Heidi Mendoza Was the Progressive's Choice—Until This Happened
A post from Sassa Gurl put the senate bet in the spotlight.
(SPOT.ph) If you’ve been scrolling on social media lately, chances are you’ve seen Heidi Mendoza’s name pop up—over and over again. Why? The senatorial candidate's stance on same-sex marriage has left progressives, many of whom were once eager to vote for her, feeling confused, divided, and now questioning just how much they’re willing to compromise for clean governance.
It all started in a recent senatorial forum where candidates were given a simple prompt: yes or no to same-sex marriage? Mendoza chose no, explaining that policies can be crafted to legally acknowledge same-sex relationships without touching what she calls the institution of marriage.
“Lahat ay may karapatang magmahal, subalit na tunay na pagmamahal handang magsakripisyo at kumikilala ng hangganan at rumerespeto sa mga institusyon,” Mendoza said.
Tara magmahal. Ginagalang ko ito kasama ang LGBT community.
— Heidi Mendoza (@HeidiMendoza45) April 8, 2025
Kaya’t ang panawagan ko ay simple:
"Ayusin natin ang sistema."
Hindi lang puro deklarasyon. Hindi lang papogi sa boto.
I am not against love.
We are against a system that refuses to honor it. #45HeidiMendoza pic.twitter.com/MiXj6lqVdw
It’s the kind of position that might not have made headlines a decade ago but in 2025, especially with younger and more vocal voters pushing for equal rights, those words carry a lot of weight—and can lead to backlash. It just so happens that LGBT+ content creator Sassa Gurl was among the first to speak out.
Also read: Why the Bobotante vs Woke Divide Must Stop, for the Election's Sake
What's going on with Sassa Gurl and Heidi Mendoza?
On April 8, Sassa Gurl informed her followers that she would no longer be backing Mendoza for the Senate in light of her stance on same-sex marriage.
“Iginagalang ko po ang tindig ni Mam Heidi Mendoza hingil sa usapin ng marriage equality kaya ikinalulungkot ko pong ipinapaalam na binabawi ko po ang aking suporta,” Sassa Gurl wrote on X. Other drag queens like Pipay Kipay, Captivating Katkat, and Eva Le Queen have also expressed disappointment in Mendoza on social media.
In response, Mendoza accepted Sassa Gurl’s decision in a Facebook post on April 9, urging the public to respect dissent: “Walang dapat ikahiya si Sassa. Sa halip, ipinakita niya kung paano gamitin ang boses nang may dangal. Ang isang boto ay hindi utang na loob—ito ay tiwala. At gaya ng tiwala, puwede itong bawiin nang may respeto. Katulad ng sinasabi ko lagi: ang pagmamahal ay kailanman hindi mapagpilit. Pati ang suporta at paninindigan, hindi puwedeng pilitin—dapat kusang loob, mula sa puso.”
What makes the exchange all the more pointed is that the two actually met back in March, when Mendoza sat down with Sassa to talk about the SOGIE Equality Bill, gender development, and LGBTQ+ inclusion in government (“As promised mga anak, I am willing to listen”). That meeting ended on a surprisingly optimistic note, with Sassa Gurl expressing support for Mendoza’s candidacy—even praising her anti-corruption platform.
It’s a cause Mendoza is best known for: a long-standing commitment to transparency and accountability. One of the key proposals in her Senate bid is to shield the Commission on Audit's budget from political interference and push for more independent auditing of public funds.
A seasoned public servant and certified public accountant, Mendoza has over 27 years of experience in government. She served as Commissioner of the Philippine Commission on Audit from 2011 to 2015. For her dedication, she was even named one of Yahoo! Philippines' 7 Modern-Day Filipino Heroes in 2011.
Will you be voting for Heidi Mendoza?
If there’s one thing Mendoza’s recent comments have done, it has sparked a full-on debate—not just about her stance on same-sex marriage, but about what voters are willing to accept (or overlook) in a candidate. Voters on either side aren’t staying quiet.
Supporters argue that there are far more urgent problems facing Filipinos: poverty, healthcare, corruption. They insist Mendoza is one of the few candidates with a clean track record—and part of the progressive slate that includes Kiko Pangilinan, Bam Aquino, and Chel Diokno. Why should she be “cancelled” for sticking to her beliefs, especially when so many others are just out for votes? Besides, they can work on changing her mind later on.
For others, this isn't about finding the perfect candidate with no flaws. They see Mendoza’s stance as a clear message: that LGBTQ+ rights are still negotiable. Compromise might be part of politics, but when it comes to identity, equality, and recognition under the law—how much are people supposed to give up just to get someone less trapo into office?
It didn't take long for Mendoza to issue a formal apology to the LGBT+ community on April 10 for the hurt she's caused with her statements. Although she didn’t reverse her position entirely, Mendoza made a clear promise: “I will not stand in the way of same-sex unions becoming law.”
Then of course, there’s a third category of voters: the realists. The ones who don’t think Mendoza has a shot at making it to the Magic 12 in the Senate to begin with, so they see all this as noise around a losing campaign. But the reaction Mendoza's stand sparked says a lot about where we are now—where voters are no longer willing to stay silent when the issues hit close to home. That's not nothing if you ask us.
Also read: 'Safe Space Is Us': How LGBTQIA+ Creators Find Voice and Representation