Sense and Sensitivity

By Johanne R. Macob

 

MY beau would often complain about my being overly sensitive. It’s what we usually fight over, and which I am currently working on. Oops, though it’s still love month, this isn’t another ‘love’ article. I’m actually headed for a ‘sensitivity’ issue here, recognizing that people are sensitive creatures. It’s just the level that varies.

A few days ago, world-renowned Pinoy boxer turned politician, Manny Pacquiao, found himself in hot water for his ‘insensitive’ words for LGBT couples. “It’s just common sense. Have you seen any animals that are boy on boy or girl on girl? The animals are even better because they know who are the women and who are the men, right? Now if there are men on men or women on women, then the humans are even worse than the animals,” he said in Pilipino.

Though some may have backed Manny’s statement, I think, many, including non-LGBTs, think otherwise. Take the social media that has been filled with furious remarks against the homophobic senatoriable.

Personally, I’d say Manny Pacquiao has crossed the line. His “common sense” could’ve and should’ve told him not to cross the line between being human and inhuman. It’s one thing to express your opinion about matters, it’s another thing to insult your fellows, especially if it’s directed on a specific sector. He could’ve voiced his opinion that he’s against same-sex marriage and stopped there. If he thinks gay couples are being immoral then calling people “worse than animals” is immoral as well.

Manny doesn’t have the moral right to describe gay couples worse than animals when he doesn’t even know them. You can call a politician corrupt through documentary evidence or call an employee inefficient through his/her performance records, perhaps, but what right does he have to call his fellow humans worse than animals? Are all the LGBTs committing heinous crimes? Do they kill other people for no reason? Some LGBT members like some heterosexuals may be “worse than animals” if they commit the heinous crimes but not simply because they are gay couples.

I went to a university where gender discrimination is rejected. I even had a subject called gender and society promoting gender equality. I am a Christian. I am heterosexual but more than that, I am human, who upholds the idea of humanity. I love my homosexual friends in the same way that I love my heterosexual friends. Yes, we live in a democratic country where we enjoy freedom of speech but then again, we have to keep in mind that our right ends where the rights of others begin. Just like everybody else in this world, the LGBT community has its rights. I hope time will come when we won’t need to have that distinction.

As an end note, I also hope that those criticizing Manny as well won’t cross the line as he did. We must stop making hasty generalizations.

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