Entry#1
My mom was invited to the wedding where both the bride and the groom happened to be her students when they were still in high school. So her name was on the list under the “ninang” section and was paired with a “ninong” whom we both didn't know. So as I was reading the list of invited guests, it dawned on me how strong heterosexuality’s role was played—most females that would walk down the aisle should be accompanied by a male. But my mom and I chose not to go the wedding on the day itself. Did the strong imposition of heterosexuality turned me off? Perhaps. Or we just got lazy.
Entry#2
So I went on a movie date with the guy I’ve been dating for a while now. And what’s funny is when it’s just he and I, we’d be really touchy and all but when we’re in a public place, we won’t. I can and I want to be touchy but he can’t and doesn’t want. He is still uncomfortable being seen holding hands or getting too close with another guy by other people. I know this is all because of the stigma posed by a judgmental heterosexual society. It sucks big time but then at least we have more reasons to go to private places :p Kidding.
Entry#3
Taking the train sometimes irritates me. When I get to sit on the plastic benches, I really don’t give up my seat for a woman. I just don’t, well unless she is pregnant or really old. I know some guys would rather stand than feel the guilt of letting a woman stand while their asses are seated comfortably. I get that feeling sometimes too but I ignore it. I know I have as much right as she does but being a male, who is stereotyped to be strong, requires me to be a gentleman as written in the heterosexual laws. But still, I don’t give up my seat easily. And during those two train trips I’ve had, I never did.
Entry#4
While shopping for Noche Buena, a former co-teacher of my mom accidentally bumped into us. Then came the obligatory catch ups. Then all of a sudden, the co-teacher, whom I’ve known since I was in grade school, asked if I have a girlfriend. I smiled and my mom said no. I know, I didn’t really answer because I might have said something like “I don’t like girls” or “I’m dating a guy now.” I can imagine the co-teacher’s face already. I really don’t like situations like that. It makes everything feel so awkward. Must a guy always have a girlfriend? Or should a guy must be solely for girls? This makes same-sex relationships abnormal. That’s why whenever I ask someone I would phrase my question this way: “Are you with someone? Boy or girl?”
Entry#5
With a Vodka Cruiser in my hand, I gave my brother a quick lecture on gender sensitivity. It was after he blatantly said that Vodka Cruiser is a drink for girls, carelessly implying that I am not man enough after being seen drinking it. Then I remember the TV advertisement of Colt 45 which had the tagline “strong beer for real men.” I thought, why would a beer define the degree of masculinity or heterosexuality for that matter? And to make the advertisement worse, the guys who were portrayed as less of a man showed sensitivity which only denotes that real men are strong and unemotional. I know this is an old issue but it never fails to irritate me.
Entry#6
Because my folks had decided to fire our maid on Christmas day, I was left with most of the chores once again. For the past months, we had been changing maids either because of their lack in housekeeping skills or family problems. So doing the dishes, the laundry and even cooking are not new to me. Besides, I had been exposed to doing these chores while I was still a kid. And when other people learn that I iron clothes, I garden and I clean the bathroom, they get amazed and would remark about their sons and daughters who don’t even sweep floors. And to top it all off, they would always point out that a boy doing all the chores is what even surprises them the most.
Entry#7
He and I had a movie date again. This time we watched “My House Husband, Ikaw na” in Mall of Asia. The movie title and poster say it all: a husband who does the housework the wife should be doing according to societal norms. I didn’t like to watch it at first because I sort of knew how the story would go but I still went at it; after all I’d be watching it with him, plus I was sure Eugene Domingo would make me laugh so hard. So yeah, the story went pretty much as how I had expected it to but what I liked about it, besides how funny it was, is how gender sensitive it was. It came to a point that it sounded like the UP DGO gender sensitivity lecture/training I had attended. I went out the cinema happy about the insights the movie had shared with those who had already seen it :D
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