When my family visited the Philippines last December, my eldest and 7 year old daughter got a glimpse of TV comedienne Vice Ganda on ABS-CBN’s Showtime. She asked me if he’s a boy or a girl? I answered “he’s a boy.” Her second question, why does he look that way? I told her that he’s gay and explained that there are men and women who dress and act the opposite sex because they think they are made that way. I said Christians believe that God created only a man and a woman but not everyone live their lives according to how God made them to be. I emphasized that all we can do is to be polite, don’t’ poke fun at them and don’t spread gossip about gay people.
A friend told me that Filipino children are almost desensitized to homosexuality. It’s now normal and ordinary to see gay images everywhere specially in broadcast media. I was surprised when I browsed the Filipino DVD section at an SM City Mall to find provocative images of gay sex-themed indie movies bluntly displayed on shelves, eye-level to children. Because gay images are so prevalent and normal in the media, I wonder if parents, churches and other community leaders are missing out on opportunities to teach Filipino children the truth about homosexuality.
