The Coño Boy 4: Jake

Chapter 40: Tampuhan

Tito Bonnie: Now it's time for the panel to talk. Let's hear what they have to say.

Miss Geraldine: Parang ang daming pinaglalaban ng lahat. I think we should just let Jake and Kelso be. Let them be young and be in love —sa tingin ko naman they are in love. The choices they have made so far have been very mature. You don't get that kind of clarity from some teens of this "selfie generation".

Tito Bonnie: Pero as an advocate of equal rights for members of the LGBTQ+ and the one at the forefront of the SOGIE Bill, do you think that Jake's decision is like a step backwards —isang pag-urong para sa laban ng mga gaya nila ni Kelso who belong to that rainbow spectrum?

Miss Geraldine: There is wisdom in knowing and choosing which battles to fight. I admire Jake for being so brave in choosing to face the consequences after pag-fiestahan sa social media ang isang bagay na precious sa kanilang dalawa. Sa tingin ko naman, Kelso is good for Jake because I sense he's a source of courage and confidence for the guy.

Tito Bonnie: But if you think about it, Miss Geraldine, not everyone in the LGBTQIA Community is as concerned about the rights we are clamoring for.

Miss Geraldine: Ito ang isa sa mga pinaka-malungkot na katotohanan sa labang ito, Tito Bonnie. There is indeed a disconnect for some members of the community kasi they are from a position of privilege kasi pakiramdam nila hindi sila affected. Kaya some members are indifferent to the cause. But I can't blame them especially if they live their lives inside the closet.

Glenn D: If I may interject, Tito Bonnie and Congresswoman Roman, gusto ko lang i-point out na I think we are all living at such a great time for these changes to be happening. Does anybody remember the world when "Will and Grace" was still airing in the United States? Yung mga panahon na underground pa ang Gay Culture sa Filipinas. When local magazines of gay interest were masquerading as showbiz magazines pero halata namang gays ang target market with men in their swimwear and underwear are all over the cover. When they used the excuse called "Indie Films" to have some form of Queer Cinema. Malayo na tayo sa panahong iyon. Graduate na tayo sa Facifica Falayfay representation of gay men in Philippine Cinema. Although meron pa rin mga cliché gay roles in films and soap operas, some gay roles are not just for comic relief anymore. Although it happened from about 2007 to 2017 —halos isang dekada, naging mabilis ang pagbabago sa imahe ng pagiging homosexual sa context of our current culture sa Pilipinas.

Miss Geraldine: Well, that's true, if we talk about presence in popular culture. Yet I am sure, Professor, kami sa LGBTQ+ Community, we are merely tolerated but not accepted. Para sa kalinawan ng publiko, isipin nating mabuti kung tolerance lang ba o aceptance ang mindset na meron tayo. Marami akong naririnig like, "Ay nakakatuwa naman yung anak mong bakla" kasi na-aamuse sila. Entertainment value na lang ba sila?

Tito Bonnie: What I love about this discussion is that two young men's decision about what is between them is opening what I think is a Pandora's Box of issues that affect the very core of what it is to love who you want to love.

Glenn D: Bilang isang lipunan ngayong halos dalawang dekada na matapos ang bagong milenyo, our collective consciousness as a society is sadly stuck in the 1800s. It's a lot of conservative factors, Tito Bonnie.

_ _ _

Tito Bonnie: What about you, Ryan. You've been quiet. But I can see the wheels in your head turning.

Ryan P: Tito, I would like to think that I'm an open-minded person. That I have seen much of the world and have seen my share of people. Ako, sa tingin ko, Jake may not take up arms now at labanan ang system but I'd like to call out the hypocrisy of some athletes —hindi lang sa basketball.