THE SIRENA IN THE PHILIPPINES: A SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS OF LGBT DISCRIMINATION AND CORRELATED HIGHEST SUICIDE RATE

The Sirena had been one of the songs by Gloc 9 on their new album MKNM: Mga Kwento ng Makata under Universal Records that narrates about social issues in the Philippines.  Let us analyze Sirena using Semiotic approach pioneered by Pierce.

Let us present how Sirena was used as the signifier of gays in the Philippines.

Sirena had been described as aquatic creature of the Philippine Culture with the head and torso of a feminine and classic beauty of women and the tail of a fish. Sirena is the counterpart of mermaid in the English world. She sits calmly hiding among the rocks in the sea shore singing with angelic voice. But there is a darker side to this mythical creature, where they used their magical voice and beauty to mesmerize males especially fishermen and sailors leading them to be a sacrifice to the water deities or drowned them to death.

SYMBOL INTERPRETATION

Sirena is more of a symbol for gays rather than an icon. Sirena that swims is in a symbolic mode when it is associated to gays when it is usually drowned in a drum of water by their embarrassed father.

“Drum na may tubig ang sinisisid Naglalakihang mga braso, sa ‘kin dumidikdik”

Sirena is also a symbol for beauty and grit.

“”Ako’y isang sirena Kahit ano’ng sabihin nila, ako ay ubod ng ganda Ako’y isang sirena Kahit ano’ng gawin nila, bandera ko’y ‘di tutumba.”

INDEX INTERPRETATION

Sirena is in indexical mode when it is directly related to gay in terminologies to identify gays and transexuals but does not necessarily resembles it.

ICON INTERPRETATION

Sirena is in iconic form of gay when they define it as “dyosa” (goddess), a woman trapped in a male body.

The terminology that I defined can be found in the indigenous LGBT Terms in the Philippines.

The Song Sirena fought against discrimination of LGBT in the Philippines.

“Akong paluin ng tubo kahit kinakalawang ‘Tama na naman, Itay, ‘di na po ako pasaway

‘Di ko na po isusuot ang lumang saya ni Inay’ Kapag ako’y naiiyak ay sumusugod sa ambon

According to A Participatory Review and Analysis of the Legal and Social Environment for

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Persons and Civil Society, here are some discrimination cases in the Philippines:

1. “disappearance of babaylan under Spanish colonialism”
2. “discharge from the military on the basis of sexual orientation”
3. “barring entry to nightclubs for cross-dressers.”
4. “being murdered with 28 LGBT-related killings in the

first half of 2011.”

5. “In school, LGBT issues are not included in curricula.”
6. “At work, discrimination were given in both the recruitment of employees and during regular employment.”
7. “discrimination in the workplace based on HIV status.”

8. “LGBT persons do not have the right to marry someone of the same sex.”
9. “Adoption is allowed by a single LGBT person but not by two people who identify as a domestic couple.”

Discrimination is a concern to mental health of LGBTQ+ having the “higher suicide rates than that of the general population”(Alimi et al, 2020).

A newer study among young same-sex attracted Filipino men found that “their odds for suicide ideation (if not actual suicide) was higher compared to their heterosexual counterparts”(Manalastas, 2013). 

In the music video of sirena, portrayed the unconditional love of the gay man to his Father.The father earlier perception of manhood was being macho but at the adverse part of his life, he mentioned about existential manhood:

‘Di sinusukat ang tapang at ang bigote sa mukha Dahil kung minsan, mas lalake pa sa lalake ang bakla”

Indeed, being a real man is not about being macho…It is being like Jesus in words and actions.”

You may read my brief story on “My Journey to Real Manhood,” published by Light of Jesus, founded by Bo Sanchez and the producer of the best-selling Catholic magazine in the Philippines on this link: https://peterbreboneria.com/my-story/

References:

1. Being LGBT in Asia: The Philippine Country Report | UNDP. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2021, from https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/hiv-aids/being-lgbt-in-asia–the-philippine-country-report.html

2. Gloc 9 displays sensitivity in Sirena | Philstar.com. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2021, from https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2012/09/18/850141/gloc-9-displays-sensitivity-sirena

3. A Mermaid by John William Waterhouse. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2021, from http://www.john-william-waterhouse.com/mermaid/

4. sirena lyrics – Hanapin sa Google. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2021, from https://www.google.com/search?q=sirena

5. My Journey to Real Manhood – Peter Breboneria Official Website. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2021, from https://peterbreboneria.com/my-story/

6. Module 4 Communication and Representation