Amazons of the Huk Rebellion: Gender, Sex, and Revolution in the Philippines

Appendix 2. Politburo Exhibit I-15:“The Revolutionary Solution of the Sex Problem”

Appendix 2 Politburo Exhibit I-15: “The Revolutionary Solution of the Sex Problem” I. Presentation of the Problem: One of the difficult problems which has confronted the Party is the problem of formulating a revolutionary solution to the sex problem, which, because of its continueing [sic] recurrence, has already developed into a political question. Before the last war, there was no sex problem within the Party, and although there were some cases involving abnormal sex relationships, such cases were isolated. The sex problem first projected itself during the Japanese fascist occupation of our country, when, for the first time, the Party had to engage in an armed struggle involving the abandonment of normal family lives by most of its cadres. For lack of a revolutionary orientation on this problem, the Party lost some valuable cadres who were ordered liquidated even for such flimsy cases of married men flirting with female cadres. On the other extremes [sic], some cadres were talented in sustaining all forms of abnormal sex relationships on the flimsy ground of “biological necessity.” There were also cases where members were expelled from the Party simply because they justifiably no longer find happiness with their spouse and preferred the company of more revolutionary mates. With the return of American imperialist peace and the resulting return of some modicum of normalcy in family life, the sex problem subsided. However, with the resumption of the armed struggle after the coming to power of the puppet Liberal Party in 1946, the sex problem again projected itself, until now it has developed into a political question of importance. 275 In order to present the problem correctly to permit a revolutionary solution, it is necessary to divorce it from individual pre-conceived notions of morality (feudal and capitalist), and view the problem from a completely dialectical materialism standpoint, with the interest of the revolution as the sole criterion, and with a view to laying the foundations of future communist sex morality. It cannot be questioned that man and woman (revolutionaries or non-revolutionaries) are born with sex and emotional necessities lead to failing health and other form of abnormalities which affects adversely the efficiency and behaviour of those frustrated sexually or emotionally. However, it cannot be denied that sex desires can be sublimated, although it cannot be completely eliminated short of actual removal of the organs from which the desire is generated. It is also demonstrated scientifically that removal of such organs produce abnormal results not conducive to the full development of one’s faculties. Finally, it must be observed that the excitement produced by being in the firing line intensifies sex appetites. The above are undisputed facts of natural science. How, [to come to] the actual facts of social life and social attitudes. Because of the double standard of feudal and capitalist morality which is still dominant in our country, abnormal sex relationships of married man [sic] while frowned upon, are not as much condemned as abnormal sex relationships of married women. The religious, moral and social convictions of the majority of the masses consider monogamy as the correct man-woman relationship, although the capitalist relations of production do not permit full flowering of such relationship. Needless to say, it is only under a communist society of complete equality of men and women (politically, economically and socially) can real and complete monogamy exist and be observed without the necessity of sanctions other than communist ethics. Who are the parties to an abnormal relationship which complicates the problem of sex? Aside from the married spouse who finds necessity for satisfaction of his or her biological and emotional necessities, there is his or her living spouse living apart, and the new mate entering into abnormal relations. 276 Appendix 2 w Finally, it must be recognized that the urge to enter into abnormal sex relations is motivated by varying considerations, foremost among which are the satisfaction of biological necessity and the satisfaction of emotional hunger. In all cases, it will be found that these two motivations co-exist but in varying proportions, with one dominant over the other. II. Revolutionary Solution of the Problem: Before we can arrive at a revolutionary solution to the problem as presented above it is first necessary to arrive at the correct criterion by which to judge cases of such abnormal sex relationships. While we must consider individual justice to all parties concerned in...