Male Prostitution: Two Monographs

By Paul Mathews

The first paper here describes salient aspects of male prostitution of Ermita (Manila, Philippines) in the 1980s and '90s. I suggest various reasons for such prostitution, how the boys reconcile their activities with church and societal morality, and also how they construct their sexual identity. The second paper is a critique of "Being A Prostitute", in which I argue that certain categories of male prostitutes have been excluded in various studies; these omissions, I suggest, were necessary to allow a hypothesis that most male prostitution derives from economic necessity—a recurrent economic determinism reminiscent of Havelock Ellis, and somewhat contrary to a broader structural approach. Implicitly at least, in both papers I indicate that boys are willing and able to accommodate a divergent sexual behaviour that does not conflict with their own self-image or the eventual expectations of society: the Western ideological notion that such boys are unwillingly or unwittingly exploited, corrupted and psycho-sexually scarred into becoming adult homosexuals or sex fiends is, I suggest, idiosyncratically Western.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Warrior Publishers
• Release date: Aug 31, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370318148

Paul Mathews

Dr. Paul Mathews is an anthropologist and sociologist who has worked on Philippine issues for 25 years, and also spent 2 years in Taiwan. He has written extensively about Philippine society and culture in such areas as health, gender relations and sexuality, values, and economic development. He is currently freelancing, following a Research Fellowship at the Australian National University. He is Secretary of the Philippine Studies Association of Australasia, and former Managing Editor of Pilipinas, A Journal of Philippine Studies.

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Male Prostitution:

Two Monographs

By

Dr. Paul W. Mathews

Copyright © 2016 by Paul Mathews

Published in Australia by Warrior Publishers at Smashwords

[e-mail]

ePub ISBN

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First published 1987

© Paul Mathews

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-publication entry:

Mathews, Paul W. (Paul William).

Male Prostitution

Includes Bibliographies

ISBN 0 9593536 1 5

Prostitution, Male. 2. Prostitution, Male – Philippines. 3. Men – Sexual behaviour. 4. Men – Sexual behaviour – Philippines. 5. Homosexuality, Male. 6. Homosexuality, Male – Philippines.

I. Title

306.7’43

Printed by the Australian Book Company & Distributors Pty Ltd, Sydney.

Table of Contents

Prologue

Part One

Some Preliminary Observations of Male Prostitution in Manila

Abstract

Introduction

Venues and Contacts

The Compa

The Factory

Clients

The Boys

Daniel

Andres

Karlie

Paulo

Leni

Donnie

Nigel

Willy

Sandy & Roberto

Summary

Sexual Encounters

Conciliation, and rationalization

Background

Payment as Exchange

Categorical rationalization

Divine Conciliation

Problematics

Conclusion

Notes

Works Cited

Part Two

On Being A Prostitute

Abstract

On Being A Prostitute

Notes

Works Cited

Connect with Warrior Publishers

Other works by Dr. Paul Mathews

Prologue

I would like to thank the various people who commented on the first of these two monographs, which has undergone substantial refinement since its first inception in 1982. In particular, I would like to thank Dr. Ricardo Abad of Ateneo de Manila University for his most helpful suggestions, and for the publication of a shorter version in the Philippine Sociological Review.

I dare say these monographs are not without faults, for which I carry full responsibility, but which at least serve to point up the need for further research in this area, particularly in the Philippines.

Paul Mathews.

March 1987.

Having said that some 20 years ago, the current e-reprint is produced to make more accessible this topic of which, despite the time passing, little else has been done. I have since written a few other related papers, and did attempt to create a video-doc. It has been interesting to note the changes that have occurred; apart from the Compa and Factory and a few other places no longer existing, although I believe the 690 club does still exist; what has been interesting is how bakla have transformed themselves from a traditional gender and sexual role to one in part of being mercenary cam models. I have noted this in an updated footnote and in my 2010 books on ACMs.

A few other new comments have been inserted into this old MS to apprise one of changes and in some cases some quite naïve thinking.

Thus this e-publication serves to preserve some history of Philippines culture and sexuality, and in some small way highlight changes over the last two decades.

Dr. Paul Mathews

August 2016.

TOP

I

SOME PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS

OF

MALE PROSTITUTION IN MANILA

Dr. Paul W. Mathews

ABSTRACT

Although it would be desirable to locate various sexual phenomena within a wider discussion of Philippine society, this paper can only attempt to outline the features of male prostitution and related gender identity. Given the limited anthropological research into sexual deviance of some Southeast Asian cultures, even this mainly descriptive paper is of some—if only heuristic—significance. It is hoped this overview will demonstrate the social construction of sexual and gender identities, and discount as idiosyncratic Western views of deviance. In particular, the boys' self-image as normal and righteous is considered in terms of pragmatics and linguistics. This leads to a view that male, adolescent sexuality is precocious, and questions the view held by Western ideologies that all male prostitutes are homosexual, that all boys are exploited by men, and that homosexual activity can only be willingly undertaken by adults.

When I used to bring money home—and you know how poor we are—my father used to accept it because he thought I got it by begging. When he knew (it was through prostitution) he said he wanted me to stop, but how could he stop me ? (Age: 14).

INTRODUCTION

My first visit to the Philippines had been in July 1981 for a period of four weeks, during which time I gathered sufficient information to form the basis of this study. In December 1981 I returned to Manila for three months, and again in 1986 for five months, affording me opportunity to test and confirm previous observations; collect new data; conduct new interviews with both new and previously known informants; observe the reactions of others not associated with prostitution; and use various methodological techniques.

During these studies it was found that males willing to engage in homoerotic activities for a material consideration, ie. prostitutes,[1] were readily available in much of the Philippines, particularly the larger cities. But in this paper I shall focus on Manila, and its (former) redlight area: Ermita. Apparent in this area is the fact that the client, particularly the Caucasian tourist-client, does not acquire a prostitute, but rather, in many cases is openly solicited by the prostitute or an intermediary.

This is one of the fundamental differences between male prostitution in the Philippines and that of Australia, the USA and Britain [cf. Mathews, 1983; Perkins and Bennett, 1985; Connell, 1971; Reiss, 1967 & 1967a; U.R.S.A., 1982; and Harris, 1973]. Whereas in these latter countries a client often performs a furtive and sometimes frustrating search for a boy, there occurs in Manila, (and other cities of the Philippines), a seemingly larger number of boys who, in a reversal of the situation, seek the tourist-client in bars, discos, and blatantly on the street.

A second fundamental difference exists in the attitude toward homosexuality generally, male prostitution, and the payment for sexual services. Although in many developed countries there is a general conceded acceptance of the existence and rights of homosexuals, there is still an accompanying sniggering about homosexuality. In the Philippines, male prostitution, often as a misconstrued aspect of homosexuality, is more openly tolerated or given social sympathy, perhaps due to the economic and social factors, although it may still be considered deviant and against its practitioners various forms of discrimination occur from time to time.[2]

As an example of the attitude toward homosexuality, Sechrist and Flores [1969: 3-9], in a comparative study with the U.S.A., found:

a low level of concern about homosexuality in that (Philippines) culture. The existence of homosexuality there is apparent, but conflict, (ie. concern about homosexuality) appeared to be slight…Certainly transvestitism is frequently observable in the Philippines, but reports of overt homosexuality are not inordinately frequent.

Here, then, I will describe some of the salient aspects of male prostitution evident in the streets, beats and discos of Ermita. Unlike their mostly Western tourist-clients,[3] the boy prostitutes are young, usually between 12 and 20 years old. I will suggest various reasons for this age category, as well as their need to be prostitutes; and show how such boys not only reconcile their activities with church and societal morality, but also how they construct their sexual identity. Implicitly at least, I indicate that boys are willing and able to accommodate a divergent sexual behaviour that does not conflict with their own self-image or the eventual expectations of society: clearly the western ideological notion that such boys are unwillingly or unwittingly exploited, corrupted and psycho-sexually scarred into becoming adult homosexuals or sex fiends is, I suggest, idiosyncratically Western.

Venues and Contacts

Solicitation in the main cities of the Philippines is either directly by the boy prostitute, or by an intermediary, on the street, on beats, or in cinemas or discos. Additionally, there are a few shopping centres where boys congregate to solicit (mainly tourists). These include the large Harrison Plaza[4] complex in Malate (Manila), Robinson's in Ermita, and Cubao in Quezon City. It is to such shops that the affluent and the tourists often go for general shopping, and at which the boys take the opportunity to meet new clients. These shopping centres are open from 9 am. to 9 pm., with the number of boys soliciting there varying from place to place and