Heart Evangelista awarded Equality Champion for LGBT Groups

“Filipinos have always been known to be a people of love, and I believe that love is never discriminatory; love is inclusive to all, regardless of age and sexual orientation. Thank you for giving me the Equality Champion Award. I will continue to create awareness for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community, and will encourage everybody to do the same. Let’s all join forces to create a Philippines that is diverse, accepting, and full of love.” (Photo: @iamhearte/Instagram)

During Equality Night last Thursday, November 15, actress and fashion icon Heart Evangelista is recognized and awarded as an Equality Champion for her fight in favor of the LGBTQA+ community. Her plaque was given by TLF Sexuality, Health and Rights Educators Collective (TLF Share) as well as Lagablab Network.

On her social media accounts, Heart is seen wearing a silk white tank, a white blazer, and a sparkled rainbow skirt saying, “Thank you Lagablab LGBT Pilipinas for this honor. Let us continue to work for equal rights that everyone deserves.” She also mentions the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity or Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill, better known as the Anti-Discrimination Bill, which the Congress of the Philippines has yet to pass.

Heart believes that “The SOGIE bill is a step in the right direction to the realization and protection of those rights, especially for our friends in the LGBTQIA+ community,” saying that she hopes to see it move forward and soon become a law.

On her Instagram, Heart elaborates even more on her advocacy protesting, “Filipinos have always been known to be a people of love, and I believe that love is one that is never discriminatory; it is a love that is inclusive to all, regardless of age and sexual orientation.” She adds, “I will continue to create awareness for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community, and will encourage everybody to do the same. Let’s all join forces to create a Philippines that is diverse, accepting, and full of love.”

Along with Heart, Senator Risa Hontiveros and photographer BJ Pascual were honored with the Equality Champion plaque as well.

Heart first began her public protest for the LGBTQ community after recognizably wearing a rainbow pin when attending President Rodrigo Duterte’s third State of the Nation Address last July.