Over the weekend, Jake Zyrus posted a photo of him showcasing his physique since his transition a few years ago. Although the Philippines was previously hailed as “one of the gay-friendly countries”, it is still evident that majority of Filipinos are still unwelcoming of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, and the others in the gender spectrum (LGBTQIA+) and perhaps, Filipinos would prefer it more if the LGBTQIA+ are subjects for comedies in movies.
If one may look into it closely, it is just in the past few years that he has come confident of himself, his long overdue transition that has always been backed down due to his familial responsibilities. It is as if people are canceling out the idea that the gender spectrum is not just heteronormative, but transgenders and transsexuals are in this, too.
In the singer’s Instagram post, it reads: “Pinag-isipan kong maigi kung ipo-post ko ba ‘to. Kasi lagi kong iniisip kung anong sasabihin ng ibang tao. Sa ilang taon na nag-transition ako, masaya ako sa naging takbo ng buhay ko, pero lagi parin akong nai-insecure sa katawan ko. Siguro dahil na rin sa standard ng karamihan,” knowing how it goes in social media, the post garnered numerous negations, the latter speaks for those who support him.
But what alarms some, if not all, is how the post started out strong with haha’s (laughing emojis), ridiculing his courage, and could be seen that majority of those who have imparted their negative reaction are from men, co-LGBTQIA+ members, and some for women. It leaves me to question men: is it really that ego-fulfilling to embarrass people for being firm for their wants and identity? For the LGBTQIA+ who have also taken Jake’s strength as a laughing stock: what makes you all better than your sib in the community who has just gained his full tenacity to introduce himself?
If this was a man who transitioned to a woman, people would have sympathized with them more, but if it was someone whose gender assigned from birth was female, who have formerly identified themselves as a lesbian, to now a transgender, then it would be a long way out of the hateful tunnel that the world have been honing since then. This begs to be questioned deeper; what is it about LGBTQIA+ that people just couldn’t respect?
I don’t think that it is just about the mere space that they are taking. Rather, the hate could be ego-driven, it is as if those who do not belong to the said community are “threatened” with how the LGBTQIA+ is not just for laughs, but also reeks of potential and intellect that one may root their jealousy from. Then again, people only appreciates the gays when it is all for laughs, not as their fellowmen.
Mas madali ba talagang i-normalize o respetuhin ang mga nasa relasyong galing sa pakiki-apid kesa sa pakikipag-kapwa tao sa naturang komunidad na wala namang ginawa kundi humingi lang ng pagkilala, respeto, at pang-unawa sa kanilang piniling pagkakakilanlan?