Lesson No. 1: What is LGBTQIA+?
L: Lesbian — Women attracted to women. G: Gay — Men attracted to men. B: Bisexual — Attracted to more than one gender. T: Transgender — Gender identity differs from sex assigned at birth. Q: Queer — Umbrella term for non-normative sexual identity. I: Intersex — Individuals born with physical sex traits that are not clearly male or female. A: Asexual — People who feel little or no sexual attraction to others. +: Other identities — Pansexual, demisexual, Two-Spirit and more.
Lesson No. 2: Where did all this come from?
The abbreviation LGB first appeared in the 1980s to reflect lesbian, gay and bisexual identities. If one had to pin it to a specific place, it would be Fire Island, near new New York City, or the Castro District of San Francisco — both hotbeds of modern queer culture.
Later, “T” was added to include transsexual identities, and beginning in the 2000s, “QIA+” also was added to include “queer”, “intersexual” and “asexual”. The “+” ensures that the abbreviation remains open and inclusive.
Lesson No. 3: Why should I care about queer culture?
There are at least two good reasons to care. One is that the Philippines has a large and politically active queer community. Indeed, the Philippines, where homosexuality is not illegal, is regarded as one of the more LGBT-friendly countries in Southeast Asia. According to a 2021 study cited in Time magazine, the Philippines ranks highest in Southeast Asia for LGBT social acceptance. Other surveys support this finding.
But gay culture here still faces hurdles. Same-sex marriages are not recognized, and in the national press gay culture doesn’t get much coverage. Furthermore, institutional research on gay culture is scarce because there is a social stigma associated with studying the prevalence and social behaviors of homosexuals — this in spite of the fact that the Psychological Association of the Philippines in 2020 acknowledged that LGBT Filipinos face widespread discrimination in schools, media and healthcare settings.
The other good reason is that, historically speaking, sexual identities in the Philippines always have been fluid. Before Spanish colonization, pre-colonial Philippine societies recognized gender variance and non-heteronormative identities. One example: “Babaylans” — spiritual leaders often identified as men who assumed feminine roles — were revered for their wisdom and healing powers. They exist today, especially in Mindanao and the Cordilleras, but they are few in number.
However, the Spanish in the 16th century introduced rigid Catholic doctrines that condemned homosexuality and reinforced binary gender roles. This legacy persists.
While there are no government data on how many citizens identify as gay, 11 percent of Filipinos aged 15-24 report same-sex experiences, according to a 2022 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Survey.
For a politician, a constituency of 11 percent of the population is more than enough to swing a close election.
Lesson No. 4: Is there other evidence for the prevalence of gay culture?
Urban centers like Metro Manila have a vibrant same-sex culture, with Gay Pride marches, LGBT organizations, and groups like Bahaghari, Metro Manila Pride, and Home for the Golden Gays.
There also is a gay club scene, especially in Metro Manila — Nectar Nightclub, temporarily closed but known for its drag shows; O Bar, with drag shows and go-go dancers; and Chelu Bar, said to be the oldest gay bar in Manila.
There are prominent gay media personalities — Vice Ganda, gay comedian and host of “It’s Showtime” and the highest grossing Philippine actor of all time; Jake Zyrus, singer and TV personality formerly known as Charice Pempengco; and Beatrice Gomez, bisexual titleholder of of Miss Universe Philippines 2021.
There are gay print and online media — Outrage Magazine and Mencircle, which is online.
There are movies about gay life — “Die Beautiful”, a 2016 film about a transgender beauty queen; “Metamorphosis”, a 2019 film about an intersex teen exploring sexual identity; “Rookie”, a 2022 coming-of-age queer romance.
There are gay TV shows — “My Husband’s Lover” and “Gameboys”, for example.
There are prominent gay politicians — Bemz Benedito, founding member of Ladlad Partylist; Geraldine Roman, the first transgender woman elected to Congress.
There are Gay Pride month celebrations — Komiket Pride, a comics and art fair in Manila malls; Quezon City Pride Run, a 5-kilometer run celebrating inclusiveness; Queerlayaan Art Market, a one-day annual event in Pasig City for queer artists and creators.
And there are hundreds of regional gay events — Cebu, Davao City and Baguio are all noted for their Gay Pride marches and festivals.
Lesson No. 5: I live in the province, so why should I care about what goes on in Manila?
Most of the Philippines’ 82 provinces have no formal, government-sanctioned Gay Pride celebrations. However, locally speaking, Catanduanes is fortunate in having a government that is open-minded about gay life and culture.
In 2022, the provincial government provided financial assistance to 250 LGBT members in Virac as part of Pride Month celebrations in June. Ever since then, these activities have been organized and administered annually by the Provincial Local Youth Development Office.
The official name of Catanduanes Province’s Pride Month celebrations, SIKLAB, means, “Sama-samang Ipinagdiriwang ang Karapatang Lumaya at Magpakatotoo” — “Collectively Celebrating the Right to Freedom and Authenticity”.
A slogan during the June 2025 events, which just wrapped up, was, “Be here, be queer.”
SIKLAB today is viewed as a platform for advocacy, education and community-building. It reflects the Catanduanes provincial government’s commitment to LGBTQIA+ rights.
So, let’s put it this way: Whether you’re for or against gay culture, it’s time to get with the program. Gay life is here to stay. The politicians get it: In a website promoting SIKLAB, none other than former Gov. Joseph Cua is quoted as saying, “You are seen, you are heard, you are recognized!”
Bryce McIntyre, PhD, resides in San Andres. He holds a doctoral degree from Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA