Filipino historians, particularly those who take pride in their machismo, would perhap cringe. Jose Rizal is, after all, the pride of the Malay race. His writings against colonial rule sparked the revolution against the spaniards and galvanized the imagination of an otherwise fragmented nation.
Was he gay? The article by Ambeth Ocampo does not really make such a conclusion, but it raises questions on Rizal’s sexuality. Conservative Filipinos would rather de-sexualize the image of Rizal, but would not refuse to grin everytime they talk about Rizal the womanizer. But gay? Never.
My two-cents: it doesn’t really matter. so what if our national hero was gay? it’s no big deal. go back to your bible and your business of proselytizing. ban idiotic movies that you believe threaten our moral foundation (news flash: the greatest threat to your dogma isn’t dan brown, it is your destructive and divisive sectarianism. please give a little respect to our intelligence). run after drug stores and NGOs that still sell abortifacients like condoms.
in the meantime, it is our moment to grin.
May 29, 2006 at 5:10 pm
Naalala ko pa noong PI 100 class namin, tuwing mababanggit ang pangalan ni Prof. Blumentritt, nagu-uyyyy ang klase. Mga pilyo’t pilyang bata. Hehe.
June 17, 2006 at 4:13 pm
Eureka. Don lang pala sa “Naked Protest II” entry ni Gari ko makikita ang blog mo ha.
Thank you, you made me catch up with that revealing article by Ambeth O. I think there’s no big deal whether Rizal was gay or not, given some analytic points cited by the author. I just can’t help ask myself: “Kaya pala “Sweet Nothings” ang tawag sa bolahan nila ni Leonor (tama ba ang pangalan?), e dahil nambobola lang talaga si Pepe? At kaya ba ayaw ni Rizal na mag-revolution ay dahil takot sya sa dugo?” Ha ha ha. (Joke lang ha. Nang-i-stereotype lang ako. He he.)
Seriously, I still give Rizal the credit for installing positive values on us Filipinos, whether he was gay or not.
My two cents.
July 3, 2006 at 10:50 am
Hi Jonas… I like this post, thanks for providing the link to Ambeth’s article…
Yup I still remember the TLF back in Leon Guinto… Can you give me the website address of TLF (the new one, if there’s any)… I’ve been staying here in Baguio City since Sept last year so medyo wala nang contact with a lot of people in Manila.
Anyway, if you don’t mind, please change the URL for “Oliver Twist”, this is my new web address http://www.orangeinapod.co.nr
I’m coming up with a weekly podcast talk show there… I’ll be uploading the first episode anytime soon… I’ll keep you posted.
Keep in touch as well.
August 27, 2006 at 1:45 am
this comment is totally unrelated to your post. pero jonas…update ka na ng site ;p three months na o.
October 9, 2006 at 10:54 pm
I like what you wrote: (news flash: the greatest threat to your dogma isn’t dan brown, it is your destructive and divisive sectarianism.)
October 12, 2006 at 5:10 pm
thanks for giving you point of view regarding the masculinity issue of rizal…
it helps me a lot in doing my concept paper.
by the way im jack a nursing student in uphs-gma
im proud to be a bi
November 23, 2006 at 10:46 am
wahahaha
December 18, 2006 at 6:25 pm
asa ka namang bi ka..sus..di porket nakabasa ka ng tsismis na bading si rizal, magtatatalon ka na jan sa kinalalagyan mo’t magiging proud kang bading..sus!
January 26, 2007 at 2:44 pm
di naman ata bading si rizal noh! nagkataon lang na naging close sila ni blumentritt.
June 28, 2007 at 11:23 am
Uhmmm… Hidden desire lang kay blumentrit?
July 7, 2007 at 9:31 am
uh-huh!.. hehe… wag ganun… di namn cguro…:p
July 8, 2007 at 11:58 pm
he was a deist meaning he does not believe in the judeo-christian concept of god. that important detail is being neglected, and has come so far as him portrayed carrying the catholic rosary during his execution is just outright pissing on his grave, and pissing on one of the country’s greatest heroes.
July 9, 2007 at 12:00 am
as for his sexual orientation, has then been emprical evidence to suggest that he was?
July 14, 2007 at 9:22 am
oh he is gay..
or maybe some gay tendencies.. whatever that is.. hehe
July 20, 2007 at 9:25 pm
rizal’s not gay… he is bisexual… harharhar
August 15, 2007 at 10:40 am
is it true that our philippine national hero, Dr. jose rizal a gay??
pls
reply..
August 15, 2007 at 10:41 am
jowker k tlga..
wheeeoo
aho_aho
August 15, 2007 at 10:46 am
T_T
huhu..
nAlunch
nah
ang
bgung
sEx-vidEo
ni
riZal??..
so,sad..
y
do
this
people
keep
on
discriminating
our
“beloved”
national hero..
to
those
who are responsble
of doing this
—the anti rizal…dUhh!!!
shUt up
qng
la na kau
mgwa sa
buhay
nu!!!!
i
really
hAte
those
hu
discriminate
others,
especially
FilipinoS-Filipinos
haiiiiii…
kElAn
p
kya
2
mtatapos…
September 27, 2007 at 6:42 am
Mga Gunggong !!!!
Who cares if Rizal was gay?
Grow up people.
January 16, 2008 at 4:54 pm
just stop this stupid issues ok??
January 16, 2008 at 5:28 pm
i never expected this entry would generate varying levels of agitation, but really, what is so repugnant with the possibility that Rizal was gay? Even Plato, whose ideas contributed to our notions of democracy, equality and sovereignty, had trysts with younger men.
I happen to admire Rizal, a true Filipino who exemplified an unparalleled sense of integrity, honor and dignity. If he was gay, so what? The possibility does not diminish his heroism at all.
fullman
P.S. this entry is generating a lot of hits, and i think most of them are from students who were told to write a paper on Rizal. If this is the case, don’t see your homework as an imposition, but an attempt - a quest, if you like - to know your own country through the life and works of Rizal. Read his books, too. And the point is, no matter what you think of Rizal and his sexuality, add a little rigor to your arguments.
April 30, 2008 at 2:43 pm
..wel yun dn sbi ng prof nmin..
.. isa xang bi..
.. oo nga, anu nman kung bi xa..
..dabah!!
October 8, 2008 at 11:17 am
bading si rizal,,,,,,, i mean bi sya tlg kasi he admire guy than girls…., in the book of work of jose rizal he never admire a girl personaly only physicali, but ung mga papa nya like blumentrit, super tlg ang admiraxon nya….