Fridae

Manny Pacquiao is a homophobic individual. He is also massively popular in The Philippines. Sadly the electorate loves celebrities - remember movie actor Joseph Estrada who was elected President? Estrada was the first Asian leader to be impeached and convicted. Pacquiao has made it clear he wants to become President. The future for the LGBT movement in that country looks bleak.

"Manny Pacquiao is a homophobic individual."
"Pacquiao has made it clear he wants to become President. The future for the LGBT movement in that country looks bleak."


well i'm glad we're on the same page on this one, sir .. this is what i have been trying to stress in my posts, not just my gay hating family being a bunch of homophobes, but the Philippines itself does indeed still have a long ways to go in the acceptance of gays .. yes, it does look bleak for that country, and that's unfortunate .. i don't like Pacquiao's attitude towards gays, he does not approve of gay marriage either

I am delighted we agree. As I said earlier, I believe any forward movement towards LGBT rights will have to come from below and not the top. It requires ordinary gay Filipinos to organise, gain support and lobby. That's how Taiwan's LGBT rights and equality have developed so relatively quickly. After all, when I first visited Taiwan it was still under martial law!! If such a group were ever to emerge in The Philippines, having to face a homophobic President would make development extremely tough.

"If such a group were ever to emerge in The Philippines, having to face a homophobic President would make development extremely tough"


yes, i would very much think that (most) filipino presidents and government leaders as a whole are homophobic .. correct me if i am wrong on that, but that seems to be the majority in that country

"Estrada was the first Asian leader to be impeached and convicted."

Corrupt leaders always seem to want to distance themselves from the subject of homosexuality or they just dislike it all together, i would think that's generally the case .. but again, correct me if i am wrong on that

I'm not sure that conclusion is always correct. I do not recall Estrada ever saying he was anti LGBT. It just happens he was the typical macho womanising Filipino.

Furthermore, even before Thailand became a major gay destination Manila developed into virtually the gay capital of Asia in the 1970s and early 1980s during the dictatorship of Marcos. I know. I used to visit Manila quite regularly from wherever in Asia I was based. Clubs like Coco Banana and the very raunchy 690 Retiro Strip flourished. The Philippine Plaza Hotel owned by Imelda Marcos was basically gay central, packed at week-ends with foreigners and wealthier Filipinos and their 'boys du jour'. Male strip clubs opened and seemed to flourish. I do not recall any attempts by the regime to encourage this development. But equally I believe there were never raids or any attempt to discourage it.

@osongbosong: I read several times about you mentioning your gay-hating Filipino family and your being a Filipino-American, and am a bit curious about your situation. Where do you live currently? How is your relationship with your Filipino family?

osongbosong has said elsewhere that he is Filipino-American. He has also said he lives in California. His profile says San Diego. No idea where the family about whom he has not one good thing to say actually live.