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Interfaith: Home / Blog article: Cross-dressing at Santacruzan Labelled Insulting
May 8, 2008Cross-dressing at Santacruzan Labelled Insulting
by Rachael Grant
The debate as to whether homosexuality has a place in the Church has added yet another twist to the tale, with Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, a Catholic cleric in Manila in the Phillippines, announcing on Radio Veritas that parishes which allow homosexual cross-dressers to play saints in religious festivals are undermining the seriousness of the Church.
Rosales has labelled it as insulting to the Virgin Mary, and says that the sacredness of the Catholic faith has been compromised.
Santacruzan (Feast of the Holy Cross) is a major tourist attraction, bringing many tourists into the area during May, and Rosales insists that female saints should be played by females, not males, and that when they are played by the latter they are not taken as seriously as they should be.
The question of homophobia has arisen, but Rosales insists that it is not about prejudice but about maintaining tradition and sacredness of the event.
A spokesman for Lagablab (Lesbian and Gay Legislative Advocacy Network), Jonas Bagas, when asked to comment, suggested that it was unlikely the announcement would stop the men from taking part, as nothing new has been said.
If anything, Bagas suggests that it will only aggravate the community further, and isolate them, widening the gap between homosexuals and the church.
A professor at Ateneo de Manila University, Danton Remoto, pointed out that the homosexual men were generally on a low-income and the fact that they spent vast amounts of money on their costumes suggests that their intentions towards the festival are serious.
It has been considered that like the celebration of Christmas in the west, there are many who participate in the Santacruzan who are not aware of the religious underpinnings.
The Cardinal has been slated by many sources for pinpointing homosexual cross-dressers in his attempt to make sure the festival keeps to its traditions.
Perhaps the commercialism of the event, as well as the standard inclusion of models, should be questioned too.
Is the only thing to come out of this announcement the green light for yet more religious bigotry towards homosexuals?
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Story link: Cross-dressing at Santacruzan Labelled Insulting
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