Male Homosexual Culture of the Philippines

When Filipinos see a couple consisting of two people of the same sex the typical question that comes to mind is 'which one of them is gay?'. This question had always puzzled me. What do you mean which one of them is gay? They're both gay right? How could one be gay and the other not be? Why would they go with the same sex if they weren't? Well it's not always like that in the Philippines.

The homosexual culture is a little different in the Philippines then it's western counter-part. Homosexuals, cross-dressers, and bi-sexuals are all labeled under the term 'gay'. Surprisingly in a Catholic dominated country homosexuality is widely accepted in the Philippines compared to other cultures, even to dominant American culture but there is still much discrimination towards these people.

All gay men are stereotyped to want to be women and muscular gay men don't like to admit that their gay. Homosexual men fall into three categories.

1. Pa-girls. They're the ones associated with the beauty parlor. Their into cosmetics, the more make-up you have one the more your like a girl ( or the more you look like a prostitute). These group of people are the typical the gay stereotype that other homosexuals fall under. Pa-girls only want to be with 'straight' men because being with other homosexual men will be like being with another girl which would make them lesbian.

How would a Pa-girl convince a straight man to be his boyfriend and perform consensual sex with him. Money of course. It isn't hard to find a boyfriend if you have the money to keep one. The successful Pa-girls who win the most gay beauty pageants and earn more money doing someone's hair has the most steady boyfriend. Steady income equals steady boyfriend. He'll keep coming for his money. This shows the desperate situation in the Philippines that some people will do almost anything for money.

2. Pa-Mihn. They don't dress like women or act feminine in anyway. They hide the fact that their gay for fear of being unaccepted by society. They usually lead a double life by marrying a woman and then going out with his Pa-girl boyfriend at night.

The are sometimes labeled bi-sexual. Bi-sexual in the Philippines doesn't actually mean that you like both sexes, you might only like guys but since most pa-mihn are married, they fall under this category.

3. The new category is Urban Gays. They aren't ashamed of being gay and are usually more educated then the first two groups of homosexuals. Their outward appearance resembles the Pa-mihn because he doesn't like to cross-dress or look like a girl. They usually have a successful career and have a normal open relationship with their partner.