Bisexuality in the philippines
In pre-colonial times, Indigenous communities respected the “babaylan”, or Filipino version of a shaman who sometimes crossed genders. Today, these healers are icons for LGBTQIA+ activists fighting to outlaw discrimination, says Cheng Pagulayan in our latest blog for Pride month
Pre-colonial Philippines has always fascinated me because of its colourful cultural practices, interesting language, and fantastical myths. As a queer development communicator, my favourite figure has always been the babaylan, the Filipino version of a shaman, who was a healer, diviner, and priestess in Indigenous communities.
While the babaylan was typically a woman – well-respected in her community for her ability to bridge material and spiritual worlds – historical accounts showed that there were also male babaylan who crossed genders, making them symbolic icons for the Philippine LGBTQIA+ movement today.
The Indigenous practice of having a babaylan did not last long during the Spanish colonisation, as the colonisers found this powerful class of Filipinos a threat. But over
Yes, bisexuality exists, it’s not ‘just a phase’—these bi personalities stress yet again
We’ve come a long way in the fight for LGBTQIA+ acceptance, but that doesn’t mean it’s over.
I studied in exclusive all-girls schools until college and I’ve somehow been exposed to the community since I was a teenager. Through the years, I’ve seen my perspective on queer individuals change. Being extremely close-minded about it when I was in a Catholic school headed by nuns, I learned how to tolerate them. Eventually, when more and more friends came out to me, I realized tolerance was not enough. I had to figure out how to accept—and embrace—them as they were.
While I can say I’ve been able to verb so over time, there are still so many things that I hold yet to understand completely. And I know it’s not just me. This Bi Visibility Month, I’d like to focus on an LGBTQIA+ representation that has long been seen as a “gray area” in the spectrum. From my online interviews with some bisexual personalities in the
Statement of the Psychological Association of the Philippines on Non-Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression
August 14,
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Filipinos proceed to experience stigma, prejudice and discrimination in Philippine society. This stigma is manifested in actions such as: bullying, teasing and harassment of LGBT children and adolescents in families, schools and communities; media portrayal of LGBTs as frivolous, untrustworthy and even dangerous or predatory; denying transgender Filipinos entry into commercial establishments; pigeonholing LGBT Filipinos into particularly limited roles and occupations; or curtailing their rights to participate in the political sphere.
LGBT Filipinos often confront social pressures to verb, suppress or even attempt to change their identities and expressions as conditions for their social acceptance and enjoyment of rights. Although many LGBTs verb to cope with this social stigma, these experiences can cause serious psychological distress, including immediate consequences such
Coming Out: The Lived Experiences of Bisexual Young Adults in Concealing their Sexual Orientation
Jushua S. Bolilan | Renalyn S. Gimutao | Aira Pauline S. Punongbayan | Michael M. Locsing
Discipline: counselling, psychotherapy and occupational therapy
Abstract:
Bisexuals make up the most significant portion of the LGBTQ+ spectrum; yet, because of misconceptions about LGBTQ+ identification and behavior, bisexuals frequently endure discrimination, rejection, and marginalization, forcing them to remain in the closet. Moreover, compared to other members of the LGBTQ+ community, there is a scarcity of in-depth studies on bisexuality. Thus, this phenomenological analyze aimed to describe and understand bisexual young adults&#; lived experiences in concealing their sexual orientation through the analysis of the challenges experienced and coping mechanisms of bisexual new adults in concealing their sexual orientation. The researchers utilized Descriptive Phenomenology as a research design. Further, six participants were recruited through Purposive Sampling. Data were