This project is the final requirement of Psych 103 students under Sir Lysander James Montilla Doble. It attempts to shed light on Filipino experiences in the religious setting. The group also aims to show the reasoning for why some LGBT individuals leave the church and why others decide to stay. Below are the two main aspects of the project:
Although we use the term "LGBT", note that Filipino culture may use words such as "bakla", "tomboy", and the like to describe individuals who may not fit heteronormative standards. Although queer Filipinos have avenues of representation, inequalities and inequities still exist. The Philippines' national law does not allow same sex marriage, does not allow same sex partners to make healthcare decisions (with the exception of Quezon City), nor does the country have a law that bans discrimination on the grounds of SOGIESC (de Guzman, 2023; Nicol, 2023). In short, queer Filipinos' experience can also mean a fight for their rights.
The Philippines is a religious country with around 80 million Roman Catholics. Religion is a prominent aspect in both society and individuals, with lawmakers even deciding on policies and initiatives based on their religious beliefs (Alvarez, 2017). Considering the high levels of religiosity, it is interesting to see the Philippines rank highly for gay-friendly countries. This idea is further explored in the next sections.
Now that we are familiar with the context for our video, let's find out how the two interact. Click the link below to watch our stop motion film!