It's not a secret that Jose Rizal knows his way among women. He was a smooth talker without trying, an expert playboy, a lover— the original GOAT!
But did you know that Jose Rizal, our very own Filipino hero, once dressed in women's clothes? It's true - and there is even a rare photo that shows him in drag! Jose Rizal is an iconic figure in Philippine history, known for his intelligence, bravery, and sacrifice for his country. But the lesser-known fact about Rizal is that he was once seen wearing women's clothing for Juan Luna's painting.
As seen in one of Juan Luna's paintings, Jose Rizal (standing 1st from the left) and MarÃa de la Paz Pardo de Tavera (standing 2nd from the left) and their other friends are wearing women's clothing. Rizal is wearing some sort of a headdress while some of his friends are wearing full enable. Luna would often use his friends as muses in his paintings, such as in Luna's The Parisian Life featuring Rizal, Luna, and Ariston Bautista seated in a cafe or bar admiring a young woman.
In a Tiktok video posted by Laki Larry (@lakilarry), he claims that the photo was taken in the house of one of Rizal's lovers in Tarlac. Another fun fact about the painting is, according to him, Luna painted the image first without their faces and then proceeded to paint them after.
@lakilarry Pwede nang isali sa drag race si jose rizal at si juan luna! True story! #foryou #foryoupage #fypã‚· ♬ original sound - Laki Larry
Indeed, Jose Rizal did not only defend our country through his writing but also by serving lewks!
