Media/Society - 10

"The reality is different from what is happening in the movies or teleseryes especially here in the Philippines where the concept of LGBTQ is only tolerated instead of being accepted"

The LGBT community is a group in society that historically has been underrepresented and distorted in media coverage. This community has been either ignored or ridiculed in media ever since (Croteau & Hoynes,2019). Several scholars such as Gross (2002) and Dhaenens (2013) argue that the representation of gays and lesbians in the media has been typically negative, reflecting prejudices towards homosexuals.

In the Philippines, representations of gay men in Philippine cinema from 1954 to 2015 showed that ‘bakla’ image in the cinema includes cross-dressing, effeminacy, and being woman-hearted (Inton, 2017). Stories of gays are usually in the genre of comedy and melodrama, where most of the time, the role they play is someone who should be both pitied and admired for enduring tragic circumstances.

Furthermore, Payuyo (2012) noted that there are two main stereotypes portrayed by gays in Popular Filipino Films from 2000 to 2010. This is The Parloristang bakla (Beaty Parlor Gay) also known as the effeminate gay type is the kind preferred and portrayed by most popular films and the masculine gay type is often found only on modern media. As years go by, homosexual-themed films became more accepted but only in independent film festivals. Movies like “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros” (2005) and “Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa” (2011) were recognized. These films are said to be stories of stigma, discrimination, and poverty - the image of the reality of gay men here in the Philippines.

“The traumas. The treatment towards LGBT characters as portrayed on how they are dealt with by the society and vice versa.”

Aside from this, Boys Love series also became a trend in the country. Though gay men perceive the storyline as fiction and far from their everyday life, they have stated how the characters have portrayed some traumas and the treatment of society towards the LGBTQ community.

In the Philippine context, Vice Ganda became the representation of an ideal ‘bakla,’ who is someone wealthy but still humble; someone who engages himself with LGBTQIA+ rights; someone who is opinionated and funny. Most television shows hit because of the appearances of prominent gay celebrities such as Boy Abunda, Ogie Diaz, John Lapuz, and Lhar Santiago. Also, we have the influencers Gaia Polyhymnia, Pipay Kipay and Sassa Gurl. The content of these individuals are popular to people, especially to Gen Z. With these individuals, media representations of the LGBTQ especially gay men became more “real”, for they themselves have the chance to portray themselves unlike before that they are not given the chance and the platform.

"Filipino people could only tolerate and not fully accept the members of the LGBTQ and this situation is seen either on movie or teleserye scenes."

Filipinos loves to watch comedies and melodramas even it contains discrimination towards a community. Aside from this, the Filipino culture and norms also take part in this content. Which makes these contents as a reflection of the audience preference and the society in general. What we believe in the real world is also portrayed in media. The roles of gay characters in media would often include: the gay best friend who makes everyone happy, enchanted creature, an ugly but very kind gay. Hence, when we see similarities of that character in real life, we are quick to label that person as gay. Which implies that media has the capacity to affect its audience towards views like of those concerned about homosexuality and at the same time people preferences is what the media portrays. Yet, most of the time, people and groups are not represented correctly.

References

Croteau, D. and Hoynes, W. (2019). Media/society: Technology, industries, content, and users. 6 th ed. SAGE Publications, Inc.

Inton, M. N. (2017). The bakla and the silver screen: Queer cinema in the Philippines (Doctor's thesis, Lingnan University, Hong Kong). Retrieved from http://commons. ln.edu.hk/ cs_e td/30/

Payuyo, L. (2012). The Portrayal of Gays in Popular Filipino Films, 2000 to 2010. Philippine Sociological Review, 60, 291-322. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from http://www.jstor.org/stab le/43486348

Shoemaker, P.J. and Reese, S.D. (2014). Mediating the message in the 21st century: A media sociology perspective. 3 rd ed. Routlege.

TEDx Talks. (2015, August 31). Transgender Representation in Media | Declan Nolan | TEDxYouth@Wayland [Video].Youtube. Transgender Representation in the Media | Declan Nolan | TEDxYouth@Wayland - YouTube

Maricris Hudtohan BA (Sociology-Psychology) IV Blog Post #1

Blog Post #2 - Hudtohan

Comment/Feedback:

Mary Jane Dicen II: One of my favorite topics when working on my Sociology requirements is any matter concerning the LGBTQIA+ community. That is why I find your blog compelling. Recently, there has been a growing popularity of Boy's Love (BL) genre. This genre is basically a classification for LGBTQIA+- oriented contents that focus on romantic love between men. Personally, I can see that the entertainment industry is starting to move outside the box of the typical media representation of the LGBTQIA+ people in the Philippines. As you have presented in your blog, throughout the history of LGBTQIA+-oriented media in the country their portrayals in films or series are very stereotypical. Instead of benefiting from this kind of exposure, the community is placed in a position wherein prejudice is much worse. Misrepresentation reproduces the stigma against the LGBTQIA+, and the more films or series with distorted portrayals are produced and distributed to the public the more that the stigma and discrimination are perpetuated. This is true even to countries that I thought are more accepting of the LGBTQIA+ community. I have been a fan of BL series since 2017, and majority of the series I watch is created from Thailand and Japan. For the past 5 years I have been a critic of normalized problematic BL concepts and storylines. Particularly, the depiction of LGBTQIA+ as comic relief- a typical and withstanding on-screen stereotypes in entertainment media. However, the advent of the BL phenomenon in the country has opened an opportunity for many Filipino content creators to carry out the advocacy for a positive and correct representation of the community. In other countries such as Thailand and Japan, which are the two major exporter of BL-related media products, audiences/BL fans are putting pressure to BL industry to create series that show real experiences of the LGBTQIA+; rather than to romanticize their life stories and use the community as a cash cow. While in the Philippines, the growing popularity of BL series is starting to build familiarity of LGBTQIA+- oriented media even in social media. This is a huge step since according to the information you provided well-recognized gay-theme contents are presented as indie films or platforms that have less reach compared to mass media. Your blog is really insightful for me since I often use Thai BL series as my material for school works. As a BL fan, I am hopeful that every BL series produced in the near future can finally provide an accurate representation of the community, the issues that LGBTQIA+ people are facing in the society and ultimately their needs, such as their basic rights and social acceptance.

In the Philippines, there is no existing general law that pertains to the media sector and its regulation as a whole. There are only policies specifically focused on age-gating, age advisories with respect to television shows and movies, ownership restriction, and consumer protection. Several government agencies are assigned to handle content regulation, such as the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) ; the Optical Media Board (OMB) , and the National Council for Children’s Television (NCCT).

(c)https://midas.mtrcb.gov.ph/dmis/assets/admin/assets/images/report_logo.png

One of the famous national agencies mandated to supervise and regulate the public exhibition of motion pictures television, and programs is the MTRCB. They are working under a regulatory framework guided by the constitutional norms of respect for the dignity of the person together with utmost respect and protection for the vulnerable. They have systems that evaluate the content and report the suitability of television programs for children, teenagers, or adults. Programs are usually rated by the organization that manages the system, the broadcaster, or the content producers.

"Ang Programang ito ay Rated SPG, Striktong Patnubay at Gabay ng Magulang ay Kailangan. Maaaring may maseselang Tema (T), Lengwahe (L), Karahasan (K), Sekswal (S), Horror (H), o Droga (D) na hindi angkop sa mga bata.”

Every day, every hour, a rating is usually set for each individual episode of a television series. Wherein, the rating can change per episode, network and rerun. All TV channels are required to show a full-screen warning which must be issued before the start of the program and after each commercial break.

For movies, they have five classifications including: General Audiences (G) which means all ages can be admitted; Parental Guidance (PG) which suggests that some materials may not be suitable for children; Parents Strongly Cautioned (PG-13) wherein some materials may be inappropriate for Children under 13; Restricted ® ; and NC-17 where no one 17 and under could be admitted. In television shows, they have another set of categories namely: SPG, PG and G. Rated SPG or Strong Parental Guidance (Striktong Patnubay at Gabay ) are television shows or episodes which require stronger and more vigilant parental guidance. Programs with this rating may contain more serious topics and themes, language, violence, sex, nudity, horror, and the concept of drugs which may not be advisable for children to watch. Exempting they are under the guidance of a vigilant parent or an adult. The Rated PG or Parental Guidance (Patnubay at Gabay) on the other hand is a rating for shows that may contain some adult material that may be permissible for children to watch but only under the guidance and supervision of a parent or adult. Lastly, we have the Rated G or General Patronage which suggests that a show is suitable for all ages. This usually is applicable in shows like home shopping blocks, children's programming, documentaries, concert specials, talent reality shows, and educational programming, as well as some religious programming.

With all these ratings and warnings provided by MTRCB, still, a lot of individuals have shared sentiments of being disappointed with the agency. Various sectors of society and prominent individuals have aired their doubts as to whether the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) is really doing its role and responsibilities. For movies, the ratings and restrictions can be followed with the assistance of those in charge in the theatres but what about those left alone in their houses? In our case, even with the ‘SPG’ warning, kids won’t stop watching unless an adult turns off the television and scolds them. What about kids left at home alone? How do the warnings and ratings apply?

Also, is the organization actively penalizing and suspending the shows and individuals with alleged violations? What is their role or sentiment towards the themes of teleserye which often includes the concept of teenage pregnancy, stories of promiscuity and infidelity, and acts where viewers of all ages every evening could clearly see and feel the slapping on faces and mother and their children conflict in the scenes?

With all these questions in mind - not counting the unclear roles and responsibilities of this national agency, is MTRCB really doing its job right?

References

Bagares, R. (2016). Media Ownership Monitor Legal Assessment.

Abot,L., F., Dimayacyac, M., F., & King-Dominguez, R., M. (2020). In brief: Media Law and Regulation in the Philippines. Retrieved from https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=2c8a14b6-742a-40f7-b587-1aef8c77c420.

Hume, A. (2020). What is Rated SPG in MTRCB?. SweatLodgeradio. Retrieved from https://www.sweatlodgeradio.com/what-is-rated-spg-in-mtrcb/.

Blog No.3 - Maricris Hudtohan

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