The photoshoot of actor Marco Gumabao with Young STAR garnered buzz online for sporting a look and style which are considered a departure from characters he portrays onscreen.
He shared pictures of the shoot on his Instagram account and captioned it with the text, “Meet my alter ego, Jerica” with a series of emojis.
It was also shared by the publication on its social media accounts, where it gained various reactions from different Filipinos.
Some lauded the actor for his willingness to have an androgynous look, with others even describing it as his supposed way of dismantling “toxic masculinity.”
I'm living for @marcogumabao's latest photoshoot! Toxic masculinity whaaaaat????????? pic.twitter.com/sKVMIM8G6M
— ᜆᜋ᜔ᜋ᜔ (@tmmlustre) September 6, 2019
While Gumabao did not say anything about “toxic masculinity,” it was mentioned in his caption that he considered it “the most challenging shoot ever” due to the concept which required him to sport an androgynous look.
“Channeled my inner @gumabaomichele @katgumabao_ @gitagumabao @yeyegumabao for this one! It pays to have four sisters,” he wrote, tagging his siblings.
In the published feature, it was bared that Gumabao even thought of a pose that would help him achieve and reinforce the photoshoot’s concept. The opening paragraph reads:
“Marco Gumabao knows how to pose. On the day of the actor’s shoot with Young STAR, we see him dressed up in a white cropped top and leather pants combo, complete with makeup that softens his sharp edges. To my surprise, he is making it work. At one point, he puts both of his arms behind his waist, Top Model-style, saying, ‘So, parang ganito ba?’“
The photoshoot earned laudatory comments from his friends in the local entertainment industry such as Sue Ramirez, Awra Briguela and Chienna Filomeno.
However, some Filipinos criticized him and his friends for supposedly making fun of the photoshoot concept based on his Instagram Stories video.
In the clip, Patrick Sugui was laughing as he viewed one of Gumabao’s pictures. He also flashed his middle finger when the camera zoomed in his direction.
The actor wrote that Sugui, together with Dominic Roque, was laughing at the comments, although it is unclear if they were also making fun of the photoshoot itself or not.
This did not sit well with some Filipinos, who perceived that they were laughing at the concept of the photoshoot itself which they found offensive, labeling it a behavior of “toxic masculinity.”
The photoshoot highlighted androgyny and was perceived to send a message that heterosexual men can wear makeup, look glammed up and wear crop tops as well.
lmao ok offended talaga ako. marco gumabao takes so much pride "flushing down toxic masculinity" but him taking the shoot as a joke n laughing wt his friends is a manifestation of toxic masculinity itself 🤡 HAHAHA tangina ng mga artistang queer baiting lang alam.
— roni 🏳️🌈 #HandsOffOurYouth (@n0nperson) September 7, 2019
This is not about toxic masculinity this is being gender neutral / androgenous. Toxic masculinity is happening at @marcogumabao's IG post of this. Making clowns of feminity is toxic masculinity at its best! https://t.co/VXwAkGylZc
— Sebastian Antonello (@Sebastian4391) September 8, 2019
This is the first time that Gumabao participated in such a photoshoot. His onscreen roles often peg him as an alpha male such as Jek in “Just a Stranger” and Matteo Silverio in “Los Bastardos.”
