‘Just Like Medicine’: A new Push for Divorce in a Nation Where It’s Illegal
A Campaign in the Philippines that frames divorce as a basic human right is gaining momentum, despite systematic and religious barriers
In the Philippines, divorce is a complicated issue with a deep past rooted in colonial occupation and changing laws and regulations. The article ‘Just Like Medicine’: A New Push for Divorce in a Nation Where It’s Legal by the New York Times focuses on the story of Mary Nepomuceno, a woman from the Philippines who is stuck in a dead marriage because divorce remains illegal. While annulment can legally take place in the Philippines, high legal fees and loads of paperwork make it nearly impossible for many married couples to file, leaving many women in abusive situations while allowing joint custody of children and assets. The Philippines has a Catholic majority, about 80% of the population, but nearly half of the population now supports divorce as a result of common issues regarding divorce. With such a Catholic majority, many conservative policy makers have opposed divorce activism. A new approach for the fight for divorce has aided in the growth of the movement. Rather than focus on personal stories to gain sympathy from lawmakers and politicians, the movement has begun framing divorce as a basic human right just as medicine is. Within the last few months, the Senate committee in the Philippines has approved a bill on divorce and waits for a second reading in the Senate. After this, the bill would have to be cleared by the House of Representatives before going to the President who would sign it into law.
Gender roles and masculinity have an important role in the economy of the Philippines which is further showcased through divorce illegality. The theme of masculinity in the Philippines is studied by anthropologist Kale Fajardo in his research of seamen across the Philippines. The idea that men have to be “manly” and leave home to work on dangerous seafaring expeditions to support their families and bring in wealth is propagated by the government to enforce traditional gender norms. Fajardo seeked to investigate these ideals and reconstruct the seamen lifestyle and gender identities. While the main focus of this article is divorce and the unhealthy repercussions of outlawing divorce, Fajardo’s studies of masculinity tie into the idea of stable gender roles in the Philippines and the idea of “oneness” which consists of keeping civilians in their roles to sustain a feeling of nationality. With the changing landscape of work in the Philippines, many choose to leave their home country to work abroad. This is not just men, but women as well. With this changing structure of daily life in the Philippines begs the question, how will this influence divorce needs and changing family dynamics? There is a growing demand for divorce legalization in the Philippines through the new framework of divorce as a fundamental human right. How this new framework pushes back against the idea of oneness and strict gender roles shows changing ideas and needs by civilians in the Philippines.
