12/06/2025
Thereโs a certain electricity in the air when June arrives. Rainbow flags bloom between buntings and sari-sari stores, tucked into profile pictures, whispered between heartbeats. It feels like a celebration of being seen, of stepping into the sun and saying, โ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ง๐๐ง ๐งโ๐ฒ๐จ โ๐ค๐จ. ๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ โ๐ค๐จ!โ
But beyond the color and laughter, ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฐ๐๐ฅ๐ค๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐ข๐๐. Queerness trends online but is shushed in households, skimmed over in classrooms, and softened for palatability. Tolerance wears a mask that slips behind closed doors, revealing how many still mistake silence for acceptance, and visibility for value.
In many Filipino homes, faith is a foundation, but it can also be a source of inner conflict. Teachings that aim to guide can sometimes leave others feeling unseen. Many children grow up learning to adjust, choosing their words carefully, holding back parts of themselves, and hoping for acceptance. Some prayers ask for love and understanding, while others still ask for change.
๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฒ. ๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ญ. It is defiance. It is choosing to live in color when the world insists on grayscale. To walk through a palengke in full bloom, to hold your partnerโs hand beneath fluorescent streetlights, to say, โI am MEโ in a culture that teaches you to hideโthis is more than a bravery act. It is revolutionary.
And still, the community risesโbruised, but never broken. Every flag waved is stitched with struggle. Every step forward says: ๐ฅ๐๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ง, ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐, ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐. Because ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐โ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐โ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ.
And until that love is no longer debated in courtrooms, silenced in confessional booths, or twisted into chismis beside packs of Piattos and RC Cola, ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐โ๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ง. But ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ. ๐๐จ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฃ๐จ๐ฒ. ๐๐จ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก.
And the truth is this: ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ก๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐๐ก.
