Fridae

The year 2001 has been a dramatic year and a traumatic one for some. Just as we were squirming in the shadows of the economic downturn, our hopes for brighter days crashed and burned with the passenger planes on that fateful September day. Amidst economic uncertainties, pay freeze, downsizing and retrenchment have become catchphrases of the new millennium.

Gay, straight, bi or trans, no one is spared from the repercussions of the recession. The double whammy of a whole new level of global terrorism and recession comes as a rude shock especially for anyone born after the sixties. The likelihood of losing one's job is real regardless of your sexual orientation.

For gay persons happily settled down with a gainfully employed partner, good for you. For you not only enjoy the luxury of having a double income household but are also free from the shackles of the traditional heterosexual nuclear family. With your combined pool of resources minus prepubescent economic liabilities (otherwise known as kids), you have double the chances of riding out these troubled times unscathed.

For the less fortunate single gays, fastened your seat belts, for it is going to be a bumpy ride. After watching Osama Bin Laden's minions flush our hopes of leading a financially independent, debt-free life down the toilet, we've come to the cruel realization that job security is nothing but a myth and all that we've taken for granted may be taken from us without advanced notice.

We lament the predicament that we're in and take comfort in the knowledge that we are not alone. But even as we embark on this new quest for survival, we nevertheless have to contend with perennial quest to mate. The unwavering attendance in gay watering holes in spite of the recession attests to this. Primal urges must be gratified, come what may.

Like most primal creatures, appearance matters in the natural selection process of gay mating. It is the survival of the fittest and cutest. If you happen to be naturally blessed with rock hard abs, a bubble butt and a cute face to boot, good for you, you were probably a dung beetle in your previous life or just a plain freak of nature.

For the rest of us normal folks, we need all the help we can get. A night out with the boyz doesn't come cheap and god forbids that we shouldn't look our best. Everything from the miracle mudpack from god-knows-where to bodybuilding wonder drugs made of who-knows-what to the latest fashion threads by you-know-who, anything to increase our chances of getting laid. Pretty soon, most of our disposable income has been disposed.

Some may disagree that gays are obsessed with looks. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've yet to witness wrinkled old queens with sagging butts being hit on. In case you haven't notice, I'm talking about the majority here. So here we are, caught in this unfortunate conflict of personal interests. On the one hand, we know we have to reduce our expenses in light of this cursed crisis; but on the other, no costs should be spared to make ourselves look good (because after all, you're worth it).

Perhaps this is a good time for us to step back and ponder a little. The beauty of a crisis lies in its ability to unsettle us and open up new avenues for thought. The current state of affairs can be a blessing in disguise after all.

---

We should take this opportunity to take stock of what we have become. We strut our stuff, walking the walk, and talking the talk, wearing gay pride proudly on our designer sleeves. But when is the last time we've truly contemplated on what exactly we are so proud of?

It is a sad but true fact that most of us are the products of the modern capitalist gay scene, a rather unhealthy culture that builds a lifestyle out of sexual needs, where youth and external beauty are revered and all else is secondary. After all, "homosexuality" is the very core of our self-identity; it is what sets us apart from the rest of the world and the very basis of our self-worth. Material and earthly comforts are all that matters. Aren't they?

Our woes in this time of crisis stem from our inability to see beyond our personal needs. We weep for our thinning bank accounts, tremble at the possibility of losing our jobs, and make resolutions to cut back on our expenses and do our best to hang on to our jobs. But when was the last time we take a good look at pressing gay issues and resolve to do something (I mean really DO something) to make a difference?

More often than not, we turn a blind eye to the prejudices we and our fellow brethren face on a daily basis, escaping into mirror balled sanctuaries, hoping to shag the muscled cutie. The world will always be in a mess anyway, let us be gay and merry and leave the politics to the politicians.

While many gay men celebrate and congratulate themselves on the proliferation of the gay community over the years, the sum of those who are committed to fighting homophobia and furthering gay causes remains pathetically miniscule. We may not be the only ones who have lost interest in politics but for a marginalized community so deprived of common human rights, most of us are doing surprisingly little to improve our status quo.

You're out, loud and proud of it, but what exactly have you done that you're particularly proud of? Though there's been undeniable improvement over the years in gay rights and issues, there's still a lot more work to be done. So where's the pride in sitting back and watching the next gay activist take all the flak while we enjoy the fruits of his labor? Gay pride means more than unashamedly declaring your sexual inclination.

I'm not saying that each and every one of us should start taking up placards and knock down parliamentary doors but that we should seriously consider our role in the gay community. The pathetic status of gays in the society has always been a gnawing pain in our butts and it's about time we do something about this ailment.

We can be activists in our own right, contributing in whatever way we can, at the any level, giving support for our gay brethren, standing up for what we believe in, speaking up to get ourselves heard and fighting for our basic rights as human beings.

It is times like these that remind us not to take anything for granted. We should be counting our blessings, be thankful for the community that has given us the freedom to be gay and ask ourselves what we can give in return.

We may not have the power to revive the economy (so stop your whining) but we have the power to make a real difference. By shifting our focus from the 'self' to the community, we can attain true gayness (in every sense of the word) even in these troubled times.