1+5 Idiotic (and Infuriating) Things People from the idiot Society Say about LGBT

Let me tell you some things about me: I think that 2 women kissing is hot. I watched Love of Siam and got totally kilig. I cried a lot when I watched Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros. I have more gay friends than guy friends.

I am not part of the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Bisexual) community, but I am a firm believer that love knows no sex and when it is a question of love and desire what's between the legs can be completely irrelevant. If a man and another man fall in love, and they want to physically express that love, then I don't have a problem with that. I'm romantic like that. 

I respect people's opinions. Some people are not in favor of LGBT love, and that's fine. But saying things that are so hate-filled and idiotic is another matter. Just check out the comment section of any LGBT-related stories and you'll find a load of crap. There are some that makes me lose faith in humanity. Ergo, this list. 

1.Let's get this one out of the way: "Gays caused AIDS."

I actually already wrote about this in my 5 Ignorant (and Sometimes Infuriating) Things People Say About HIV/AIDS blogpost and here's an excerpt of that:

"No. HIV causes AIDS. It is a virus that attacks the immune system, causing it to become inefficient in eliminating infectious diseases. The end stage of the HIV infection is the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or AIDS. Regardless of how fab gays are, I think it's beyond their awesome gayness to make a virus. Unless that awesome gayness is intertwined heavily with microbiology and genetics, of course."

2. This effed-up definition of GENDER:

Let us look at what exactly Merriam-Webster has to say about gender.:

Gender: the behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits typically associated with one sex

This comment came from an Inquirer article about using the pronoun "she" for murdered transgender Jennifer Laude. Sometimes, I think people's bigotry can severely damage their reading comprehension skills. 

Gender are traits associated with either being female or male. TRAITS. CHARACTERISTICS. Wearing a dress. Having long hair. Doing household chores. Being feminine. All these are traits associated with being female. So what if someone who is biologically male starts taking on the behavioral, cultural, and psychological traits of being female, does that mean that he can change his gender into a she?I think the answer is yes.

By definition, he can be a she.

3. "Umandar naman yung kabaklaan niya."

Oh my effin' gawd. Hindi ko ito kinaya. 

Context: This high blood-inducing line was delivered by someone who I know personally, who I though was sensitive and understanding. From someone who I though was smart enough to not spew sexist shiz. I was wrong, but I also did say that anything you do can and will be used against you in my blog, so this made the list. The "kabaklaan" in that statement? It meant cowardice.

Seriously.

It really ticks me  off when people use sexist slurs, such as referring to a coward as "bakla"(gay) (or "pussy", but we're talking about LGBTs here). Gays - LGBTs - are some of the bravest people I know. Not only do they have to face discrimination, but also gender-based violence and the idiocy of many people who spew ignorance such as the ones stated above. It takes guts to face all of these things. 

4. "Kasalanan din naman yan ni Jeffrey Laude. Nanloko siya." (It's also Jeffrey Laude's fault. He conned the killer.)

This comment is something repeated, like a sick mantra, in many if not all of the news items about the murder of transpinay Jennifer Laude. One of the most popular theories is that Jennifer was murdered by US Marine Scott Pemberton after he found out that she was a transpinay and not a "real woman". At this, the victim-blaming attitude of many citizens of the Idiot Society reared its ugly head again, this time blaming Jennifer for getting killed because she allegedly did not tell Pemberton that she is not a "real woman".

You know how stupid that sounds? Blaming someone FOR GETTING BEAT UP AND MURDERED? Just because Jennifer Laude is a transpinay? FYI, people of the Idiot Society, Jennifer Laude was well within her rights to express herself as she felt she should be - a woman. 

Check out principle 19 of the Yogyakarta Pricnicple, a universal guide to human rights in relation to Sexual orientation and Gender Identity. 

In the age of Google, I can't believe that people are still getting stupider. 

if you're lazy to Google, here are the links to what the Yogyakarta Principles are about and the principles themselves.

5. "Same-sex marriage is an affront to my religion!"

Honestly: 

Or, to quote Elaine de Guzman, "Wala kaming pakialam sa nararamdaman mo."

But let us expand more on this. So what does good ol' Meriam-Webster have to say?

Marriage: the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law;  the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage

Wedding:  a marriage ceremony usually with its accompanying festivities

So what's the deal> Weddings are often religious in nature, but a marriage is legal in nature. What the LGBT is asking for is the right to have their relationship be acknowledged by law so that their relationship can have the protection of the legal system. The keywords here are legal protection.

What those who oppose same-sex marriage fail to understand is that It has absolutely nothing to do with religious ceremonies. You can keep your wedding.

6. This screen-cap: 

(Yes, that's my face right there. More on that when I publish my Halloween post!)

Moving on. This comment actually has some saving grace: the fact that the commenter was actually quite honest with his intentions and how he was faring in his campaign. My problem is this: WHY would someone want to lessen support for a group that faces discrimination, gender-based violence, and is essentially getting the short end of the stick? WHY? If the campaign is to lessen support for those crazy psychos in ISIS, then by all means, do it. But why waste precious time keyboard warrioring to diminish support for a minority which needs as much support as it can get? I think that's screwed up.

I end this blogpost with my usual advice to everyone who has the capacity to express themselves. Please, for the love of everything decent and good on earth, educate yourselves before saying something akin to the idiocies I have enumerated above. Instead of using time, bandwidth, and your smartphone's battery to bash and spread hate, use it to learn more about things you still don't understand. Speaking out of ignorance will not help the issues. And ignorance will never be an excuse for arseholiness. 

5 Ignorant (and Sometimes Infuriating) Things People Say About HIV/AIDS

The Red Whistle is an awareness campaign for HIV.
Those who wish to learn more about the infection
should check them out.

I have to be honest. I wrote this because I saw some pretty nasty comments online about PLHIV and many of them are pretty darn ignorant. I really hate it when people blab about things they have no idea about or they haven't understood completely. I'm hoping that people are just ignorant, because if they aren't then they're just cruel. Faith in humanity, gone. 

Then again, it is the internet and we are on social media. People can say anything they want (mostly; please remember we have the Cybercrime Law now). But this doesn't mean that the ignorant and infuriating words can't be corrected and criticized, especially in my blog. This is Codswallop after all. 

So, people who blab without thinking, here's a fair warning: Anything you say can and may be used against you. 

As usual, if you dislike reading, this article isn't for you. I'm going to be putting in a LOT of references that nerds like me love to nibble on. Links galore! 

1. "Gays caused AIDS."

No. HIV causes AIDS. It is a virus that attacks the immune system, causing it to become inefficient in eliminating infectious diseases. The end stage of the HIV infection is the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or AIDS. Regardless of how fab gays are, I think it's beyond their awesome gayness to make a virus. Unless that awesome gayness is intertwined heavily with microbiology and genetics, of course.

In the 1980s a group of homosexual males were found to be suffering from Pneumocystis carinii, an infection which occurs on immune deficient individuals. This eventually led to the discovery of HIV. Then, it was called GRID or Gay-Related Immune Deficiency. 

For a comprehensive look at the history of HIV, check out this timeline.

We're not in the 1980s anymore, ladies and gentlemen, and it has been proven that HIV, unlike members of the Idiot Society, does not discriminate. Educational status, financial standing, and race do not shield one from HIV. It can affect men, women, children, the poor, the rich, the educated, the heterosexual, the homosexual, and the homosexual. In fact in some Malaysia, the "feminization of HIV" is becoming a trend, particularly among sex workers. This means that more and more women are becoming infected. 

Unfortunately, fundies are taking advantage of the high prevalence of HIV in gay men  and Men Having Sex with Men to further homophobic and even religious agendas. Claiming that "gays cause AIDS" is not only intellectually dishonest, it is also increasing the stigma and discrimination against the MSMs and homosexual men. In fact, these key population suffer double stigma - for their sexual preferences and practice, and their sero-positive status. 

Stigma related to the infection has detrimental effects in the treatment and eradication of disease. Sero-positive individuals and key population such as MSMs and homosexuals are often branded by the conservatives of society as sexually promiscuous and practicing sexual acts that are frowned upon. To save themselves from being "marked", most people would rather forego testing for HIV and even acquiring treatment and counselling for it. This is why our progress with combating the infection is slow.

The cause of AIDS is HIV, not people's sexual identity.

For more ignorant comments, check out the feedback in this article.

2. "AIDS doesn't matter."

Maybe I just have a weird sense of humor, but I find this joke lame at best, stupid and offensive at worst:

"Anung gusto mong magkaroon, HIV o AIDS?

Ako AIDS... 

Coz AIDS doesn't matter."

Translation for my English readers:

"What do you want to have, HIV or AIDS?

I'd rather have AIDS...

Coz AIDS doesn't matter."

What's worse is that I found it posted in a Facebook wall of a NURSE. God forbid our nurses have become so insensitive as to joke about HIV/AIDS. 

Does he mean that AIDS shouldn't matter because we should treat everyone equally and not discriminate? I hope so. And that hope was shattered. Unfortunately, many people joke about the infection, stating that it doesn't matter, and truly believe that it doesn't matter. Either they haven't seen the stats, they haven't heard the news, or they live under a rock.

DOH made it clear that the problem is far from a laughing matter.

Obviously those numbers are no joke. For more information, you can check out the HIV Registry in the DOH website. Sorry I couldn't link it here. As of this posting, the website is still down. 

3. "HIV is a punishment from God."

Seriously? Some people still believe this? No wonder the Philippines is still 3rd world. 

4. "The government should require key population to get tested."

I see the wisdom in mandatory HIV test. It will (1) ensure that more people are aware of their status and (2) allow identified PLHIVs to start treatment early. But mandatory testing should be last resort, primarily because it runs over several more logical solutions to the HIV problem and people's rights to autonomy in health care.

Point 1: It is against the law. 

Let us look at Section 15 of RA8504, also known as the Philippine AIDS Prevention and Contril of 1998.

"Sec. 15. Consent as a requisite for HIV testing. — No compulsory HIV testing shall be allowed. However, the State shall encourage voluntary testing for individuals with a high risk for contracting HIV: Provided, That written informed consent must first be obtained. Such consent shall be obtained from the person concerned if he/she is of legal age or from the parents or legal guardian in the case of a minor or a mentally incapacitated individual."

Argument 2: If the DOH would like to push for mandatory HIV testing, they would have to court several legislators to lobby it in Congress. This would take time and money. I am all for the amendment of the AIDS Law (it's 2014; a law made in 1988 definitely needs an upgrade) but focus should be in more aggressive actions to prevent the disease and not assaulting discriminated population to undergo a procedure against their will. Also, more sustainable solutions to providing ARVs to People Living with HIV (PLHIVs) should be considered in the amendment.

Read more of the AIDS Law here.

Point 3: In developmental work key population can mean high risk population. In the Philippines, this means homosexuals and MSMs and perhaps sex workerd, who are most commonly infected by HIV. These people are already stigmatized and discriminated. Mandatory testing will take away consent of patients when it comes to medical procedures. It undermines the principle of  client autonomy. It is against human rights.

Mandatory HIV testing may also lead to further discrimination against PLHIV. While it is stipulated in the AIDS Law that a sero-positive individual cannot be turned away from study or employment due to his or her status, being forced to go through the test may still discriminatory repercussions on KPs and increase the stigma against them. 

Point 4: There are better ways to get someone tested, and it is not making the test mandatory. Why not put money on massive education campaigns that would make people want to take the test and not fear it?

Recently, the DOH Secretary Enrique Ona made a statement regarding mandatory HIV testing. He was shot down by several advocacy groups and was reminded by the palace of the legalities of managing HIV. There are better ways to address the increasing number of HIV/AIDS. Education that includes key population AND people who have lower risk in getting the disease should be priority one. Not only will this help eliminate the myths and misconceptions about HIV, it will also help with the stigma surrounding the infection. reduction of stigma may allow people to be more open in terms of getting themselves tested. Another essential action is ensure sustainability in treatment and counselling for PLHIV.

Picture is from the ever-awesome Internet

5. "May HIV ka? Yuck, don't touch me!"

An exaggeration, but not quite far from the truth. A lot of people who misunderstand the pathology of the infection believe that HIV is easily translated. Honestly, there is a higher probability that one will catch a common cold, for the simple reason that HIV is transmitted through blood and body fluids (semen, pre-cum, vaginal secretions, and breast milk). Unless there is a transfer of these fluids from the PLHIV to a sero-negative individual, say through unprotected sexual contact or broken skin, HIV will not be transferred so easily. 

From HIVandHepatitis.com

Learn more about the HIV transmission here.

People who are ignorant about the communicability of HIV and and who stigmatize PLHIV based from how most people are infected (unprotected sex) believe that even casual contact with PLHIV would cause them to acquire the infection. This is far from true and why this writer used the word "ignorant". You can hug a PLHIV, kiss a PLHIV, even have safe, satisfying sex with a PLHIV partner and still be HIV-free.

I'm really bad at concluding my posts, but really there's just one lesson to be learned here: HIV is a disease that, although not 100% understood (we have yet to find a cure), can be studied in many books and materials. All you have to do is go on Google and read with open eyes and an open mind. Read and understand something before opening your mouth. If you don't care about hurting people's hearts with your insensitivity and people's brain with your ignorance, at least care about your reputation. Wouldn't want to be branded as stupid, would you?

Related Article:

But I'm Your Best Friend! HIV/AIDS Talk and the UPLB Experience

In a Nutshell: What I Learned in the AIDS Course AIDS, Wits, and Thailand’s Condom King

Baby Out! PSORHN's First BORHN

Manila, Philippines - The Philippine Society of Sexual and Reproductive Health Nurses (PSORHN), a group of nurses who advocate and serve for SRHR in the county, had its hands full last week.  Three simultaneous events were happening - two in Metro Manila and another in Bagui. While PSORHN nurses were educating communities regarding sexual and reproductive health in Baguio, another group was at the UP-PGH Ortoll Center in Manila, being trained on inserting long-acting contraceptive, Implanon. 

 

In a not-so-distant location in the capital, PSORHN was conducting the first ever Basic Orientation on Reproductive Health Nursing (BORHN). Held at the Philippine Nurses' Association's (PNA) auditorium, BORHN is an entry-level training for those who wish to be RH nurses. It covers fundamental topics such as sexual and reproductive health, a primer on the Reproductive Health Law, and opportunities of nurses who will be specializing in sexual and reproductive health.

I had the pleasure of attending the pioneer batch of BORHN and despite being in the advocacy of reproductive health for several years now, I believe that BORHN a very comprehensive course that would-be RH nurses would benefit from. Here are some of the highlights of the course: 

1. The relationship of society's concept of sexuality to service delivery and promulgation of laws and policies; 

2. Treaties and international laws pertaining to SRHR; 

3. Major provisions of the RH Law, especially those pertaining to the practice of nursing, and the prohibitive acts; 

4. The opportunities for RH nurses.

Another batch of future RH nurses will be undergoing the BORHN training on the 20th of September. For more details regarding the training, visit the PSORHN website.

Hope to see you there!

New Ways of Seeing: Study examines youth views on teenage pregnancy and romantic relationships

What do young Filipinos think about sexual and reproductive health?  How do they look at issues like teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, virginity and sexual relationships? What images do they associate with these concepts? 


In the last two years, Mulat Pinoy conducted two amateur video contests: “We Are Right Here. We Are RH.”, and “Sexual Health: Shout or Shush?” These two competitions encouraged young people to submit videos that expressed their thoughts regarding a controversial topic: sexual and reproductive health and rights. With the debate raging constantly across all levels of discourse, Mulat Pinoy sought to give young people a voice in the discussion, to give them a chance to show what they see and feel. 


Data Tolentino-Canlas, a professor at the College of Mass Communication of the University of the Philippines and a PhD student of Rhetorics, Communication and Information Design in Clemson University, carefully scrutinized the submissions for both contests. Her goal was to analyse a total of 45 videos and discover the prevailing trends among the entries: subject matter, word choice, image choice, and so on.


Her study, titled “New Ways of Seeing,” yielded distinct patterns regarding the notions being held by the young people who submitted. Her abstract covered the broader points:


Findings revealed that portrayals of topics related to sexual and reproductive health rights were still highly influenced by mass media, traditional views on marriage and sex. A gap likewise existed in the understanding of statistical and research information and its representation for a young audience. Creators of the videos focused on romantic heterosexual relationships, and how these usually lead to unwanted pregnancies, with women being on the receiving end of the “punishment” of a life of lost opportunities.  


Representations of reproductive and sexual health rights were extremely low, compared to repeated images of contraceptives per se. However these representations did not discuss nor advocate their use, and instead were presented as controversial artifacts that came in conflict with traditional Roman Catholic beliefs. Likewise, there were very few representations of the LGBTQ communities, which were, ironically, some of the most vocal advocated of sexual health rights and awareness.


Among the patterns that Tolentino-Canlas discovered from testing were these specific qualities:


- Teenage relationships are primarily perceived as not only heterosexual, but with admonishing tones regarding sex between young people and seen as the cause of ‘troublesome’ situations.


- Teen pregnancy is portrayed as a burden left to the mothers, with social stigmas and hardship-related effects as an expected by-product without enough support or care from the father or other possible sources.


- Contraception is almost exclusively identified with condoms, and not any other method such as pills or family planning.


- Homosexuality is occasionally rendered with a degree of irony and derision, and focuses solely on gay men rather than the broader spectrum that includes lesbians and queers.


- Religious discussion is clearly avoided but backgrounds and imagery remain prominent, especially as a balm in troublesome situations. Seeking aid and counsel from friends, family or community is less common than seeking solace in prayer/faith.


Each of these aforementioned items, along with several other points, were drawn from the collated info from the videos, using a specialized coding matrix. After the comprehensive analysis, Tolentino-Canlas also provided suggestions about how young people can best move forward, in terms of broadening their awareness and their expressive intent. She stated:


The study recommended exploring ways of presenting information that would allow creators to critique mass media representations of the issues raised above. The study presented suggestions for alternative stories (i.e., successful single parents vs. the sinful, damned woman), images, and approaches to reveal perspectives and explore topics beyond the boundaries of religion and tradition, under which most of the creators still operated. The study suggested changing, empowering and defying present conceptualizations and images of reproductive and sexual health to allow young people the opportunity to discuss subject matter that really mattered to them, and not just what societal structures think they should concern themselves with.


While the study did not have a wide enough statistical sample to be able to speak conclusively regarding all Filipino youth, it does reflect how powerful the influence of mass media can be, and how young people can definitely use similar platforms to speak out in return.


The major points of the study’s findings can be found here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/142018527/Mulat-Pinoy-Year-3-Video-Contest-Content-Analysis

For more information: Mulatpinoy.ph
Facebook: Mulat Pinoy
Twitter: @mulatpinoy

Contact Person: Regina Layug Rosero, regina@mulatpinoy.ph


*This article is a press release by Mulat Pinoy and is only shared in this blog.  

Four Crazy Things I Found Through Research: Adolescent Sexuality, Religion, and Everything in Between

Hurray! This is my 28^th blogpost! I’ve reached the number of post I had last year and it’s only July! I promise that there is more Codswallop to come. 

Now onwards with the post!

My work for the past few weeks has been centered on scouring the Internet to prove that there is an alarming increase in teenage pregnancy because of lack of information regarding reproductive health. That one is easy: I’ll just have to quote NSO’s press releases which state that there is a 65% increase in teenage pregnancy from 2000 to 2006.[i] My job also includes listing down the reasons as to why there is a lack of access to information. We all know that one of the most obvious reasons is that 81% of Filipinos is Catholic,[ii] but when your bosses include Lizzie Zobel and Alvin Dakis, the reason that “it’s common knowledge” is a reason crushed by skepticism that rivals an atheist’s when confronted with the argument of the existence of god. 

Hungry for knowledge (and honestly terrified of not being able to answer questions thrown during our revision exercises), I channeled Hermione Granger and ate up several volumes of Philippine Population Review, slept with a magazine on girls on migration, and scoured the Internet for anything from Papal Encyclicals to the Jo Imbong’s shiz about sex ed[iii]. And because I’m such a nerd, I’m writing this oh-so-special blogpost to share the happiness and the trauma I’ve experienced during my rabid online research.

Here are some crazy data that I found that made me question, react either with awe or violence, or look out into the horizon and ponder on the meaning of existence. 

1. 83% of Filipinos are on Facebook, Twitter, and other emerging media.[iv]

 

That’s 83% of almost 92 million people, ladies and gentlemen, and there are those who still underestimate the power of the social media to inform and influence. In this day and age of smart

And this tells us the reach – the power- of social media. In this day and age where a significant portion of Filipinos have smart phones, access to internet through their personal computers or through internet shops, many advocacy groups, government agencies, and even the Roman Catholic Church have Facebook and Twitter accounts. 

Just this Tuesday, the oral arguments were held for the Reproductive Health Law at the Supreme Court. Both pro-RH and anti-RH were Tweeting to keep people in the know.  

2. High cost of education and – get this – housekeeping are the top two reasons why girls drop out of school.[v]

I actually received flak from someone online when I posted this little bit of info online, saying that I was insinuating that girls should be lazy and not do housework. It drove me nuts for a couple of seconds, but there you go. I will no longer speak about the incidence.

The point: Why is it that the GIRLS are the ones shown to quit school because of housework? Why not boys?

The question: What does the study tell us?

The hypothesis: This stat has something to do with what’s between the legs. The Filipino culture, known for its patriarchal ideologies (despite ranking 8 in the world in terms of the Gender Gap Index) have stereotyped girls as the keepers of the house – despite the fact that today many women maintain jobs outside the house and are bringing home the bacon. 

One of the many literature I’ve read talked about the dangers of gender roles. In the news, we hear about the inequality of those with penises and with vaginas. The Philippines may be high up in the list of gender equality, but that doesn’t mean we have to stop working for it.

3. Empowered mothers tend to rear empowered daughters – and this means talking about sex.[vi]

 

What does it mean to be an empowered woman? Several things, according to this study – having an education and a career, being able to decide what happens around the house and - surprise, surprise - having the ability to make informed choices about one’s body. That, and being able to pass that knowledge to one’s daughter. In the study, it was shown that empowered moms would more likely advice their daughters to delay sexual initiation and give them the necessary sex ed to their children. 

4. Abstinence is more frequently talked about during integrated sex ed class than reproductive anatomy.[vii]

I shiz you not,dear Reader. Not using your reproductive anatomy is taught more than WHAT your reproductive anatomy is. 

My desk is a reflection how crazy I've become.

The Internet is an awesome reservoir of knowledge, and this past few weeks have been a learning experience for me. The multitude of data and information I was able to take in were eye-opening and had elicited a variety of emotions – like I said, from awe to violence – but most importantly, the job has made me look closer at what is happening in real life, it has made me question and seek answers.

If you’re interested in any of the stuff I talked about here, check out the linkies below for more cool/infuriating stuff about religion, sexual health, and young people. 

Knock yourself out.

---

[i] “Pregnancy among girls under the age of 20 increased by 65 per cent over a 10-year period, from 2000-2010, despite a reverse trend in teen marriages, which is on the decline, according to the National Statistics Office (NSO).”

http://www.unfpa.org.ph/index.php/news/323-philippines-highlights-rising-teen-pregnancy-on-1st-international-day-of-girl-child

[ii] http://www.sws.org.ph/pr20130407.htm

[iii] “Supposing [a girl] says, ‘I think I love this guy, He’s my crush. He wants to be more intimate with me,’ and then she gets abused. That was her decision. She entered into it. There is already consent, therefore you cannot anymore charge the other person. See how dangerous it is?"

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/196473/news/specialreports/cbcp-sex-ed-will-cause-developmental-harm

[iv] McCann International study on social media use: Power to the People Social Media Tracker Wave 3

http://www.slideshare.net/mickstravellin/universal-mccann-international-social-media-research-wave-3

[v] UNICEF

http://www.unicef.org/philippines/brief04_fnl.pdf

[vi] http://www.ucghi.universityofcalifornia.edu/docs/womens-health/influence-of-parents-marital-relationship.pdf

[vii] In a study conducted by Merlyne Paunlagui, et. al. in 2005, abstinence was more commonly discussed than sexual decision-making (37.86%), reproductive anatomy (35.92%), contraception (30.10%), and risk reduction, which received the lowest attention at 25.24%.

http://journals.upd.edu.ph/index.php/rws/article/viewFile/2898/2680