THE LGBTQ+ community and supporters alike criticized Filipino fitness coach Edison Vargas (@coachedison) after he made homophobic remarks in a TikTok video, claiming that not being able to lift is associated with being gay.

In the video, Coach Edison was seen lifting weights, with the caption reading: “Dati nagpepre-workout pa ako para mabuhat ko yung last rep…” the first line reads followed by, “Ngayon kailangan ko lang pala isipin…Bakla ako pag hindi ko nabuhat to!”

Here, Coach Edison said that if he were unable to lift the weight, he would see himself as weak – a trait he, for some reason, associated with the LGBTQ+ community. 

Many Filipinos were quick to come to the defense of the LGBTQ+ community, explaining that one’s sexuality had nothing to do with their strength. 

On X (formerly Twitter), a user wrote that gyms, fitness, and sports centers were gender-neutral and that it was important to respect a person’s space and label. Others saw his video as a classic display of toxic masculinity.

Social media personality Bretman Rock, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, stumbled upon the post and commented on Edison’s form and the amount of weight he was lifting.

“Lmfao, girl, at least put your elbows closer together,” Bretman Rock said.

“All that for such a light weight sis.”

Many also compared Coach Edison’s video to one of Bretman Rock that went viral in the past, wherein the latter was able to deadlift 405 pounds, all while wearing a skirt. He even managed to strike a pose right after.

The content creator is known for being extremely on top of his health, often posting workout routine videos and overall, just showing that he’s living quite a healthy lifestyle. 

After getting flak, Vargas appeared to have turned off the comments on the original post, before his TikTok account disappeared. Speculations arose that his account had been suspended because of this incident.

Meanwhile, in another video, he defended himself by explaining the inspiration behind his post and that he never intended to hurt the community.

Vargas also pointed out that other TikTok users worldwide post the same content but don’t get the same negative reactions and comments; and that he thought hard before posting the video. 

“Hindi ko po siya pinost to harm your feelings, wala po akong ibang intensyon para saktan kayo, or ma-offend kayo, or i-trigger kayo,” he said.

“And kaya ko lang naman ginagawa ‘yung video na ‘to is because ayoko magbago ‘yung paningin ko sa inyo, ayoko magbago ‘yung paniniwala ko sa inyo.”

He also said that he had clients who were also members of the LGBTQ+ community whom he deeply respected.

“Ang tingin ko sa mga clients ko na yun is strong people kasi despite na may mga humuhusga sa pagkatao nila, they live their life as normal, na parang wala lang, napaka-strong ng personality,” he added.

However, the community was unconvinced and even more riled up by his gaslighting approach. Moreover, his wrong form—which worried other gym enthusiasts—did not go unnoticed.

republicasia reached out to Coach Edison through his Facebook page to get his official statement on the issue.

“Although I am willing to give my statement in the future, I don’t think this is the perfect time as I’m currently on a social media break,” the fitness coach replied.

His videos have been reposted on X, reaching 3 million views, and other social media platforms.

Homophobia in the Philippines

While the Philippines has made great strides toward accepting the LGBTQ+ community and making them feel safe, there is still much work to be done. 

In 2022, for example, the government rejected the SOGIE Equality Bill, which would help create safe spaces for members of the LGBTQ+ community in the Philippines. At present, same-sex marriage is still illegal in the country as well.

Many people still find it perfectly fine to spew homophobic comments out in public. In fact, in 2019, Former President Rodrigo Duterte joked that he cured himself of being gay. 

“Ako, bakla ako noon,” he said. 

He explained that he was cured of it when he married his first wife, Elizabeth Zimmerman, and then again when he met his current partner, Honeylet Avanceña. He also joked that Senator Antonio Trillanes IV was gay.

He added: “Mabuti nalang pareho kami ni Trillanes, pero nagamot ko ang sarili ko noong kami na ni Zimmerman,” he said.

In the big scheme of things, Coach Edison’s video may seem like a small thing. However, all these things that people consider to be small are what add up in the long run to hate crimes and discrimination. They are what, in the long run, can get someone killed.

Things are looking up, though. The Pew Research Center found that at least 73% of Filipinos feel that homosexuality is something that should be accepted. A survey done by Social Weathering Stations (SWS) also showed that 55% of Filipinos are in favor of passing laws that protect LGBTQ+ people’s rights. 

Many believe that the world – or at least, the Philippines – has become a better place for the LGBTQ+ community, especially in recent years. Hopefully, it’ll feel that way for those in the community themselves, too.

With reports from Jacqueline Beatrice Dejesa