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Hey Jay, Is Everything Really Going To Be Okay?

Recently in social media, there has been discourse about OPM songs about the LGBTQIA+ community and how it has affected the view and treatment of the said community. The discourse revolved around famous songs like “Titibo-tibo” by Moira or “Sirena” by Gloc-9, in which netizens shared the impact of these songs on their lives and expression as a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, may it be positive or negative. Other songs were also analyzed such as “This Guy’s In Love With You, Pare” by Parokya ni Edgar and “Ituloy Mo Lang” by Siakol. While these songs are great points of discourse, let’s delve deeper into the song “Hey Jay” by Eraserheads and its impact.

Eraserheads, one of the most famous and influential bands in Philippine music history, create songs that capture and reflect aspects of Filipino life and culture, such as “Alapaap” and “Minsan”. Among their iconic discography, "Hey Jay" explores themes related to identity, acceptance, and most importantly, discrimination towards the LGBTQIA+ community. The song tells the story of Jay, a young man struggling with his sexual orientation and the societal pressures that come with it. Released in the late 1990s, I would say that the song was ahead of its time, tackling these issues during a time when the LGBTQIA+ was heavily discriminated against. 

Hey Jay, nabugbog ka na naman daw kahapon

Hey Jay, ba't kasi pumunta ka pa sa lugar na 'yon?

Alam mo namang galit sila sa tulad mo

Alam mo namang 'di ka nila maiintindihan

Hey Jay, nag-away na naman kayo ng tatay mo

Hey Jay, wala raw siyang anak na tulad mo

Alam niya namang wala kang kasalanan

Alam niya namang pinanganak ka nang ganyan

The verses of the song show the treatment towards the LGBTQIA+ community members such as Jay. These treatments can range from physical abuse to straight-up neglect due to someone’s sexual identity. The sad reality is: that although this song was written decades ago, these lyrics still reflect the truth in our country. In 2016, 75 percent of LGBT children reported physical abuse, and 78.5 percent experienced psychological abuse.

Hey just look to the left and just look to the right

Makikita mo naman na hindi pantay-pantay na

The song also tackles the prevalent gender inequalities during their time. But, until now, there are still no laws that protect the human rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. There are still no laws that punish individuals and corporations for discriminating against someone due to their gender. Bills such as the SOGIE Bill are still not being passed due to the controversies surrounding it in a country where the upholding of religion is much more prioritized than the protection of the well-being and the rights of people regardless of their sexual and gender identity.

You can get it all up

You can get it all down

Ipagdasal na lang natin na balang araw ay

He-he-he-hey Jay

He-he-he-hey Jay

He-he-he-hey Jay

Everything's gonna be okay (Everything's gonna be okay)

Everything's gonna be okay (Everything's gonna be okay)

While the song revolves around the issues that face the LGBTQIA+ community, it also shows themes of hope that in the future, the treatment towards the community will get better. It conveys a sense of optimism that tomorrow will be better for people like Jay who experience discrimination. These lyrics show that despite the difficulties of the present, there is hope for a future where individuals like Jay can live authentically and without fear. 

Though written during a time when LGBTQIA+ was seen as a mockery, Eraserheads showcased a glimmer of progressiveness. The song is a reminder of the power of music to influence people and how music can convey a message of change and hope: hope that for people like Jay, things will get better. Sadly, these lyrics still reflect the reality that the community faces even after decades. The community still experiences discrimination and inequalities, and it remains unclear for people like Jay when “everything is going to be okay”.

Source/s: 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/healthandwellness/591655/lgbt-pinoy-kids-abused-more-than-straight-peers-unicef/story/