The LGBTQIA+ minority continues to experience prevalent discrimination and prejudice, even though homosexuality and “gay culture” have been a significant component of Philippine society.
The Philippines has showcased momentous gender diversity representation during the pre-colonial era. One of the remarkable figures to symbolize the queer identities in the country were asogs, which are known to be the first example of the Filipino homosexual identity; wherein in 2022, Francis Luis M. Torres from the University of the Philippines-Diliman Humanities Department stated that the asogs were the individuals who were recognized as transgender people, transvestites or someone who cross-dresses; and their existence undeniably created a notable contribution to the varying queer community image in the country.
However, as Spanish colonization and civilization advanced in the Philippines, traditional gender roles were prominently embraced, which had a substantial effect on the queer community. As a result of this shift, conventional gender standards were heightened, with women expected to be homemakers full-time, submissive to males, and often objects of sexual activity for male fulfillment (Anonuevo, 2020). Men, on the other hand, were given principles of dominance and masculinity, which resulted in the objectification of women as they felt considered inherently superior as family leaders and providers (Lee, 2004).
The conservative environment created by colonization resulted in the marginalization and oppression of LGBTQIA+ people in the Philippines; because as the colonization happened, it established binary gender stereotypes and heteronormativity, which followed the elimination of indigenous gender identities—wherein the Western culture promoted the notion that males should strictly conform to masculine roles as husbands and breadwinners. In contrast, women should only be bound to feminine roles as wives and homemakers.
In contemporary times, the media is tremendously significant in the Philippines because it can influence and affect the views of the people glued to their screens. Even so, this effect raises concerns, especially about our country’s level of media literacy (Amurthalingham, 2022). Despite these difficulties, the queer community—which embraces lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, asexual, and other identities—is still frequently represented in the Philippine media.
Now, the question arises: can the queer representation in the Philippine media help reduce the discrimination, or does it risk encouraging bigotry among the viewers and creating a false belief that queers are only going through a temporary phase and will eventually switch to heterosexuality again?
Several media productions have made a massive contribution to the representation of the queer community:
In the early 2000s, the film “Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita” (I love you 1941: I love you) was released, wherein Dennis Trillo portrayed a gay Filipino warring his unconditional love in the 1940s setting, as Ignacio. The movie’s plot follows Ignacio as he carries out his responsibilities as a Filipino spy in World War II and deals with his feelings for a Japanese soldier, played by Jay Manalo as Ichiru.
“Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita” brings to light the cultural and social hindrances that the gay characters had to face in the conservative setting during World War II. The film highlights the dread, secretiveness, and prejudice LGBTQIA+ people faced during the 1940s and the difficulties of expressing one’s true self and love in a society that is resentful of same-sex relationships. This early 2000s film is a tribute to people like Ignacio and Ichiru, who resist challenges and go above and beyond social standards because of the genuine and profound bond that they have found in each other.
During the 2010s, Vice Ganda gained popularity for her depiction of the LGBTQIA+ community in the Philippine media. The 2013 film “Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy” (Girl, Boy, Gay, Tomboy) brought in over 421 million pesos at the box office, and this effectively showed a massive impact on the diversity of the labels among the queers in the country.
Even though the film mainly focuses on the comedic theme, it still promotes discussions about the inclusivity of queers in the Philippines. “Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy” contributed to understanding and analyzing the different identities that make up the LGBTQIA+ community. The movie provided entertainment while simultaneously nurturing awareness, especially with the help of Vice Ganda’s remarkable performance, which makes it an iconic representation of gays and queers in Philippine cinema.
In the 2020s era of the Philippine media, “Rookie” became hugely popular within the sapphic or wlw (women-loving women) community. Due to director Samantha Lee’s expertise on the sapphic gaze in the Philippine media, this 2023 romantic comedy became a success.
This new film demonstrated the experiences of the queers, especially the sapphics in the sports field, which highlighted the realities of queer athletes. Moreover, “Rookie” unquestionably captured the experience and journey of high school students still figuring out how to embrace their sexuality as adolescents. The movie discussed homophobia, assaults, and other taboo topics that most Filipinos are still unwilling to discuss in public; Samantha Lee’s brilliance in filmmaking showcased the authenticity and sincerity between the young sapphics.
However, there are also cases in the Philippine media where the representation of queers has strengthened the heteronormativity context to conform to societal standards:
In a 2019 comedy-drama film entitled “The Panti Sisters,” the plot centers on an ailing father who declares that only one of his three gay sons can inherit his wealth, but only if that one son can give him a grandchild. “Kailangang mabigyan niyo ako ng apo. Walang kabaklaan!” (“You have to give me a grandchild. No being gay around here!”), said the father, portrayed by John Arcilla. The indisputable expectation carried by the LGBTQIA+ community that they must adhere to societal norms concerning parenthood and family was brought to light by this quote.
Although the entire context of the quote was essential to the storyline of the movie, it can give viewers the misconception that queers can change their sexual orientation or gender identity to fit in with society’s expectations; this could paint a poor picture regarding this type of issue in the community because it could reinforce the misunderstandings about this matter.
Moreover, the central character of the 2020 television series “Fluid” is Mitch, played by Roxanne Barcelo, who ended her relationship with her long-term boyfriend and began a new one with a woman. Despite being happily partnered with her new girlfriend, Mitch still feels pressure from her mother to return to her ex-boyfriend, and she also faces social pressure to marry a man because she has reached the right age for marriage; it is additionally relevant to note that the show included dramatic and suspenseful scenes in which Mitch contemplated ending her relationship with her girlfriend to conform to social norms.
The representation of bisexuality in the series deals with complex issues because it involves a past, long-time relationship with a man and a new relationship with a woman. Albeit it is commendable that the show addressed these situations because they are actual occurrences, some viewers may believe that bisexuals are more susceptible to heterosexual influences, such as marriage, once they reach a certain age, as this could connote that same-sex relationships are less beneficial than heterosexual ones.
As films like “Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita”, “Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy”, and “Rookie” encourage compassion and affection, it can not be denied that producing these movies has faced obstacles such as experiencing homophobia and stereotyping from conservative audiences. On the other hand, as the film “The Panti Sisters” and the series “Fluid” have the context of heteronormativity in their production, it is crucial to recognize that the team behind the cameras have tried their best to showcase the different sides of queer representation in the Philippine media.
Regardless of these challenges, the films listed above remain vital to the pop culture scene in the Philippines.
Undeniably, society is still continuously battling with issues such as homophobia and stereotyping, as observed in disparaging phrases such as “Ay Barbie!” and “Tomboy na naka-Mio” (“Tomboy who has Mio”),” which contribute to misconceptions in the LGBTQIA+ community. Every person should be aware that automatically connecting femininity to gay men and masculinity to lesbians or sapphics also indicates a lack of awareness and education on the variety of ways in which the community expresses their sexual identity. It’s essential to keep in mind that queers can present themselves in a variety of ways and that their behaviors and self-presentations don’t always correspond to their orientations.
The conservative trait of the Philippines has a long way from fully accepting the queer community; yet, with proper awareness and rightful representation in the media, there is a vast potential to change societal views and promote change within the society.
Alagad ng midya, ika’y namulat para magmulat ng iba.
(Advocate of the media, you became aware to make others aware.)
Note: Please be advised that the writer’s reference to specific films in the article is not intended to undermine the labor and commitment of the production teams behind each of the movies mentioned. Instead, the reviews are written from the writer’s viewpoint, expressing how she has interpreted particular scenes or the entirety of each film.
WRITTEN BY Kem Escriba
EDITED BY PatrICIA Tan
GRAPHICS BY Audrey Villanueva
REFERENCES
Anonuevo, C. (2000). An overview of the gender situation in the Philippines. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung-Philippines. https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/philippines/
Amurthalingam, S. (2023). Philippine Media Today: History, Definition, Types & Roles. Meltwater. https://www.meltwater.com/en/blog/philippine-media
Lee R. B. (2004). Filipino men’s familial roles and domestic violence: implications and strategies for community-based intervention. Health & social care in the community, 12(5), 422–429. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2524.2004.00512.
Torres, F. (2022). View of Locating the ASOG: A historical account of Philippine gay identity in the Spanish Colonial period. Humanities Diliman, 19 (1),1-29. https://www.journals.upd.edu.ph/index.php/humanitiesdiliman/article/view/8786/7747
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