12 August 2006

journalistic homophobic-sexist alert + kudos aside


the women's and lgbt movements are currently fuming/will soon be fuming mad over this latest column by this ex-supreme court dude.

huwag na nating bigyan ng traffic ang pinagsusulatan niya nyeta siya. here's the artik:

SEPARATE OPINION
‘Don we now our gay apparel’

By Isagani Cruz Inquirer Last updated 02:14am (Mla time) 08/12/2006

Published on Page A10 of the August 12, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

HOMOSEXUALS before were mocked and derided, but now they are regarded with new-found respect and, in many cases, even treated as celebrities. Only recently, the more impressionable among our people wildly welcomed a group of entertainers whose main proud advertisement was that they were “queer.” It seems that the present society has developed a new sense of values that have rejected our religious people’s traditional ideas of propriety and morality on the pretext of being “modern” and “broad-minded.”

The observations I will here make against homosexuals in general do not include the members of their group who have conducted themselves decorously, with proper regard not only for their own persons but also for the gay population in general. A number of our local couturiers, to take but one example, are less than manly but they have behaved in a reserved and discreet manner unlike the vulgar members of the gay community who have degraded and scandalized it. I offer abject apologies to those blameless people I may unintentionally include in my not inclusive criticisms. They have my admiration and respect.

The change in the popular attitude toward homosexuals is not particular to the Philippines. It has become an international trend even in the so-called sophisticated regions with more liberal concepts than in our comparatively conservative society. Gay marriages have been legally recognized in a number of European countries and in some parts of the United States. Queer people -- that’s the sarcastic term for them -- have come out of the closet where before they carefully concealed their condition. The permissive belief now is that homosexuals belong to a separate third sex with equal rights as male and female persons instead of just an illicit in-between gender that is neither here nor there.

When I was studying in the Legarda Elementary School in Manila during the last 1930s, the big student population had only one, just one, homosexual. His name was Jose but we all called him Josefa. He was a quiet and friendly boy whom everybody liked to josh but not offensively. In the whole district of Sampaloc where I lived, there was only one homosexual who roamed the streets peddling “kalamay” and “puto” and other treats for snacks. He provided diversion to his genial customers and did not mind their familiar amiable teasing. I think he actually enjoyed being a “binabae” [effeminate].

The change came, I think, when an association of homos dirtied the beautiful tradition of the Santa Cruz de Mayo by parading their kind as the “sagalas” instead of the comely young maidens who should have been chosen to grace the procession. Instead of being outraged by the blasphemy, the watchers were amused and, I suppose, indirectly encouraged the fairies to project themselves. It must have been then that they realized that they were what they were, whether they liked it or not, and that the time for hiding their condition was over.

Now homosexuals are everywhere, coming at first in timorous and eventually alarming and audacious number. Beauty salons now are served mostly by gay attendants including effeminate bearded hairdressers to whom male barbers have lost many of their macho customers. Local shows have their share of “siyoke” [gay men], including actors like the one rejected by a beautiful wife in favor of a more masculine if less handsome partner. And, of course, there are lady-like directors who are probably the reason why every movie and TV drama must have the off-color “bading” [gay] or two to cheapen the proceedings.

And the schools are now fertile ground for the gay invasion. Walking along the University belt one day, I passed by a group of boys chattering among themselves, with one of them exclaiming seriously, “Aalis na ako. Magpapasuso pa ako!” [“I’m leaving. I still have to breastfeed!”] That pansy would have been mauled in the school where my five sons (all machos) studied during the ’70s when all the students were certifiably masculine. Now many of its pupils are gay, and I don’t mean happy. I suppose they have been influenced by such shows as “Brokeback Mountain,” our own “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros” (both of which won awards), “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” and that talk program of Ellen Degeneres, an admitted lesbian.

Is our population getting to be predominantly pansy? Must we allow homosexuality to march unobstructed until we are converted into a nation of sexless persons without the virility of males and the grace of females but only an insipid mix of these diluted virtues? Let us be warned against the gay population, which is per se a compromise between the strong and the weak and therefore only somewhat and not the absolute of either of the two qualities. Be alert lest the Philippine flag be made of delicate lace and adorned with embroidered frills.


my god! what was he thinking???? to think that he did not malign just homosexuals but women and straight people who support homosexual endeavors and stuff like the fab5, the maximo and brokeback film. and to think he is from the supreme court. now you know why the state of our government is soooo fucked up. people in power think like this -- horrendously skewed.

jeezus.

kung nais niyong mag-react sa kanyang chakang column, punta sa link na to at sulat kayo ng reklamo note. bilis!!!  i did:
"I would like to express my disappointment that such a blatantly bigoted, homophobic and sexist column would see print in a broadsheet I have respected over the years both as a person and a media practitioner myself. Mr. Cruz' "Don we now our gay apparel" column in today's issue reeks of sheer discrimination against members of the gay and lesbian community AND women. Reinforcing his own brand of macho patriarchal writing that vehemently demeans particular (already marginalized) sectors of society is, I believe, not in sync with the usual standards of journalistic ethical codes. True, this is an opinion column but opinions should still be tempered to fit the principles of the publication -- unless you are now allowing the "dumbing down" of opinions where columnists can display their levels of arrogance and ignorance on any subject matter. "
taray ng lola niyo no. dapat lang. yurakan ba naman niya ang pagkatao ko e. tangna nya.

sapok din ang reaksyon ni fr. mickley. spin a win ako sa kanyang points. eto rebuttal niya as an ltte (emphasis mine):
Dear Editor,

I am saddened by the cheapening of the usually wise columns of Isagani A. Cruz. He lashed out in a surprising gay-bashing column, "Don we now our gay apparel." (08-12-06)

We know homophobia is everywhere. That is why we are appealing to the goodness of the Philippine Congress to pass the long-awaitred Anti-Discrimination Bill, sponsored by Rep. Etta Rosales in the House and Senator Bong Revilla in the Senate.

Unfortunately, Mr. Cruz mixes with his homophobia a lot of misinformation and considerably more sarcasm. That is surprising coming from a man of his stature and dignity when referring to a minority. He wouldn't do that, would he, in referring to other indigenous people of our country? But it seems to be true as somebody has said, "Gay and lesbian people are the last minority it is 'honorable' to ridicule." He wouldn't get away with ridiculing the way people of the south handle Tagalog? Who's next after the Fab 5? Boy Abunda?

After 15 years here, I have been recognized for several years now as a Filipino, and that makes me a Filipino gay. I am active in several networks of gay and lesbian organizations here, including the Lesbian and Gay Legislative Advocacy Network (LAGABLAB) which is working "honorably" to seek approval of the Anti-Discrimination Bill.

There is no such thing as a "third sex." There are people who seek self-fulfillment somehow in cross-dressing. But if there are 8 million gays and lesbians in the Philippines, surely less than 10% of them are seen as cross dressers. Of course I defend their right to harmlessly do what they feel is "self-expression." But I would appeal to Mr. Cruz and the public not to confuse me and seven million other gays and lesbians with a minority within "us." It would be like confusing all Muslims with the Abu Sayaff, or all communists with the NPA, or all dark-skinned people with one dark-skinned rascal.

I don't understand the kind of piety which goes into or disgraces the Santa Cruzan. But I do advocate a sex-positive theology which sees all people equally as God's children. That is what the legislatures and courts of Canada, UK, Spain, The Netherlands, and Belgium (and other jurisdictions) have done civilly. They do not have "gay marriages." They recognize the EQUAL RIGHTS of ALL citizens.

The homosexuality of males and females, contrary to the implication of Mr. Cruz, is not judiciously equalled with "panzies." As far as appearance is concerned, Manny Pacquiao and Alvin Patrimonio could be gay males and Kris Aquino could be a lesbian.

Surely justice must be based on fairness. Labeling on looks is unfair; generalizing is unfair; ridiculing is unfair.

Richard R. Mickley, Ph.D.
The Order of St. Aelred
St. Aelred Friendship Society
53-A Mapang-akit Street
Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City 1100
Metro Manila, Philippines
Tel.: 63 2 4337277
Mobile: 63 920 9034909 E-mail: saintaelred@gmail.com
Website: http://www.geocities.com/staelredmonasterymanila
E-group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/saeffriends

buti pa itong si ryan, bet ko ang reaksyones niya sa recent inday garutay discrimination case:
I definitely support Garutay's cause calling for respect and equality not because I want to be a cross-dresser, but simply because as a citizen in a democratic country, I have the right to do whatever pleases me as long as I'm not stepping on someone else's toes. As a creation of God, Inday Garutay, just like anybody else, deserves fair treatment, acceptance and equality. There is nothing wrong with being gay. The thoughts, acts and words are what make one sinful. They say "nothing is permanent in this world except change," yet a lot of Filipinos have never changed. It's a shame, because for a country of devout Catholics, majority is still judgmental. Why can't we just mind our own business, do our own thing and be happy?

yan ang mga materyal na dapat bigyan ng traffic! punta kayo sa dyaryo nila at basahin niyo buong column niya. now na!

saka isa pa itong dapat suportahan, my open-minded super-straight hetero guy friend na si rome na malaki ang suporta sa women's and lgbt advocacies. basahin niyo lagi ang column niya sa manila times ha.

*

in other writing news, unti-unti na pong nagli-leak ang mga chenelyns ng palanca. at isa na doon ay ang pagkawagi ng aking superfriend cenon ng unang gantimpala sa kategorya ng screenplay! yehei!!!!! congrats koyaaaaaa! magpakain ka ha! malaki-laking cash prize yan hehe. kewl! happiness!

sino pa sino pa? balitaan niyo ko ha. :)




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