The Philippine net community is abuzz with the recent Miss Universe contest, where filipina Shaumcey Supsup (yes that’s her real name) did the country proud by landing in the top five and ultimately being named third runner-up. The question she picked, “Would you change your religion to marry someone you love ? Why or why not ?”, and her response that she would not, that the person who loved her should also love her god, was both candid and spontaneous. I’m not going to debate whether that was the “right” answer, but the fact that she was the only one who answered the question without an interpreter (and therefore, had less time to think about the question) , was not lost on many observers, including Oprah Winfrey, who thought that she should have won the contest. Within hours of the contest finishing, there were lots of comments on social networking sites, as well as parodies of the contest, many utterly hilarious and done in gayspeak. The one that had me rolling in the aisle was the comment from one netizen who said, “actually, Shaumcy had a marriage proposal from the son of Benazir Bhutto…and if she married him, she would be known as Shaumcy Supsup Bhutto”. Innocuous enough, unless you have a working knowledge of my language (Bisaya/hiligaynon). In these languages, Supsup means “suck” and Bhutto (or properly spelled and pronounced as “bu-to” with an accent on the second syllable, is a slightly vulgar term for penis !!
What struck me though was that the question, once you thought more deeply about it, has profound implications (OK, admittedly I’m trying to make something much more out of a shallow beaucon, even if its for the most beautiful woman in the universe). First, one is encouraged to reflect about what love is, and what one associates with it–security, family, companionship, fulfillment, sexual pleasure, and a host of positive emotions. Then of course one thinks about religion (and necessarily, god or gods) and how that is practiced, and how religion can offer solace, comfort and hope through beliefs (however irrational or untrue) and rituals. This has special resonance for gays, lesbians and transgender persons, as their religions often do not allow same-sex weddings and partnerships. Thus, they are denied the trappings and benefits of a most important civil (and for most,also a religious) institution.
There can be no true equality unless civil same-sex marriage is allowed, as Andrew Sullivan has convincingly argued in his seminal book, “Virtually Normal”, which is a treatise on the politics of homosexuality. Andrew makes a distinction between civil arrangements (which are recognized by law and should apply to all persons) and religious weddings (which are voluntary and one can choose not to have a religion). Many religions of course actively discourage marriage outside their faith, and it is a strong person indeed who makes the decision to leave his or her religion to follow that of his or her partner so that they can live together. Another option of course, is to just discard religion (or aspects of it) all together. Im sure that many gays and lesbians have felt isolated and excluded from their religion because of this.
Or one can be like Henry VIII, he of the six (or was it seven ?) wives–a most famous serial monogamist–who left the Roman Catholic Faith so he could divorce Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn. With one swift stroke he separated England from the Vatican, and established the Church of England with himself as the head of the church. Talk about love (or maybe power, too !), and making your own religion ! I dont recall god reacting to that schism, or any other divine interventions to rectify other injustices and atrocities such as Nazism and the Holocaust, Genocide, Apartheid, or Pol Pot. The Church of England (Anglican church) is much more progrssive to this day, allowing the ordination of female priests as well as gay bishops, but has dithered on same-sex marriages. The English government now allows civil partnerships, (since 2004) and thus assures that same-sex couples can at least enjoy their basic rights as citizens, such as access to property and inheritance.
Perhaps a few years hence, when Ms Supsup finds the person that she truly loves, and if their religious beliefs do not match, then maybe —just maybe, her answer might change !
