Can a male Philippine gymnast’s Olympics victory shatter nation’s gender norms in sports?

“Filipinos are celebrating the gold medals won by a woman in weightlifting and a man in gymnastics. May this send a message that sports have no gender, and we should stop letting gender stereotypes limit the future of our athletes,” one user said on social media platform X.

Other users insisted it was high time that Filipino parents eschewed long-held gender norms in sports to help their children reach their fullest potential.

“Some ‘abilities’ remain mistakenly associated with certain genders. Men are presumed to be strong, while women are expected to be graceful. These gendered expectations or stereotypes limit not only the potential of individuals but of societies at large. These biases are also seen in sports, and thus, many are often guilty of undermining the strength of women, and the grace of men,” said Vince Liban, national convenor of the youth-led gender lobbying group PANTAY.

“I consider Carlos Yulo and Hidilyn Diaz as champions, not only in the field of sports, but also for equality. They are great proof that we can shatter stereotypes that limit men, women, and athletes of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression from achieving their full potential,” Liban said.

Discussions on Yulo’s gymnastics accomplishments have drawn comparisons to basketball, widely seen as a national obsession with a vibrant fan base and heavy support from private funders because of its profitability.

Basketball has also been seen as a symbol of Filipino masculinity – a point of contention among the Philippines’ LGBTQ communities and individuals for whom these sports have served as a barometer of their sexuality and gender identity.

“There’s an unspoken reason why so many people are side-eyeing basketball these days in the