I got the opportunity to watch the Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition two nights ago and the voluntary exit of housemate Rustom Padilla.

In an earlier article, I considered Rustom as one of my top three bets in the popular reality TV show. His confession of being gay was the single most defining feature about him. And though he was nominated for eviction on several occasions after his confession, viewers “saved” him and wanted him there in the house at least, probably, for the last three survivors as I predicted.

His voluntary exit two nights ago may be very unwelcome for the many who have tried to understand and support him. But as far as I am concerned, I can say that Rustom is already a winner in his own right. Days after his confession, I was trying to see a stereotypical gay that would suddenly spring to life. But the Rustom we saw was, for me, a gay who is a real man.

His common role in the house was that of a brother who tried hard to understand every single housemate. Yes, there were times when he had to criticize but that is just part of the game which many of the others do. He, in fact, has probably done the least criticism among all of the boarders. There was not even an overactive and highly extrovert display of homosexuality as often seen in more controlled TV shows. The man in Rustom was visibly there.

His reason for voluntary exit shows another side of his manhood. His is a manliness under check, a pride so fitly placed, a manly aura that’s infectious and manly perspective that is owned by only those whose manhood lifts that of others.

No, I don’t believe Rustom is a gay in the trite meaning of the word. His “gayness” is something unique, something peculiar, something rarely existent; and I think that kind of gayness can only reside in a Real Man–Rustom.

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