Storm Nguyen: Queerness in Asian cultures continues to be ostracized as a result of colonialism, even though LGBTQIA+ identities were celebrated pre-colonially.
Carrying such an intersectional identity comes with difficulty. Many queer Asians may feel disconnected from their cultural roots and heritage due to an inability to openly express their identity within their communities.
This photography series specifically highlights the intersectional identity of my friend and muse, Raphael Liwanag through the usage of fashion, culture, and photography. “Identity Euphoria” seeks to connect with a larger audience that can relate to the struggles of expressing their cultural and queer identities in a western imperialist world.
Raphael Liwanag: Frequently dubbed as one of the more gay-friendly countries in Asia, I used to pride the Philippines for this title. I grew up having LGBTQ+ figures in my life, from celebrities in the media to the workers in my family’s beauty parlor. When I came to realize my queer identity, I found safety and comfort knowing that I had a community in my country - something many people from other neighboring nations did not have. However, I slowly realized the flaws in this perception, and I started questioning the security I once had. I noticed LGBTQIA+ figures in Filipino culture were often portrayed as caricatures rather than people, and my community had no proper protection.
One of the longest and slowest running bills under the senate in the Philippines’s legislative history is the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGIE) Equality Bill which grants anti-discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. Even so, we are still reduced to walking stereotypes, a token of laughter. However, when queer oppression is addressed, it is immediately invalidated. If you did not comply with traditional standards of your assigned gender at birth, you were proven a cancer to society. Despite all this, the intersectionality of being Filipino and queer can peacefully coexist.
I am wearing the Barong Tagalog, a traditionally masculine garment in Filipino culture. For so long, I felt uncomfortable embracing my culture. When I first moved to the States, I went to a conservative, Christian, predominantly white high school, with no one like me around. Internalized racism is a common issue for those who cannot find anyone similar to them around and do not see themselves represented. I hope to make a statement that our own cultures and heritage are something to have pride in. The western world views fashion as a separation from culture, when in reality the two strengthen each other. Regardless of how I am viewed, I’m not scared that I am different, and I am ready to express what my younger self longed to do.
I am presenting the barong in a rather unconventional way. I felt that it was important to present it in a more feminine way. For too long, I was uncomfortable with expressing my femininity, despite my own discomfort with masculinity. I would not have imagined wearing the garment in such a manner, but I realized that by presenting it more effeminate, I am reclaiming something that I tried to repress. I, in collaboration with Storm, found ways to express myself, such as the handbag, big pearl earrings, headscarf, platform boots, and makeup. With all these together, we create an image that provokes thought on how an element of queerness can be added to a traditional, masculine barong.
