promoting the
integration of women as full and equal partners of men in development and nation-building.
The law provides that a substantial portion of government resources be utilized to support
programs and activities for women. The law also encourages the full participation and
involvement of women in the development process and to remove gender bias in all
government regulations and procedures.
In relation to gender budgeting, the law specifically mandated all agencies to allocate a
minimum of 5%, increasing to 30%, of all official development funds in mainstreaming gender
concerns.
 1988 Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law. Gave Filipino women the right to own
land that previously reverted to sons and other male family members.
 Republic Act 7688 (1994). An act giving representation to women in social security
commission.
 Anti-Sexual Harassment Law. RA 7877 (1995). An act declaring sexual harassment
to be unlawful in the employment, education, or training environment.
 Republic Act 7822 (1995). An act providing assistance to women engaging in micro
and cottage business enterprises.
 Republic Act 8353 (1997). An act expanding the definition of the crime of rape,
reclassifying the same as a crime against persons.
These laws not only promote gender equality, but also gives protection to women’s rights
and enhances women empowerment.

National Programs
Based on the Philippine laws stated, a myriad of projects, initiatives, and processes on the
gender challenge arose. This includes the following:
 Philippine Plan for Gender Responsive Development (1995-2025). The National Plan
for Women that consolidates the action commitments of the Philippines during the Beijing
World Conference on Women. This is the overall frame that is also the point of reference
for the discussions and monitoring of gender mainstreaming.
 Gender and Development Budget (GAD). Integral to the national plan, it is aimed at
“institutionalizing gender concerns in the mainstream development process and
agenda and not just peripheral programs and projects of the government”.
Concretely, it prescribes for all allocation of 5% of the government agency’s/local
government unit’s budget on gender-responsive activities and projects. As a result,
implementation of the development programs and policies of government also means
women partaking a role in governance. As primarily stakeholders in the development

23
process, women have the right to maximize their involvement in governance, be it at the
local or national level.
 Framework Plan for Women (FPW). This is part of the Philippine Plan for Women
developed to focus on three thrusts, namely: promoting women’s economic empowerment;
advance and protect women rights; and promote gender responsive governance. This plan
identifies the concrete gender issues that will be addressed, pinpoint targets and indicators,
name programs, formulates the implementation plan, and set-up tools for monitoring and
evaluation.

Women’s Right to Participate

Women’s right to vote was granted in 1937. The Constitution of 1935 stipulated that the
right of suffrage would be extended to women, only if 300,000 women voted in its favor during
national plebiscite. This consolidated the emerging women’s movement and “… brought to the fore
the activism of such women as Concepcion Felix de Calderon who formed the Association
Feminista Filipina in June 1905, Rosa Sevilla de Alvero and a young Trinidad Almeda, Miss
Constancia Poblete, founder of Liga Femenina de la Paz, Pura Villanueva Kalaw and Paz Mendoza
Guazon, Pilar Hidalgo Lim, President of the National Federation of Women’s Club and Josefa
Llanes Escoda, president of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines’ (Ugnayan ng Kababaihan sa Pulitika
1998).
The General Council of Women was then established in Manila to direct the plebiscite
campaign. Its aim was to draw the support of the broadest number of women. As it turned out,
447,725 Women voted yes in the 1937 plebiscite. Interestingly, 44,307 women voted against the
provision. What followed was a colorful history of women’s foray into the various levels of electoral
victories, but generally pushed by familial affiliation and elite association.
At present, women’s right to vote and participate are maintained and further protected by
existing laws at hand.

Women’s Involvement in Civil Society

Women’s expressions of involvement in civil society could be through organizing along
gender-specific issues and formation of all-women groups within broad coalitions as power-
enhancing mechanisms. Groups such as the PILIPINA feminist movement, the militant GABRIELA
women’s group, the Ugnayan ng Kababaihan sa Pulitika (UKP- Network of Women in Politics), the
KILOS KABARO (Act Sisters Coalition), and SIBOL Legislative Network have trail blazed women
advocacies both in policies and in legislations.
There also exist a so-called “Philippine NGO Beijing Score Board” which evolved from
the National Steering Committee (NSC) of NGOs for the United Nations Fourth World Conference
on Women, and this lead in the national monitoring of the government’s implementation of the
Beijing Platform for Action.
Along with other women groups and gender-oriented institutions, they have succeeded in
raising gender-specific issues such as domestic violence, prostitution, reproductive health, sexual
harassment, and rape. Intense lobbying efforts by the women’s groups resulted in the passage of
several landmark laws, among them is the anti-sexual harassment law in 1995 and the anti-rape act

24
in 1997. The gains of the women’s movement are basically achieved through various partnerships
with the rest of the civil society.

WOMEN AND EDUCATION

The Philippine educational system is a combination of public and private institutions with
the State providing free education for elementary and secondary levels. The Constitution provides
that without “… limiting the natural rights of parents to rear their children, elementary education is
compulsory for all children of school age… (Article VIX, Section 2).
There is no general discrimination of girls in education, thus, there is no marked differences
existing in the educational status of Filipino women and men. One glaring issue is the gender
stereotyping of fields of study and specialization and its onward translation into the world of work
where men generally occupy the highest ranks and the highest paying positions.
Women’s larger responsibility for housework and for the family impedes their ability to
use their educational training and skills for remunerative work.
The topics previously discussed are always timely, relevant, and part and parcel of the daily
lives of the Filipinos. These only show the degree of importance that must be given to these topics.

25
ASSESSMENT
1. Do the number of laws, programs, and rights of women discussed indicate that the
Filipino women are already empowered?
2. Utilizing your knowledge now of the laws, programs, and rights of women, what can
you do to uplift women empowerment in the Philippines.

SUMMARY

Laws on Filipino women are aplenty, from the fundamental law of the land up to existing
legislations. It can be projected that more such legislations shall arise in the future. These laws are
essential as they can be springboards of various national programs, women involvement,
participation, and inclusion-all towards the highest goal of empowering women.

REFERENCES
1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines.
National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women. (2001). Framework Plan for
Women, http.//www.ncrfw.gov.ph
National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women. (2001). Gender Mainstreaming,
httpp://www.ncrfw.gov.ph
National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women. (March 2002).Filipino Women
Facts and Figures.
National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women. (October 2002). Facts and Figures,
httpp://www.ncrfw.gov.ph
National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women. (2001). State of Filipino
WomenReport 2001:Under GMA, women fared well in health, education, politics
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Country
Reports on the State of Women in Urban Local Government, http://www.unescap.org

26
Lesson 18:
‘’VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN
ACT” or REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9262

Lesson Objectives:
This module discusses the important provisions of the Violence against Women and their
Children (VAWC) Act or RA 9262. This module also discusses important cases involving the said
law.
At the end of this module, you should be able to:
1. Discuss the important provisions of VAWC Act or RA9262;
2. Understand the details of its commission; and
3. Comprehend actual cases involving the said law.

Definition of terms:
Protection orders- orders issued by the Barangay or the courts distancing the perpetrator from the
victim and vice versa for reasons provided for by the law.
Public Crime- nature of a crime wherein it is considered to be an affront to the society, allowing
anyone who had personal knowledge to file a case for VAWC.

INTRODUCTION
The REPUBLIC ACT 9262, or the Anti- Violence against women and their Children
(Anti-VAWC) Act of 2004, is a result of the strong advocacies on women’s rights in the country.
This Law was deemed to be a significant victory for all Filipino women as it was based on the right
of women not to sure suffer abuse, discrimination and violence in their respective relationships.
Important features of the law includes:
1. Four kinds of violence against women and children are defined- the law defined four
kinds of violence-physical, psychological, sexual, and economic- in its effort to encompass
all types of abuses inflicted to women and their children;
2. VAWC is public crime- the crime is perpetrated not only against a single individual, but
against the entire society, thus, anyone who has personal knowledge of the abuse, violence,
or discrimination can file a complaint;
3. Protections orders can be issued against the perpetrator- on filing the case, the victim-
survivor or anyone who has personal knowledge can apply for a protection order to enforce
distance between her and the perpetrator; and
4. Stronger community mechanisms to respond to cases- various government agencies are
mandated to aptly respond or formulate mechanisms to respond to reported cases of VAWC
immediately.

27
Protection Orders
A protection order under the Anti- VAWC Law is defined as:
“..an order issued.. for the purpose of preventing further acts of violence against a woman and her
child specified in Section of this Act and granting other necessary relief. The relief granted under a
protection order should serve the purpose of safeguarding the victim, minimizing any disruption in
the victim’s daily life, and facilitating the opportunity and ability of the victim to independently gain
control of her life”.
The law enumerates the following reliefs that may be availed of through a protection order:
1. Prohibition of the respondent (perpetrator) from threatening to commit or committing
personally or through another, any of the acts penalized by the Anti- VAWC law;
2. Prohibition of the respondent from harassing, annoying, telephoning, contacting, or
otherwise ,communicating with the petitioner( victim-survivor) directly or indirectly;
3. Removal and exclusion of the respondent from the residence of the petitioner whether
temporarily or permanently;
4. Directing the respondent to stay away from the petitioner and any designated family or
household member at a distance specified by the court;
5. Directing lawful possession and use by the petitioner of an automobile and other personal
effects regardless of ownership;
6. Granting temporary or permanent custody of a child/children to the petitioner;
7. Directing the respondent to provide support to the women and/or her child if entitled to
legal support;
8. Prohibition of the respondent from any use or possession of any firearm or deadly weapon
and order him to surrender the same, including revocation of license and disqualification
to apply for any license to use or possess a firearm;
9. Restitution for actual damage caused by violence inflicted including property damage,
medical expenses, and loss of income.
10. Directing the Department of Social welfare and Development (DSWD) or any appropriate
agency to provide temporary shelter and other social services that the petitioner may need;
and
11. Provision of other forms of relief as may be necessary to protect and provide for the safety
of the petitioner.

Rights of Victim-Survivors of VAWC Cases

RA 9262 specified the following as rights of the victim-survivors:
“Section 35. Rights of Victims- in addition to their eights under existing laws, victims of violence
against women and their children shall have the following rights:
a) To be treated with respect and dignity;
b) To avail of legal assistance from the Public Attorney’s Office and the Department of
Justice or any public legal assistance office;
c) To be entitled to support services from the DSWD and the LGUs (local government units);
d) To be entitled all legal remedies and support as provided for under the Family Code; and
e) To be informed of their right to apply for a protection order.”

28
The rights to privacy of the victim are also provided in the law, and its violation is
punishable by imprisonment and fine.
Duties of National and Local Government Offices
Section 39 of RA 9262 provides for the creation of the Inter-Agency Council on Violence
against Women and their Children (IAC-VAWC), which shall formulate gender- sensitive program
and projects according to their respective agency mandates, including capability building programs
for their employees.
The IAC-VAWC consist of the following agencies: DSWD National Commission on the
Role of the Filipino Women, Civil Service Commission, Commission on Human Rights, Council
for the Welfare of Children, Department of Justice, Department of Interior and Local Government,
Philippine National Police, Department of Health, Department of Education, Department of Labor
and Employment, and National Bureau of Investigation.
The implementing rules and regulations of the Anti-VAWC Act state the following duties
and responsibilities of LGUs or the Barangay in addressing VAWC cases, apart from the issuances
of Barangay Protection Orders:
“Section 47. Duties and Functions of Barangay Officials – In order to eliminate violence against
women and their children, barangay officials shall:
a) Undertake an education program on Republic Act No. 9262 and on violence against
women and their children and why it exists, the rights and remedies of victim-survivors,
and the duties of residents and all barangay officials;
b) Have a family violence prevention program, including peer counselling for men;
c) Support organizing efforts and development programs for women in the community;
d) Prioritize livelihood projects for victim-survivors;
e) Involve women in planning and implementation of all programs and projects in the
barangay;
f) Have an Anti-VAWC desk officer in the barangay who shall coordinate a one-stop help
desk. As much as possible, this help desk shall be open for 24 hours;
g) Ensure that all barangay officials, barangay health workers, barangay nutrition scholar,
other barangay workers, and tanod or barangay security officers undergo gender
sensitivity seminars to enable them to respond to victims of violence;
h) Develop system to document and report cases of VAWC and assistance program to
victims thereof; and
i) If applicable/ necessary, prescribe additional guidelines and standards provided that these
are consistent with the act.

Case 2 ( Ang vs CA and Sagud; GR 182835, April 20, 2010)

After receiving from the accused Rustan via multimedia message service (MMS), a picture
of a naked woman with her face superimposed on the figure. Complainant filed an action against
said accused for violation of the VAWC Act or Republic Act (R.A.) 9262. the sender cell phone
number, stated in the message, was 0921-8084768, one of the numbers that Rustan used. Irish
surmised that he copied the picture of her face from a shot he took when they were in Baguio in
2003. The accused said to have boasted that it would be easy for him to create similarly scandalous
pictures of her and threatened to spread the picture he sent through the internet.

29
ASSESSMENT
1. What knowledge obtained about Anti- VAWC Act or RA 9262 will be useful to you, your
family, community, and society?
2. Provide specific ways on how can this knowledge be realized in your family, community,
and society.

SUMMARY
The VAWC Act is a landmark legislation championing the cause of women. This specific
law pertains to specific violations captured as four (4) acts of violence defined in the law. Also,
VAWC was considered to be a public crime allowing other persons to file the compliant, not only
the victim- survivor. Further, the law allows protection orders distancing the perpetrator from the
victim and vice versa for several purposes as provided for therein. Importantly, government unit are
mandated to provide specific and immediate mechanisms to respondent appropriately to these
VAWC cases.

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Lesson 19:
LAWS AND POLICIES ON VIOLENCE AND
DISCRIMINATION OF THE MEMBERS OF LGBTQ+

Equal protection – requires that all persons or things similarly situated should be treated
alike, both as to the rights conferred and responsibilities imposed.
Dual process- principle that the Government must respect all of a person’s legal rights at
this ensures that all laws and legal proceeding must be fair and equal for all.

The 1987 constitution (Equal Protection and Due Process Clause)

The 1987 Philippine Constitution states that: “The State values the dignity of every
human person and guarantees full respect for human rights.” Apart from this, the 1987
Constitution enshrines in its due process and equal protection clauses that: “No person shall be
deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied
the equal protection of the laws.” (Article 3, Sec 1, 1987 Philippine Constitution)
As the fundamental law of the land, the guarantees on equality, lawful processes, and the
paramount consideration on ensuring human dignity and respect for human rights in these provisions
serve as the basis for the protection of the rights of member of the LGBTQ+.
The 2010 Supreme Court Decision in the “Ang Ladlad” case ( Ang LAdlad LGBT Party
vs. Comelec GR 190582 8 April 2010) considered the breadth of the equal protection clause in the
constitution. The court ruled in favour of following “Ang Ladlad” to be a Party-list reasoning that:
“from the standpoint of the political process, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
have the same interest in participating in the party-list system on the same basis as other political
parties similarly situated. Hence, laws of general application should apply with equal force to
LGBTs, and they deserve to participate in the party-list system on the same basis other marginalized
and under- represented sectors.”

Violence and Discrimination

Despite widespread anecdotal evidence of crimes perpetrated against LGBTQ+
COMMUNITY IN THE Philippines, most data these cases have not undergone official verification
and collation.
In March 2016, the Trans Murder Monitoring Project listed 41 reported cases of
transgender people murdered in the country since 2008.

Violence and Discrimination against LGBTQ+ Youth in Education

A. Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 (Republic 10627)
Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 (Republic Act 10627) includes gender-based bullying as a
prohibited and punishable act.

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Gender-based bullying is defined as “any act that humiliates or excludes a person
on the basis of perceived or actual sexual orientations and gender identity (SOGI)
(Republic Act No. 10627)

B. Child Protection Policy 2012

In cases where the bullying is committed by a Principal, teacher or any other school
personnel, the law violated is Department of Education Order No. 40 on Child Protection
Policy. This policy includes the protection of students from any form of violence regardless
of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

C. Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation, And Discrimination

Act of 1992 (Anti-Child Abuse Act or Republic Act 7610)

Parents of children who suffer abuse at the hands of teachers or members of the school’s
administration violates RA 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse Act.

Such cases can cover instances of physical, psychological injury, or cruelty on the basis of
the child’s SOGI.

Violence and Discrimination against LGBTQ+ in the Workplace

a. The Labor Code of the Philippines (PD 442)

The Labor Code is the national law covering employment for the private sector in
the Philippines. With the exception of prohibitions against discrimination of women,
it does not contain any provision that prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender
identity, particularly on the members of the LGBTQ+.

Nonetheless, while the law is quiet on gender identity and expression, it is clear
in its Declaration of Policy (Article 3) that he “State shall afford protection to labor,
promote full employment, ensure equal work opportunities”.

Clearly, the mandate for equal opportunity in employment is clear. But, the reality
shows a different picture since members of the LGBTQ+ encounter hardship in
accessing work opportunities because of discrimination.

The absence of a national law that explicitly prohibits discrimination on the basis
of gender identity makes it easier for employers to hide behind fabricated reasons for
not accepting, firing, or depriving members of the LGBTQ+ of their employment
benefits. Often, policies on uniform, documents, and use of comfort rooms are used
against members of the LGBTQ+ employees and even applicants.

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b. CSC No. 01-0940- the civil Service Commission’s Policy on Anti- Sexual
Harassment

The civil Service Commission Administrative Disciplinary Rules on Sexual

Harassment Cases includes other less grave, punishable offences. These include
prohibiting “derogatory and degrading remarks or innuendoes directed toward
the members of one’s sex, or one’s sexual orientation or used to describe a
person”.
This rules applied to all government entities that fall under the civil service
jurisdiction.
The policy is important because it explicitly covers derogatory remarks regarding
sex, sexual orientation, or other remarks that are used as description of a person with
the intention to insult. In addition, this policy for government agencies does not require
that the offender has moral ascendancy over the victim.
The fact that the perpetrator and the victim are of the same level of position will
not preclude the victim from filing a case. While gender identity is not specifically
mentioned as a ground, if a LGBTQ+ civil servant is harassed verbally by co-workers,
they would be able to rely on the generic protection from “derogatory and degrading
remarks”.

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Lesson 20:
DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF SEXUAL
ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY AND EXPRESSION
(SOGIE) IN THE PHILIPPINES

SOGIE -an acronym for sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and expression-aspects of gender of
persons which must be considered and given attention.
Anti-Discriminatory Bill- a proposed legislation before the Philippine Congress intended to
prevent various economics and public accommodation- related acts of
discrimination against people based on their SOGIE.
The Universal Policy
Articles 2(1), 3, and 26 of the convention provide for the respect, equally, and non
discrimination of all individuals on the grounds of, inter alia, race, color, and sex.
In the landmark decision of Toonen v Australia in 1994, it is found not only that the
reference to “sex” in Articles 2(I) and 26 must be take to include sexual orientation, but also that
laws which criminalize consensual homosexual acts expressly violate the privacy protections of
laws.

National and Local Policies

LGUs from different cities all over the Philippines have been proactive in passing and filing
city ordinances banning LGBT discrimination.
Presently, the anti- discriminatory bill is still pending before the congress. This bill is
expected to be signed in to a law before the end of the Duterte Administration. Prior to these bills,
several LGU’s have enacted ordinances and resolution to address these issues.
In Quezon City, anti-discrimination in employment was enacted in 2004 and LGBT-
friendly provisions are supplemented in the Quezon city gender and development ordinance. Albay
province and Bacolod City passed an anti-discrimination ordinance. Angeles City not only passed
anti-discrimination legislation, but created a Gay Rights Desk as well.
In the house of representatives, representative Raymond Palatino of the Kabataan Partylist
field House Resolution No,13333, which seeks to investigate prejudicial, discriminatory, and unjust
practices and policies against LGBT students implemented and tolerated on schools, partnering with
the DepEd and other government agencies to explore the inclusion of a Comprehensive Gender
Curriculum on basic and secondary education and in vocational and technical school to incorporate
discussion on issues of LGBT persons.
In May 2012, the DepEd issued DepEd order No. 40 or, “The DepEd Child Protection
Policy” to guarantee the protection of child in schools from any form of violence, abuse or
exploitation regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity.

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Effect of State Discrimination in Society
The State’s treatment of LGBT individuals intensifies discrimination on the basis of
SOGIE within Philippines society and social institutions.
Being young and not conforming to the gender role assigned to one’s sex increases the risk
of discrimination and abuse for LGBT persons. This victimization is aggravated by the absence of
support mechanism and school policies addressing this concern, as well as the failure of schools to
safeguard students from being abused by other students, staff, administrators, and teachers. The
discrimination LGBT students face in schools not only violates the right to be free from
discrimination but prevents these individuals from the enjoyment of numerous other rights in the
Covenant as well.
Homophobia, the stigma and prejudice toward LGBT persons, are very present within
Filipino society, creating a dangerous climate of hostility toward LGBT people.
LGBT youth are often targeted by parents who, upon discovering their child’s sexual
orientation and/or gender identity, feel compelled to inflict physical harm on them out of frustration
or in an attempt to prevent their child from expressing their sexuality.

Discrimination by the Catholic Church

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and Episcopal Commission
on Family and Life (ECFL) has been fervently demanding Congress for the removal of “sex, gender,
sexual orientation and gender identity” in the comprehensive anti-discrimination ordinances filed in
the Senate and in the House of Representatives, claiming that its inclusion will only “create
problems regarding ethics, marriage, the family and religious freedom” and reasons that “ the
difference in sex or gender does not belong to the same level as the difference in race, color, religion,
or ethnicity”.
Antagonists of the anti-discrimination bill claim that the passage of an anti-discrimination
legislation will open the door for same-sex marriages. A provision allowing for same-sex marriage
was not present in the anti-discrimination bill at the time of its introduction first filing and has never
been added.

Participation of the members of LGBTQ+ in Public Life

Article 25 of the Convention provides for the right of each citizen to participate in public
affairs, to vote, and to have equal access to public service in the country. These rights are provided
free of unreasonable restriction and free from distinctions made on the basis of sex, which as
mentioned above, includes sexual orientation.

Discrimination in the Military

Through their media announcements, it seems on the surface that the Philippine military
and the police are adhering to the no-discrimination clause of the Philippine Constitution (Art 2)
and the ICCPR by its declaration of openness to admit gays, lesbians, and bisexual persons in
military and police service.

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Upon closer inspection, the additional conditions required from gay, lesbian, and bisexual
applicants and cadets demonstrate lingering prejudices and negative stereotypes toward LGBT
person. Also, the military’s apparent strict adherence exclusively towards heterosexist gender binary
(masculine and feminine) roles discriminate against those that fall short to this standard and are
considered as the benchmark of what constitutes being decent, proper and respectful.
The generalized negative stereotyping of LGBT persons and the misconception that a
person’s sexual orientation defines one’s gender expression are most evident on the common
position of the APF, PNP, and PMA towards gay and effeminate behavior.
The identification of sources of discrimination is vital so that you will know how these acts
are committed or performed by the social institutions, their respective actors. The unified output can
results to a class program or activity addressing this concern.

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