Monday, August 11, 2008 Seares: Is the mayor gay? By Pachico S. Seares News Sense
GOV. Gwen Garcia didn’t call Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osme¤a gay or homosexual. Rhetorically she asked, What do you call a man who picks a fight with a woman?
Effeminate or one who has characteristics of a female. It’s not the same thing as gay or homosexual. In Bisaya, “bayoti” is not necessarily “bayot.”
Still, there’s some gender bashing there. Gays and females are thrashed obliquely as if being one or the other is inferior
existence.
But Gwen is hardly homophobic. She draws on talents of many gays for creative pursuits. And she has championed a number of women causes with herself as a good argument against sexes being unequal.
How about Tomas? He hasn’t insulted, scolded, or bullied homosexuals individually or as a group. Not wanting to insult the tribe, he didn’t even categorically deny he is gay. He just would like to know if it’s June Pe or Mike Rama who is his lover.
Our culture applauds machismo and scorns feminine behavior in men. Thus, Gwen derides Tomas for tangling with her, a woman.
Keeping in closet
No wonder many gays fear to assert their true sexual preference. Even those courageous enough to take one step out of the closet still keep the other foot inside.
Take Genaro Jorolan or Jan-jan. He admitted he was a gay into whose rectum a male prostitute stuck a canister of body spray. And you saw and heard on video how he was hooted at when the intrusive object was removed. Yet he complains while hiding in a shroud of bandanna and dark shades.
Ah, but the Tomas-and-Gwen show continues to entertain. If only half of their act were devoted to telling us how to improve our lives as well.
