Thursday, December 25, 2014

A Question A Gay (Keeps Ignorance Away) #1

I was recently give this very special photobook, published by the UP Center for Women's Studies in coordination with Babaylanes, Inc. and UP Babaylan. The Project Director himself gave me my cherished copy.


Anong Pangalan Mo Sa Gabi? at iba pang tanong sa mga LGBT is a compilation of questions asked of members of the LGBT, scribbled on a board, held by the member who contributed that question, then dramatically photographed in the beautiful UP Campus by Rod Singh. They also wrote the answers to the questions, presented beside their photographs. Kudos to editors Tetay Mendoza and Joel Acebuche!

It is an amazing collection of provocative, poignant photos and text, all resonating in the chambers of the LGBT heart. The book is available at selected shops, like Popular Bookstore along Tomas Morato Ave. in QC and online thru goodreads

The book inspired me to begin a series of posts around the book. I have asked permission from the project director to post excerpts from the book. The excerpts are personally chosen, and are not faithful to the pagination of the book.

AQAG #1


Kanino mo yan namana?

I love the way he answered: Nung chineck ko, wala naman sa last will and testament ni Lolo.

The nature vs nurture debate remains hanging. Personally, I know of some LGBT relatives from both sides of the family. But could sexual attraction really be passed on genetically? The last time I read, there seems to be some biological differences between a section of heteresexual and homosexual adult male brains. But that is hardly conclusive. And one can always argue that the environment could have been the cause of the difference.

On a deeply personal note, I have always felt that my sexual attraction could not have been 'developed' or learned. Something as deep as a yearning for another man could not have been planted from outside ("inceived" hehehe). I must have been born this way. (cue in Lady Gaga). At the least, it is congenital. Maybe.

What about you? What do you feel?


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I feel like I was also "born this way" :)

Mamon said...

I feel there's a bit of predestination in play. I have close relatives from both sides of the families who are PLU's.

The environment would be, I think, the greatest factor that influenced me like yearning for dad's love, growing up with female family members, and studying in an exclusive school.

FiftyShadesOfQueer said...

I'm leaning towards the possibility that homosexuality is largely a result of certain environmental conditions throughout the course of one's development.

Falling in love and attraction is a social function. Sex is a biological function. So probably, homosexuality is both developed and inherited.

Then again, my real belief is that we are all born bisexuals and as we grow up, we tend to lean at one side of the spectrum based on the environment and conditions we are placed in as we grow.

Boyet said...

I am leaning more towards the idea that I was born gay. Yes, I am not 100% sure of this even if I am sure today that I am not straight. I didn't have attraction to boys when I was still in grade school, in fact I enjoy watching PBA and playing sports with my guys friends then. I was even part of an all boys barkada and courted a girl that time. When I excelled in high school, I became part of the star section where there are lot of gay and female classmates. These gay guys and girl classmates eventually became my barkada. I started using their expressions and their interests also became my interest. I got confused at the later part of high school when one of my gwapo/closest/sikat barkada who has a girlfriend then was too clingy to me. He even invited me to practice french kissing with me inside his room believing that it was really just a practice because he has a girlfriend. I enjoyed it though. It all started there. I felt that it could have been a different set of barkada, maybe...just maybe I've chosen a different path.