iLIKEJOAQUIN

I just spent 30 mins writing back to a 14 yr old roomie. I love Q&As :) if you have any questions remember to send them to ILJQAA@gmail.com 

For 20 years, Pilipin@s in San Francisco have gathered in the summer to celebrate the rich Pilipin@ culture by attending Pistahan. For 20 years, Pilipin@s have left their mark in the San Francisco community through song, dance, and food. For 20 years, SF has changed along with its Pilipino community. For 20 years, Pilipin@s have created his/herstory in SF.

We have to ask ourselves, as Pilipin@/Pilipin@ Americans, what does the next 20 years look like? How will we shape our Pilipin@ community? How will we preserve our his/herstory? How will we continue to leave our mark as the years pass? What will we do to help keep our culture alive?

I am so humbled to be selected as this years Festivals Manager and I can’t wait for what this year has in store for Pistahan. Its going to be an amazing ride. How will I leave my mark within the Pilipin@ community in SF?

I’ll start here with Pistahan.

When you leave this world, what mark/legacy will you leave behind? 

It makes me wonder why this topic interest me.

Is it the fact that I myself, a gay man, has recently become a fanatic of sports starting with basketball, to baseball, to now football? Or is it the fact that I’m watching a feature on Comcast Sports titled “The Last Barrier”, in which people discuss the positive and negative impacts that a gay male athlete coming out would have on a team.

Did I mention I’m watching this on comcast sports???

With the Super Bowl coming in two weeks, I ask myself, am I the only gay male who is excited and interested in watching this game - obviously not only to watch a dozen or so men get on each other, wrestling each other down, and talking dirty to each other like hut hut or 42, 43, 69, but to really appreciate the plays and athleticism of these men…who am I kidding I just want to see Colin Kapernicks fione ass! haha…

Jokes aside, the truth is - I am not the only gay man who is excited about the super bowl - in fact many gay men like myself are avid niners fan, which goes in saying - gay men too watch sports on sunday.

With that said, it isn’t too farfetched to say that there are gay male athletes in major league sports. Like - no joke - there are…they just haven’t come out and said anything.

One of the reasons why teams, teammates, or people who oppose anyone on a team to come out publicly is because it will affect the dynamic of the game - it will ultimately affect the team in winning games. (Well…we don’t really know if this is true since no one has come out and done so). Lets briefly discuss the affects of repealing DADT. I mean…people who serve in the military are able to be open about it - does it affect how they protect our country? Does it affect how they do their job? I mean these men still got a job to do and they do it well? I haven’t heard anyone in the military say any negative affects its had since the repeal of DADT. There’s also Hollywood, where many gay males have come out recently and spoke about how they are proud to be gay and amongst their fellow actors and actresses they have been embraced with open arms.

Sure its nobodys business, yet these men have come out to say that they are gay. My point is…when it comes to gays in sports, why do people have a different attitude towards the idea of a gay male athlete coming out to a major league team?

Coming from someone who has done the coming out process, the root of this attitude stems from fear. Fear of not being accepted, fear of not being respected, and fear of being exiled. So for these “men” who parade their masculinity like a trophy every day on the field by showing how strong and tough they are in their respected sports, why will someones sexuality affect them at the end of the day? I mean some of these men prefer their women on the side..ahem… Yet you don’t see how its affected their game…if anything it made them better ahem…Kobe! My point is…people have their own preferences outside the courts…but yal know when its game time…its game time.

If you all are HOMIES, TEAMMATES, FRIENDS, FAMILY it comes down to one thing - ACCEPTANCE. At the end of the day…if an athlete comes out to their FRIENDS/FAMILY…shouldn’t you be there for your FRIENDS/FAMILY at this hard time? Shouldn’t you accept them? I mean shit yal worked together for weeks, months, years…all of a sudden its changed after someone has come out???

My policy is - if they don’t accept you after you’ve come out, then you really didn’t have a friend to begin with.

When it comes down to a gay male athlete coming out - its not about making the damn plays - its about being FREE AND OPEN with one another…being able to be like “Bro, you see that dude over there - I think hes cute.” Its about being there for that friend/teammate - like “Bro…I just had a rough week with my dude…I just need some time.” Its about support and love for one another like… “Bro…I’m getting married to my dude…I want you to be there!” Thats what this is all about…not about the damn plays…face it…gay athletes coming out wont affect your damn plays just like how gay marriage is not going to affect straight marriages - if anything someone coming out to a team will make you appreciate the person more because you will finally SEE them for who they really are…not underneath a helmet, not wearing a jersey, not someone who makes the plays week after week, but for the person they really are…

And to be honest, having a gay male athlete on the team will help some these homophobic teammates in major league sports refrain from saying bigoted and hateful words (ie faggot, fag, gay, etc. KOBE!) to one another and opposing teams. It will teach these “men” that saying hurtful words don’t make you more of a man…in fact it will make you less of a man if you feel the need to showcase your “alpha male dominance”.

Most importantly, when it comes down to it. If a gay male athlete does come out…it would be a HUGE deal for the youth. They will be able to be role models for young gay boys out there. Showing them that they too can love whoever they want to and still be able to play the sports they enjoy. That you don’t need to be straight to love sports. It will give these gay athletes the opportunity to shine the light on a very long over due topic and bring comfort to a young gay kid…like look I’m gay…its okay…I make most of the plays and make millions…and yes I’m gay. hahaha something around those lines.

In conclusion…why do gays in sports matter?

To be frank…it shouldn’t, but it does…

THINK ABOUT IT…

“You cant begin to make the plays you need to execute if you don’t know the players inside and out.”

DONT CALL IT A COMEBACK