By Nedu Obi: Recently, eight-division world boxing champ and Filipino congressman Manny Pacquiao, scheduled to meet Timothy Bradley Jr. in a rubber match on April 9, took time out from his training session to participate in a political Q&A TV debate in his native Philippines. One of the questions raised, surrounded homosexual relationships. What ensued was a vitriolic homophobic rant; a slur if you will.
“It’s common sense,” the eight times world champion, who later apologized, said. “Do you see animals mating with the same sex? Animals are better because they can distinguish male from female. If men mate with men and women mate with women they are worse than animals.”
Suffice it to say, his comments didn’t go down too well, as a matter of fact, lead balloon would be an appropriate phrase; NIKE subsequently terminated his lucrative contract, and even his long-time promoter Bob Arum had strong words for the 37-year-old. Nonetheless, following the backlash, he has since profusely apologized and recanted. However, once NIKE had made his contract cancellation official, he changed his tune; more or less stating he stands by his original claim.
“What I am saying is right. I mean I am just stating the truth, what the Bible says,” he said at training in his hometown of General Santos.
With that being said, there seems to be some glaring omissions in relation to all the counteraction and brouhaha aimed at Pacquiao. For one, he’s a devout God-fearing Christian, and as such abides by the scriptures of the Holy Book, which per se, denounces same-sex relationships; Leviticus. Secondly, he’s wholly entitled to his opinion, much like the rest of us. Said opinion can easily be interpreted as a freedom of expression; something which in most cases, is afforded to all of us.
Nevertheless, apropos the Bible’s take on homosexuality, should we really take it at face value? It’s more a case of each to their own; some agree to its vilification of homosexuality whilst others fervently condemn it.
In the dark ages, and even today in some countries, homosexuality is punishable by death.
Still, the upside and/or positives of Pacquiao’s anti-gay remark far outweigh the negatives; we live in a society where most people are now aware and fully informed that homosexuality is no different to heterosexuality; our brains and bodies were never designed to adapt to one specific sexuality (heterosexualism); we’re genetically born that way, not either-or.
The debate regarding pro and anti-same-sex couples/relationships will rage on long before our time is done. Pacquiao’s comments, though incendiary, have not only highlighted the fact that we’re still far from the finish line when it comes to the intricacies of sexuality, it also indicates that people from all walks of life; black or white, rich or poor can still hold such steadfast views.
Finally, his comments have given the gay community/LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) a meritorious platform/outlet to share their thoughts on this abhorrent stigma of homosexuality. So, if Pacquiao’s thought-provoking viewpoints assist to squash even an iota of the age-old perceived notion that ‘the other’ is degenerate and the ‘norm’ is the exception to the rule, then unwittingly, he’s accentuated the fight for same-sex equality.
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