Filipino Perceptions of LGBTQ Identities in "Queer Eye

WE’RE HERE, WE’RE QUEER: AN AUDIENCE ANALYSIS ON THE
PERCEPTION OF THE FILIPINO VIEWERS TO THE IDENTITIES PRESENTED

IN “QUEER EYE” AND ITS IMPACT IN TODAY’S SOCIETY
An Undergraduate Thesis
Presented to
The Faculty of the College of Arts and Science
SAN BEDA COLLEGE ALABANG
Muntinlupa City
In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree
BACHELOR OF ARTS IN COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA STUDIES
Joviene Jade T. Datinguinoo

Caye Magdalene S. Palacol
Aey Simon James M. Rey
Proffesor Nyssa Bernal

Thesis Adviser
APRIL 2019
An audience analysis on the perception of the Filipino viewers to the identities
presented in “Queer Eye” and its impact in today’s society.
An Undergraduate Thesis Proposal
Proposed to
The Faculty of College of Arts and Sciences
SAN BEDA COLLEGE ALABANG
Muntinlupa City
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
BACHELOR OF ARTS IN COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA STUDIES
Datinguinoo, Joviene Jade T.
Palacol, Caye Magdalene S.
Rey, Aey Simon James M.
2018
Acknowledgement
We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to our ALMIGHTY GOD,
without Him this study would not have been successfully completed.
The researchers wishes to convey their profound gratitude and sincere
appreciation to the following unforgettable characters for their help and without
them, this study would not have been possible.
To our professor Ms. Nyssa Kristine Paras Bernal, MMC., from the CMS
department, our research adviser for her selfless assistance and advice, guidance
and patience. She helped the researchers in editing and making additional studies
and rendered valuable suggestions in the preparation of the study.
To our beloved parents, for their continuous support, encouragement and
understanding and giving us time to make this study possible.
The researchers would like to thank the people who were involved and
participated to make this study credible.
Words alone are not enough to extend our deepest gratitude and
appreciation for all the persons who helped us, thank you very much and God
bless!
ABSTRACT
Research Title : WE’RE HERE, WE’RE QUEER: AN AUDIENCE ANALYSIS

ON THE PERCEPTION OF THE FILIPINO VIEWERS TO
THE IDENTITIES PRESENTED IN “QUEER EYE” AND ITS
IMPACT IN TODAY’S SOCIETY.
Researcher : JOVIENE JADE T. DATINGUINOO
CAYE MAGDALENE S. PALACOL
AEY SIMON JAMES M. REY
Degree Content : BACHELOR OF ARTS IN COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA
STUDIES
School : SAN BEDA COLLEGE ALABANG
Adviser : NYSSA KRISTINE BERNAL
Date Completed : April 2019
No. of Pages : 117

Queer Eye is a makeover reality TV show that showcases five gay men —
Bobby Berk, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness and Karamo
Brown. Collectively known as the “Fab 5” experts in matters of interior design,
fashion, food, grooming, and culture who forges relationship with straight men and
women who often had different beliefs of them, that led to moments of emotionally
charged makeovers, heartfelt reveals and social commentary interspersed with
style advice.
This study revolves around the main research problem: How do the show’s
cast (Fab Five), bridge-building narratives and inspirational transformations
educate the Filipinos attitude towards acceptance of homosexuality being under
the great influence of the church? Using an audience analysis on the show’s Cast
(Fab Five), the researchers conducted an FGD (ages 20-30, 31-40, and 41-50)
and an expert’s interview.
The researchers based the analysis from its main theories: the Reception
Theory, which is a theoretical approach of how media is produced, disseminated
and interpreted, Developed by Stuart Hill, states that media texts are encoded by
the producer and decoded by the audience, it’s simply an exchange of information
between the encoder and decoder. The Heteronormative Theory, this theory had
the desire to examine how identity is built, but the identity it examines was based
on sexual orientation in addition to gender.

And lastly, the Technological Determinism. This was coined by Thorstein
Veblen and this theory revolves around the proposition that technology in any
given society defines its nature.
The in-depth expert interviews provided data about how the LGBT were not
totally accepted here in the Philippines since then.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Chapter I. THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
A.Introduction………………………………………….……………..…..…….7
B. Background of the Study………………………………………...….…….….8
C. Statement of the Problem……………………………………………….…..14
D. Research Objectives…………………………..…..………………………...15
E.Theoretical Framework…………………………………………...….………15
F. Conceptual Framework………………………..……………………....…... 18
G. Significance of the Study………………………………………….….……. 19
H. Scope and Delimitations……………………….....………….……….…….20
I. Definition of Terms……………………...……………………………….…....21
II. Chapter II. METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURE
A. Research Design……………………………………………...……….……23
B. Sample and Sampling Design…………………………………….……….24
C. Informant’s Profile…………………………………………….…………….25
D. Research instrument…………………………..…………………………….25
E. Coding Sheet…………………………………………………………………26
F. Data Gathering Procedure………………………………………………..…27
G. Gantt Chart…………………………………………………………………...33
H. Data Analysis………………………………………………………………..34
III. CHAPTER III PRESENTATION, REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE,
ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION
A. Review of Related Literature……………………………………...…..…….35
B. Summary of Interview……………………………………………………..…47
C. Summary of Content Analysis………………………………………………65
D. Interpretation and Analysis……………………………………………...…..69
IV. CHAPTER IV. SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATION
A. Summary…………………………………………………………………….73
B. Conclusion……………………………………………………..……………74
C. Recommendation………………………………………………….……….75
V. BENEDICTINE VALUES
A. Appendices………………………………………………………….………79
B. Creative Synthesis………………………………………………………..117
C. References……………………………………………….………………..118
List of Tables
List of Figures
List of Appendices
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
"You being your true self isn't going to offend anybody. It's very unlikely that
people are going to cause you an issue just because you are being yourself. And if
they're concerned, that's on them. You're happy."
— Tan France, Queer Eye 2018
Queer Eye is a makeover reality TV show that showcases five gay men —
Bobby Berk, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness and Karamo
Brown. Collectively known as the “Fab 5” experts in matters of interior design,
fashion, food, grooming, and culture who forges relationship with straight men and
women who often had different beliefs of them, that led to moments of emotionally
charged makeovers, heartfelt reveals and social commentary interspersed with
style advice. The first batch of the Bravo series Queer Eye for the Straight Guy —
"Food and Wine Connoisseur" Ted, "Grooming Guru" Kyan, "Design Doctor"
Thom, "Fashion Savant" Carson, and "Culture Vulture" Jai focuses on Fab Five
which improved the lives and confidence of straight men by giving them advices
and makeovers and they were also fighting for tolerance. However, the new batch
of Queer Eye features a new Fab Five that gave inspiration and hope to the people
who do not have confidence in themselves and by helping them to fight for
acceptance on who they really are.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Queer Eye (2003)
Fifteen years ago, five successful, talented gay men set their sights on
helping heterosexual men become a little more fabulous. These men worked with
their best on everything from improving their fashion sense to critiquing their decor,
all in the name of tolerance. At the time, it was a game-changing revelation for
television. (Baragona, 2018) The show, on its face, asks questions about
masculinity, stereotypes, and the estrangement of blue and red America. The early
parts of each episode buzzed with the energy of culture clash. By the end, it was
unifying of friendship and crying, testifying to the transformative power of
incorporating a pop of color into one’s daily look. The wave of tearful social media
responded and confirmed the show’s success in calibrating humor, meaning, and
heart. (Kornhaber, 2018)

The original show was called Queer Eye for the Straight Guy which was
marketed directly to straight men. It was created by executive producers David
Collins and Michael Williams along with David Metzler through their company,
Scout Productions. These Gay men or known as “Fab Five” were trying to improve
the lives and confidence of straight men by giving them makeovers and advice. At
the time, queer people were virtually absent from mainstream television. Only five
lead characters on primetime television identified as homosexual, according to
GLAAD (Waters, 2018).
Transition of Television to Digital Media
Traditional television is still strong, but technology evolves. The rise of
streaming platforms like, Netflix, Hulu, Sling and Youtube has shown that
traditional cable is not the only way audiences can view content and that changes
how contents are developed. Digital media as a whole is changing, technology
enabled the audiences to have control of the conversation and messaging that’s
directed to them.
Netflix was one of the most well-known and leading streaming service that
allows people to watch a wide variety of award-winning TV shows, movies,
documentaries and more. Netflix had been shaking up the film industry with its
original movies, has now been rated as the most popular way for people to watch
TV, according to a recent survey by investment firm Cowen & Co. Netflix beats out
cable and broadcast TV, while other streaming services like YouTube, Hulu and
Amazon Prime Video are trailing far behind.

In addition, the lead doesn’t change, but only gets wider when factoring in
the younger demographic. (Ofiaza, 2018, par. 1)
Netflix was steadily rising as cable is declining. That trend was apparent
when pouring over television ratings for traditional shows. Consumers had
increasingly opted for the ease and convenience of Netflix, not to mention the
streamer’s less expensive cost. In return, Netflix had reinvested in its product with
a content budget of $8 billion in 2018 (Katz, 2017, par 6).
Netflix was notoriously private about how many people used the streaming
service, but it's estimated that it has about 94 million paid subscribers. This means
that 94 million people could possibly view a series that portrays gay men in a
flattering, accurate, and overall exceptional light. Best of all, it showed them
relating to and having important conversations with men of different races and
religions, as well as economic and political backgrounds. Though queer people
should not have to be excellent in order to be respected, celebrated, and
recognized in all of their diverse forms, it's not often that they are portrayed without
harmful tropes and stereotypes. The size of Netflix's audience combined with the
quality of the men on "Queer Eye" was a winning combination, one that speaks to
the possible impact of well-done representation of gay and queer people.
(Baragona, 2018).
Netflix Statistics in the Philippines
Sixty three (63M) million out of one hundred and seven (107M) Filipinos are
social media savvy and have been using the internet despite its slow speed.
Ranking the Philippines placed 12th among the top 20 internet users
globally. (Porcalla, 2018) The average screen time of Filipinos in their
mobile phone is 3.2 hours while they spend 5.2 hours on their desktop/laptop, 85%
of Filipino digital users reported watching online video content weekly.
Filipinos love international shows and it far exceeded their expectations.
With the fast growth of the streaming platform (Netflix) outside in U.S., Asia plays a
modest role in the company’s growth contributing 5% of the global base at the end
of 2017. According to Statistica.com estimates that netflix will have 104,000
subscribers in the Philippines in 2018 and is expected to grow about 296,000 in
2020. The same portal said that there are around 1.8 million subscription video on
demand (SVoD) subscribers in the Philippines and is expected to grow to 3.9
million in 2022.
Estimated number of active streaming subscribers to Netflix in Philippines
from 2017 to 2020 (in 1,000s)

The timeline presents the estimate number of active streaming subscribers
to Netflix in Philippines from 2017 to 2020. According to the projections, Netflix will
have more than 296 thousand subscribers in Philippines in 2020.
Netflix is slowly starting to build local teams, and by extension, is
incorporating a local strategy, but it’s still isn’t as laser focused on Southeast Asia
as some of its peers. 42.4% of survey respondents said Netflix is their go-to video
streaming platform of choice. A similar number chose YouTube. iFlix was actually
tied with Viu (which is focused on providing Asian content such as Korean TV and
anime) – with 6.2% each. Lastly, according to AIP Corporation, 39% of Filipinos
with an internet subscription had signed up for iFlix, but the corresponding figure
for Netflix was much higher, at 60%.
Queer Eye (2018)
The reboot was touching, powerful, and culturally relevant in so many
different ways, particularly in a society in which gay men are oftentimes

barely tolerated, let alone celebrated. Though things had progressed socially since
“Queer Eye” first premiered on Bravo in 2003, America still remained a largely
divided nation in regards to its stance on queer issues.
The conversation around gender and sexuality in the intervening years had
greatly evolved beyond the deficits of Bravo’s original experiment, and rightfully so.
In the new episodes, that conversation had become multilateral; the lessons
extend in both directions and to all gender identities. This time around, the Fab 5
had just as much learning to do. Five gracious lifestyle gurus, Bobby Berk (interior
design), Antoni Porowski (food), Karamo Brown (culture), Jonathan Van Ness
(grooming), and Tan France (fashion) are all back for the new episodes, and set
on bringing redemption into the lives of these small-town Georgians, all of whom
had been nominated for a makeover by someone close to them. The men and
women who got made up had, by most metrics, lived silent, unactualized lives.
(Parham, 2018)
Audience Reception on Queer Eye

Queer Eye adapts for a different era without losing its style, charm,
or sense of fun, proving that the show's concept remains just as sweetly addictive
even after a change in location and a new group of hosts. On review aggregator
website, Metacritic, the first season holds an approval rating of 97% based on 32
reviews, and an average rating of 8.23/10. Indicating "generally favorable reviews".
The second season has a 85% approval rating based on 27 reviews, with an
average rating of 8.36/10. Earnest and endearing, Queer Eye's tear-inducing
reality wiles continue to challenge social norms and, in its best moments, the Fab
Five themselves.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Media consumption remains high among Filipino households both online
and offline because of affordability. To further understand this, the researchers
came up with a general question:
Television, as a platform remains popular among Filipino households. From
the traditional to subscriber-based, television remains a popular media platform
with Netflix.
How does the show’s cast (Fab Five), bridge-building narratives and
inspirational transformations educate the Filipinos attitude towards acceptance of
homosexuality being under the great influence of church?
a. How did the characters impact the beliefs and perception towards the
LGBT Community in the Philippines?

b. Do the characters of the show Queer Eye reinforce the audience
tolerance or acceptance of the LGBT?
Based on the problem stated, the aim of this study was to determine the
representation of the characters of the show and its effect to the perception of the
Filipino viewers. The researchers wanted to achieve the following objectives:
1. To understand the television’s portrayal of the LGBT if it had an effect on
the audience’s perceptions.
2. To lessen the notion of negative stereotypes towards the LGBT through
proper media representation.
3. To interpret the show’s concept and message to the Filipino viewers.
4. To identify the stereotypes frequently shown in these visual mediums.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The reboot of Queer Eye was launched early this year on Netflix as its own
original series that it immediately gained millions of viewers across the world. As
Netflix released more season of the show. To support this study, two theories were
used. First, Reception Theory was used to support and help gather more
information about the response of the viewers to the show. Second,
Heteronormative theory was used to examine how one’s identity is built. Mass
media, particularly television, was one of the core institutions in the social
construction of reality. It provided a mediated relationship to social phenomena
which many people cannot know first-hand, such as the lives of gay men. While
gay men are often defined through their perceived masculinity or femininity,
television was a useful tool in constructing controlling images of both. This allowed
viewers to incorporate gay men, specifically their lifestyles and personalities, as
part of their conception and experience of reality. In other words, the images of
gay men found on television are seen by viewers as the reality of gay life.
Representations of gay men are often equated with femininity. Therefore,
homosexuality was presented in opposition to masculinity. This concept was
referred to as gender inversion. “The commonly held belief that homosexuals are
oppositely gendered; a gay man was considered more feminine than a straight
man and vice versa with a lesbian in contrast to a straight woman” (Representation
of Gay Men on U.S. Television, 2013, p. 20-21)
A. Reception Theory
A theoretical approach of how media is produced, disseminated and
interpreted, Developed by Stuart Hill, states that media texts are encoded by the
producer and decoded by the audience, it’s simply an exchange of information
between the encoder and decoder. Thus, the audience may decode the text in
different ways, not always in the way the encoder intended. A text can be received
in one of three ways; Dominant or Preferred Reading Negotiated Reading
Oppositional Reading.
This theory is significant to this study because it would help the
researchers identify how the audience will decode the identities presented in the
show and to understand many images presented through television as
they related to aspects of social life, such as sexuality, race, and class. It can be
useful in understanding the portrayals, mannerisms, behaviors, and actions

presented through television programs.
B. Heteronormative Theory
Developed by a gender theorist, Judith Butler, this theory had the desire to
examine how identity is built, but the identity it examines was based on sexual
orientation in addition to gender. It also shares with feminism a concern for
society’s power structures. Furthermore, Queer theory was concerned with the
manner in which gay culture was absorbed or assimilated by mainstream or
“straight” culture.
Year 2013, According to Janice M. Habarth from The University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, U.S.A., Heteronormativity had been defined as the
enforced compliance with culturally determined heterosexual roles and
assumptions about heterosexuality as a ‘natural’ or ‘normal’.
C. Technological Determinism
The term ‘technological determinism’ was coined by Thorstein Veblen and
this theory revolves around the proposition that technology in any given society
defines its nature. Technology is viewed as the driving force of culture in a society
and it determines its course of history. New media are not only an addition to
existing media, they are also new technologies, the introduction of news print,
television and the internet have all shown how technological advances have an
impact on the society in which we live in. Marshall McLuhan made a famous
statement that “the medium is the message.”
This means that the medium used to communicate influences the mind of
the receiver.
In this study queer theory showed us that the media played a role in gays
and lesbians being ridiculed because of their gender. Queer theory stated that in
television, gays and lesbians are classified as outside of “normal”. This stance
created an environment where gays can be excluded from the military or teaching
career, banned from marrying, ridiculed through anti-gay jokes, and subjected to
violent hate crimes. This theory was used in evaluating how television portrays
homosexuals, that is to say, whether they are judged by their sexualities or
personalities. In addition, it explored whether television contributed to the beliefs
that the society had about gays being sex paedophiles. (Mabokela, 2015)
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Figure 3. Conceptual Framework
This study was focused on the show Queer Eye and will also apply the
underlying principle that a state of a country and the persona of the characters are
the qualities that contribute to the perception of the audience to the LGBT
Community. To explain this study’s conceptual framework, Queer Eye is a
show that showcases five diverse gay men. Through the characterization, the
audience decodes the message of the show to gain a deeper understanding of the
gay identifying people. Heteronormative theory focused more on the content and
how media representations themselves are categorized, almost like stereotyped
according to their content. Visual mediums that used the queer characters in its
cast should have created false assumptions in terms of activity and personality of
the homosexuals which led to discrimination, violation of human rights and unfair
treatment in the society.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Over the past decade, sexuality had moved the margins from society to
mainstream. Even though some people had not yet “come out of the closet” the
idea of homosexuality had. It also became an issue of public policy, morality and
fighting for equality under the law and granting rights of gay adoption and
marriage. There was a call to talk about gays and lesbians as often as possible.
This study could be beneficial for the Filipino LGBT, the research may be
used for future reports, study and discussions. The researchers hope that the
study will empower the community’s collection of studies that are still relevant up
to date. This study could also help Filipinos to gain a deeper understanding
towards the community by lessening the stereotype and prejudice.

Data produced from this study provided insight its readers and future
researchers about the continuous change happening in the queer community and
its portrayal in the mass media. It gave knowledge to how a program should give
more emphasis in the representation of the LGBT characters. Giving a more
positive portrayal of gays and lesbians in television programs, the more likely it
was for viewers to make an informed overview related to homosexuality and
changed their perceptions positively. In addition, the results of this work used as
basis for other programs to strengthen their support in all aspects in generating
content that will help address some problems encountered by their program and
platform.
SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS
This study was primarily focused on the assessment of the Filipino viewers
watching the show Queer Eye and how it becomes a channel for other people to
understand the queer culture. The researchers analyzed the selected episodes
which was available on Netflix.
The selected episodes are:
Queer Eye: "To Gay or Not Too Gay," Season 1, Episode 4 (February
2018) and "God Bless Gay," Season 2, Episode 1 (June 2018)
The researchers chose the following episodes because it had the most eye
opening and impactful moments of all the episodes in their season, as it had been
based on the show’s views on each season. "To Gay or Not Too Gay" was about a
black closeted man, which the Fab 5 helped to come out in his family and friends.
"God Bless Gay" showcases a mother and son who was very active on serving
their church, but her beliefs on being gay become a hindrance in the
relationship with his son who’s scared to come out because of church
discrimination.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Netflix - it is the world’s leading Internet television network that has more than one
billion hours of TV shows and movies per month, including its original series.
Queer - it is an umbrella term for sexual and gender minorities who are not
heterosexual or cisgender.
Gender identity - is the personal sense of one's own gender. Gender identity can
correlate with assigned sex at birth or can differ from it. All societies have a set of
gender categories that can serve as the basis of the formation of a person's social
identity in relation to other members of society
Effeminate - it is having feminine qualities untypical of a man; not manly in
appearance or manner.
Homosexual - is an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual
attractions to people of the same sex. It "also refers to a person's sense of identity
based on those attractions, related behaviors, and membership in a community of
others who share those attractions.
Machismo - it is a concept that dictates a lot of aspects of male behavior and has
particular relevance to male sexual culture.
LGBT - stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender and along with
heterosexual they describe people’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Lesbian - is a woman who is romantically, sexually and/or emotionally attracted to
women.
Gay - is a man who is romantically, sexually, and/or emotionally attracted to men.
Bisexual - it is someone who is romantically, sexually and/or emotionally attracted
to people of both sexes.
Transgender or Trans - Is an umbrella term used to describe people whose
gender identity (internal feeling of being male, female or transgender) and/or
gender expression, differs from that usually associated with their birth sex.
CHAPTER II
METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURE
This research study used the qualitative research approach. It covers the
research design and the data collection methods. The researchers used a set of
methods and principles on how they conducted surveys and interviews to the
viewers and professionals that gave the most factual information about the study.
This chapter is focused on how the researchers analyzed the audience's reception
to the show Queer Eye.
RESEARCH DESIGN
This study gave attention to the qualitative design and the audience
analysis to the show Queer Eye. Audience analysis is identifying the audience and
adapting a speech to their interests, level of understanding, attitudes, and beliefs.
Taking an audience-centered approach is important because a speaker’s
effectiveness will be improved if the presentation is created and delivered in an
appropriate manner. (Department of Communication, University of Pittsburgh).
Research design means the exact nature of the research work in a
systematic manner. It involves information about the research work in view,
framework of the study and availability of various data. It also lays out the structure
of research (Wimmer and Dominick, 1983:25).
For this study, the researchers focused how the audience perceives the
show. Data from the selected television program is needed to examine and
analyze the reaction of the viewers to get a more specific and fuller knowledge
about the perception and portrayal of the LGBT Community.

The researchers conducted an interview to the following participants:
a. FGD Group A: 6 participants from the age group between 20 - 30 years
old
b. FGD Group B: 6 participants from the age group of between 30 - 40 years
old
c. FGD Group C: 6 participants from the age group between 40 - 50 years
old
d. Religious (Wilbert Namoc)
e. Psychology Major and Guidance Counselor (Joel Ventura)
f. Danton Remoto – Chairman emeritus of Ang Ladlad Partylist.
g. Mervin Lazaro – Gender Activist and Stylist of Coco Martin
These are the chosen correspondents the researchers interviewed because
they have the knowledge that will contribute to this study.
SAMPLE AND SAMPLING DESIGN
The researchers selected participants who was interviewed and asked
questions to acquire proper background of the study’s issue and made sure that
they contributed to this study. The researchers also set an interview with
professionals to help the researchers to gain more information and to answer the
research questions of this study.
As this study is focused on the portrayal and impact of the show in today’s
social status, the researchers looked for professionals that can interpret and relate
to the show which can strengthen the study itself. In terms of the Filipinos culture
and ideology toward the presentation of the LGBT Community in the television, a
psychologist and sociologist will also be interviewed.
INFORMANT’S PROFILE
Wilbert Namoc – He is sociology major who is also a former seminarian.
Joel Ventura – He is a psychologist and currently the school guidance counselor.
Danton Remoto – He is a chairman emeritus of “Ang Ladlad” an LGBT political
partylist,
writer, essayist, reporter, editor, columnist, and professor.
Mervin Lazaro – He is a celebrity stylist who is a homosexual activist in the
Philippines.
RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
Since this is a qualitative study, the researchers acted as the main
instrument of data collection and hosted an in-depth interview and focused group
discussion below are the research instruments used in data gathering.
The audience analysis was based on the show’s characters, culture and
values presented, and how Netflix rebranded the show. Coding sheet and coding
table can be found below:
Coding Sheet:
1.Title of Series
a.) S1 E4 Too Gay or Not Too Gay
b.)S2 E1 God Bless Gay
2. Language Used in Series

a.) English
3. Type of Emotional Series Appeal
a.) Humor
b.) Happiness
c.) Fear
d.) Personal
e.) Inspirational
f.) Sadness
g.) Emotional
i.) Strength
4. Series Objective
a.) Informational
b.) Transformational
c.) Both
5.) Series Execution Style
a.) Makeover
b.) Reality
c.) Lifestyle
d.) Slice-of-Life
e.) Testimonial
6.) Characters
a.) Male
b.) Female
c.) Both
7.) Predominant Values and Culture
a.) Acceptance
b.) Vulnerability
c.) Open-Mindedness
d.) Authenticity
e.) Trust
f.) Strong Family Ties
g.) Friendship
Coding Table:
Variable Number of Category/Codes Frequency

Instruments
Title of Episode S1 E4 Too Gay or As Is

Not to Gay
S2 E1 God Bless As Is
Gay
Language used in English

Series
Others
Type of Emotional Humor

Series Appeal
Happiness
Fear
Personal
Inspirational
Sadness
Emotional
Strength
Series Objective Informational
Transformational
Both
Series Execution Style Makeover
Reality
Characters Male
Female
Homosexual
Predominant Acceptance
Values/Culture
Vulnerability
Open-Mindedness
Authenticity
Trust
Strong Family Ties
Friendship
Table 1. Coding Table

Below are the materials and interview questions for data gathering:
Materials used and interview questions for the focused group discussions:
A. S1E4 : Too Gay or Not Too Gay
B. S2E1: God Bless Gay
1. What are your thoughts on the LGBT Community being presented on the mass
media?
2. Do you think the representation and acceptance of the LGBT Community in the
Philippines is enough?
3. Are you aware of the show “Queer Eye” or Have you watched it?
4. Where did you learn that show or how were you able to learn about the existence
of that show?
5. Does the show Queer Eye help you build more confidence of yourself? How does
it help you?
6. Did you continue watching Queer Eye because it somewhat help your personal
and professional life?
7. How does the show improve the quality of your life?
8. What is your favorite episode and why?
9. Do you think the show will be accepted here in the Philippines wherein we live in
predominantly Christian country?
10. Did your view on gay men changed after watching the show?
Interview questions for Sociology Major, Wilbert Namoc.
1. The 21st Century is the “Golden Age” for the homosexual identifying
people, Do you think that it is a community or a culture?
2. Do you believe that there are person who are considered “stereotypes?”
3. Based on the sociocultural norms of the Philippines, how do you think the
LGBT Community identifying people treated differently to those who are “straight”?
4. If it were understood that one’s sexual orientation is not a choice, would that
significantly reduce prejudice against the community?
5. Do you think that shows like this improve the self love of these people?
6. How do you think society will accept the LGBT people?
7. Do you think shows like Queer Eye influence other people to show their true
self?
Interview questions for Mervin Lazaro, Gender Activist andStylist of Coco
Martin.
1. How has perception change on the LGBT Community evolved through the
years?
2. Working in the industry, what are the typical stereotypes for the members of the
homosexuality then? Do such stereotypes still exist today?
3. “Ang Probinsyano” aired episodes that showcased the struggle of Awra’s
character (i.e. hiding his true self by being a bully). When his character decided to
come out, how was this received by your viewers?
4. Is media still a powerful tool in shaping perception when it comes to educating
them on queer people?
5. What are your thoughts on the representation of queer people in the mass
media?
6. As a predominantly catholic country, and with a Pope who is vocal on his
support for the community, do you think that we are on the road towards accepting
the queer people?
7. Do you think the LGBT Community centered television shows like Queer Eye is
a good tool in bring awareness and educating the Filipinos to understand the
community better?
8. Do you think the Filipinos are open to seeing content, like what Queer Eye
presents, on mainstream media?
Interview questions for Danton Remoto, a Filipino writer, essayist, reporter,
editor, columnist, and professor.
1. How long have you been the chairman emeritus of “Ang Ladlad” partylist?
2. Being the chairperson of “Ang Ladlad” what are the challenges you have
encountered in your partylist?
3. What are some of the programs of “Ang Ladlad” that you would like to give more
emphasis on?
4. As the media evolves, so does queer people. How can gay men inspire the
community to unceasingly stand for their rights?
5. What are your thoughts on the queer people being presented on the mass
media?
6. We live in a predominantly christian country, do you think that queer people are
being accepted and tolerated by the church in today’s social status?
7. There are a lot of homosexuals in television right now, is there a need to have
more queer people in television?

8. Do you think LGBT related shows like Queer Eye will help the Filipinos
understand the community better?
9. Does presenting LGBT content will help cultivate people’s perspective
overtime?
Interview Questions for Psychology Major, Sir Joel Ventura
1. What is your take on queer people in mass media being presented? Is it a
good thing that today there are many LGBT that are presented in
television and shows like Queer Eye?
2. As a catholic country, is there a shift in acceptance of the LGBT in the
Philippines?
3. Do you think the show is going to be accepted here in the Philippines wherein
believed in the predominant division country?
4. How do you see the transformation ng community from 10 years from now then
yung today?
5. Are there any students who approached you to consult because they are being
bullied for his or her gender identity?
E. DATA GATHERING PROCEDURE
The researchers gathered data through in-depth interviews with participants
that contributed to this study. The researchers also conducted focused group
discussions from selected participants from different age groups, a writer, stylist,
professor, and columnist. Data was gathered during March after interviews have
been conducted and once the researchers have the results of the interview.
A content analysis was done to check and study the contents of the show,
Queer Eye which has been released in early 2018. Once all has been studied, the
researchers related the answers given by the participants to the contents of the
show.
GANTT CHART
Below is a gantt chart used to present an organized schedule of this study.
It illustrates the adoration and sequencing of individual tasks.
Task: Preparation November December January February March
Contact Danton
Remoto for an
interview
Contact Mervin
Lazaro for an
interview
Contact Joel Ventura
Contact Wilbert
Namoc
Contact Participants
for Focused Group
Discussions
Task: Data Gathering
Conduct interviews
Task: Data Analysis

Transcribe and Tabulate In-
Depth Interviews
Transcribe and Summarize

Interviews
Tabulate Content Analysis
Analyze Gathered Data
Formulate Summary and

Conclusion
Table 2. Gantt Chart
F. DATA ANALYSIS
This study was focused on the audience’s analysis, it investigated the
experiences of 18 participants and the expert's’ knowledge of how the show is
making an impact in the portrayal of the queer people in the visual media of the
Philippines. After they have watched the selected episodes from the show “Queer
Eye”. Once the data have been gathered, the researchers summarized the
information to achieve the study’s goal.

CHAPTER III
ANALYSIS, PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA
This chapter contains the presentation, interpretation and analysis of the
Netflix’s reboot of the show Queer Eye, it includes the characters, behaviors,
relationship, culture and values presented on the show. It also covers the
presentation and analysis of data gathered from the In-Depth interviews and
Expert interviews.
Eighteen (18) respondents were gathered into three (3) groups coming from
the age bracket and profiling presented in Chapter Three. The respondents
chosen in discussions were proven to have an exposure of Netflix’ Queer Eye. The
researcher provided the two (2) Queer Eye episodes for viewing before the
discussion starts for the respondents to have knowledge of show being studied in
this research while four (4) In-depth interviews were conducted to support the
study, (1) Dante Remoto, Chairman of “Ang Ladlad” partylist, (2) Mervin Lazaro,
an LGBT advocate in the Philippines, (3) Sociologist and (4) Psychologist.
A. PRESENTATION OF DATA
I.Summary of Interview
1. In Depth Interview
Interview with Psychology Major, Joel Ventura.

An in-depth interview with Sir Joel Ventura, Psychology Major and currently
working in San Beda College Alabang as the counsellor of the school.
The interview started asking about his knowledge about the show Queer
Eye and his knowledge about the homosexuals/gay men. When asked about his
take on the queer people in mass media being presented, He finds it disrespectful
when a show makes fun of gay people like the Q&A segment of It’s Showtime
unlike the show Queer Eye is somewhat beneficial because it gives us information
on how are we going to deal with things and it’s the kind of community. And it is
helpful not just in homosexuals but also for the straight men and women.
The homosexual people here in the Philippines are tolerated but it's a
surprise when they kept on asking for a gender inequality. In fact, some foreigners
resided here and some decided to migrate here in the Philippines because they
know that, that community is being respected here. According to Catholic Bishops
Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), they’re accepting the homosexual. He also
stated that we even have a Saint who is gay and that is Saint Aelred. However,
they don’t like the practice of having a partner with a same sex when it comes to
male to male and female to female. But the opposite gender like lesbian and gay is
okay. He admitted that he admired some of his followers before. One of the gay
member that he respected is Vice Ganda because he knows his limitations when it
comes to a same sex relationships.
In his personal view, he thinks that the show is going to be well accepted
here in the Philippines, he said that it will be accepted because even he is
watching television shows like, Asia’s Next Top Model and Project Runway
which the third gender are being presented. . According to him, there is a
big transformation in the gay community in the millennial generation. He quoted it
as the “golden age” of the community.
“10 years ago there is what you call gender discrimination. Whenever you
are going to apply for a job, someone discovered that you are a member of a third
gender, actually we called it as a third gender because there is only two sexes
male and female.” another statement that stood out was: “during our time it is
connoted as abnormalities when it comes to the endocrine secretion of the
hormone kaya sila nagiging ganun mas nagiging high yung feminility nila or mas
nagiging high yung masculinity”
Back then, gender discrimination was prevalent and they often address it as
an abnormality.
When asked about if there are any case/s of bullying because of gender
that he encountered as a school psychologist that he counseled, he said that he
only handled two cases which is about sexual relationships not about gender itself.
He stated that the queer people are mentally and psychologically prepared when it
comes to bullying.
Interview with a celebrity stylist and Gender Activist, Mervin Lazaro.
An in-depth interview with Mervin Lazaro, stylist of Coco Martin and an
homosexual advocate, was conducted to collect specific information about the
characterization of the show Queer Eye. He has been working in the industry for
almost 19 years now and had gain information about how the television industry
works.
The interview started asking about the subject’s basic background
information, followed by questions regarding the study. When asked if the
perception of the Filipinos to the queer people evolved through the years,
according to him it has drastically evolved in terms of the stereotyping, before it
gays were labeled as “parlorista” “makeup artists” and now it is more decent
because Filipinos are now acknowledging them according to their professions like
doctors, lawyers and senators.
The proponent also asked if he had faced stereotyping in his work, he
answered that it’s not something that will fade away, there will always be
stereotyping no matter where you go.
When asked about the Awra’s character in Ang Probinsyano and how did it
received by the viewers, he said that Coco Martin took a risk in Awra.
“They’re scared kase baka hindi ma-accept yung role ng masa na merong
batang na bading, baka hindi iaccept na bakit tinotolerate. So yung mga ganong
issues. So ngayon parang nag stand sila, hindi eto yung reality eh. It’s the reality
may batang bading talaga and eto yung proseso ng na fefeel nila. May reason
behind that kung bakit bading yun, kaya ganon yung pinalabas, may reason
behind that. I’ll be honest, lahat kaming bading may rason kung bakit kami
bading.”
Throughout the interview, Lazaro kept on talking about the how the media
played a significant role in shaping and educating the public about the queer
people. It is a perfect tool because by the help of media it helps them educate but
on the other hand the media can also be dangerous for the community when it’s
used against them. Visual mediums helps the viewers to understand something
when it is presented to them, by that they can see the bigger picture that it is more
than just about gender but a community.
The proponent asked about the Filipinos christian belief and with a Pope
who is vocal on his support for the community, do you think that we are on the
road towards accepting the queer people. According to him here in the Philippines,
the homosexuals are not well accepted mainly because of our christian beliefs.
Queer characters in the visual media are not that visible except from Vice Ganda,
but other than that we can only see them in talk shows and sitcoms.
The church condemns when sexual acts are committed, we can see that it
is not really accepting the community, Filipinos are just tolerating it.
“Kase it’s an energy eh, it’s a human need, it suppressed our need, for sex.
If you accept us, dapat accept us wholeheartedly. Walang but, walang exceptions
mga ganon diba. Yun nga, yung sa pari ay sa kay Pope. I’ll be honest, nalalabuan
ako sa gusto niyang mangyare, kase ang unfair lang naman yun sa side namin.
Parang sige, you can be gay, with conditions pero you can be gay pero pigilan mo
yung puso mo. Diba parang ang hirap non eh, magkakaruktong yun eh.”
The latter part of the interview questions is all about the show Queer Eye.
When asked about the show being a tool for Filipinos to be aware and educated,
he answered that it’s hard for the Philippines to gain access to Netflix because it’s
a paid subscription application and majority of the Filipinos cannot afford it but
when we are talking about the show itself, he thinks that Queer Eye can be an eye
opener for the Filipinos especially because of the diversity of the cast, we can
really get a grasp on every color of the rainbow. Thus, there are shows that have
been produced that are similar to queer eye that did not make it but because of the
transition to digital media, content like this have a better leverage for people to see
and understand.
Interview with “Ang Ladlad” chairperson, Danton Remoto.
An email interview with Danton Remoto, Writer, Columnist and founded the
political party-list “Ang Ladlad”, was conducted since to gain more knowledge
about the current situation of the queer people here in the Philippines, and collect
specific information from the show Queer Eye and its impact to its Filipino viewers.
The interview started asking about the subject’s basic background
information, followed by questions regarding party-list and the study. Remoto
founded the party-list on 2003, and the organization’s main goal is toward human
rights among all Filipinos, whether they are gay or not.
“Ang Ladlad partylist main mission is to: protect and promote human rights
and access to justice of homosexuals, to raise awareness and educate Philippine
society about queer issues and concerns, to address health issues and concerns
of homosexual, to initiate economic and social support projects for queer people,
especially those marginalized.” (Remoto, 2019)

When asked about the challenges he faced in the party-list, according to
him “Ang Ladlad” have been facing a low popularity dilemma since the country's
opposing influential Catholic figures is seen as the major walls in Ladlad's
congressional bid. He also stated that in the 2013 elections, the party also failed to
reach the minimum two percent of votes cast barring the party from running in the
2016 elections and the party can enter elections in 2019 instead.
The queer people can inspire the community to stand for their rights by
demanding the recognition of these rights, according to him, the lip service that we
are all humans after all does not wash anymore. We are citizens of this country,
and taxpayers as well, so we have to demand equal rights with the rest of the
Filipinos. By being steadfast and firm in this goal, then we can inspire the rest to
help our cause as well. When asked about one’s sexuality versus the church, he
stated that, even Pope Francis himself has distanced himself from this line — that
homosexuals are not co-creators Of God.
“To be a co-creator means to reach one’s potentials to the fullest; it also
means to treat everyone fairly and justly. After all, creation in its broadest sense
means bringing forth something vital and something new–something that
homosexuals can do as well as the rest.”
Back in the early 2000’s the representation of the queer people are being
depicted and made for comical entertainment. The social acceptance on the
presence of the homosexuals have provided an ample breathing space for those
involved. Lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgenders have been braver in coming
out of the closet. According to him, their solid aim to achieve equal rights have
been heard and given seat in the congress. Their families accept them. They have
an established set of friends. They excel in their own undertakings and get the
same amount of respect given to the usual, straight people.
Media representation is very crucial in acknowledging the community, Plots
involving queer characters can improve social tolerance, exposure to lesbians and
gays increase, either interpersonally or through television. According to him, The
new Queer Eye is still fundamentally a show about makeovers, but unlike its
predecessor, it doesn't use The Fab Five's queerness as a gimmick.
Rather, their experience of otherness as queer men becomes the beating
heart of the show. The Five understand what it's like to overcome adversity and to
constantly challenge toxic masculinity, and they use what they've learned to help
teach their wards, as well as their audience, that there is no greater joy than
learning to love oneself unconditionally.
Lastly, Media depictions have both benefited and disadvantaged the
homosexual individuals often represent them as visibly and behaviorally different.
According to him, Everything changes, policy changes, hearts and minds changes
when visibility happens. Despite the stereotypical depictions of gay people, the
media has at times promoted acceptance of them with television shows such as
Queer Eye. This increased publicity reflects the coming-out movement of the
queer people.
Interview with Sociology major, Wilbert Namoc.
The interview started asking about his knowledge about the show Queer
Eye and his knowledge about the homosexuals/gay men. When asked
about the 21st Century is the “Golden Age” for the homosexual identifying people,
and if he think that it is whether a community or a culture, he said that it is a matter
of both community and a culture. When talking about the homosexuals, it talks
about the community with this particular kind of gender orientation.
Also, they are somewhat connected with their own kind and in that way they
built a kind of community of their own so they have their own advocacy, own kind
of thinking, face, culture, and the way of perceiving things. He really do appreciate
the way they look at things from affirmative perspective.
“Not in the sense na parang babae sila, or lalaki, but the kind of way of
looking things. Or kind of paradigm na it's something that they can own. I could say
na a kind of being in lgbtq is like there’s a freedom. Freedom of diversity. They can
express in their own particular idiosyncrasies.”
Being a committee they form a culture of their own because it becomes they
become prominent force in society. They have sense of freedom to diversity.
When there are person who are considered “stereotypes”, he said that
when looking from the perspective of other class, if you’re a under privilege or in a
lower class, they are being branded as “parlorista” or “manicurista”, their livelihood
is very much identified with them. When in the middle class and higher class, they
belong more about kind of expression, like they are very talented, creative, and
artistic. They are being stereotype as being talented, creative, outspoken, and they
are just being really honest on who they are and that is something that we need to
appreciate also. And he likes that kind of perspective that they are honest.
Based on the sociocultural norms of the Philippines, when it comes to
homosexuals in identifying people treating differently to those who are “straight”,
there is an evident way of dealing treatment.
“it’s more kind of mentality. Dito sa mentality ng mga Pilipino, yung bias sa
prejudice is very evidence sa mga Pilipino because we are very expressive people
lalo na sa emotional aspects. We are very rational and we do not keep things
private. Intimating are not something being preserve. Madaming
chismosa/chismoso, ieexpress talaga. Something na we can find people na he or
she na makikipagtiwalaan sa stories mo.”
He believes that in our culture, we are very rational, expressive and we
extend our hands.
We are cultural religious people and that is part of our culture. He stated
that we are quite concern about decency, very much attached to our Christian
beliefs or any beliefs and it is being indoctrinated or cultivated is us or imprinted in
us that there are only two genders: Male and Female.
Shows like Queer Eye influence other people to show their true self. It is a
vehicle for greater social awareness in a sense of radar force that we need to
reckon that we can count on their own influence, advocacy, talent, contribution,
and profession.
He said that this show gives us a lot of awareness, that this new brand or
new personality would be a different kind of social responsibility that they can
change of the perspective of other people and they can also be an instrument of
their own.
Queer people being presented in media is not enough because it is
not really intellectual and it is only for entertaining. It is not something very
favorable on the homosexuals. The media should have another venue to re-brand
and give more prominence on their values as persons and that they deserve to be
respected and want dignity and rights.
2. Focused Group Discussion
Summary Report of Focused Group Discussions
The researchers conducted (3) three focused group discussion with (6) six
participants per group. Group A on February 19, 2019, Group B on March 1, 2019,
and Group C on March 8, 2019 the discussions was held as part of research for
this study.
The discussions were done to gather information from the people
concerning the following objectives:
1. To understand how the cast of Queer Eye made an impact to the perception
to its Filipino viewers.
2. To understand how the show “Queer Eye” made an impact to the
participants.
3. To interpret the show’s concept and message to the Filipino viewers.

Participants Demographic (Group A, 20-30 years old)
NAME AGE OCCUPATION ADDRESS
Samantha Andal 22 Student Paranaque City
Carlos Reyes 20 Student Paranaque City
Therese Natividad 20 Student Paranaque City
Michael Gutierrez 20 Student Muntinlupa City
Charm Alvaran 23 Marketing Paranaque City

Specialist
Zel Tejado 24 Nurse Cavite City

Table 3. Group A Demographics
Outcome 1: To understand how the cast of Queer Eye made an impact to the
perception to its Filipino viewers.
What are your thoughts on the queer people being presented on the mass
media?
All six (6) of the participants answered that the representation of queer
people in the mass media have evolved throughout the years and it definitely
made a huge impact into shaping our society today. The participants expressed
their statements about their thoughts on the homosexuals being presented on the
mass media:
 It shows the reflection of reality of our society.
 It represents diversity of individuals.
 It validates the existence of the queer community.
 Majority of people and mass media today are more welcoming

arms.
 Mainstream media helped to understand the homosexuals better.
The researchers then asked the participants if they think the representation
and acceptance of the queer people in the Philippines is enough, most of the
participants answered “no”,
“Acknowledging their rights is more important than acknowledging their
existence. Hence, there is still a need for bills that protect and promote their rights
such as Sogie bill to be implemented.” (Natividad, 2019)
The one statement that stood out among the others.
 Many people in the Philippines only support gay rights whenever it is
convenient.
 Philippines is in its half perspective state on accepting one’s sexual
orientation.
 Acceptance is an overstatement, it is more of tolerance.
 Filipinos refuse to take stand when a call of action is needed.
 The progress and acceptance of gender identity is in a half-standpoint state.
Outcome 2: To understand how the show “Queer Eye” made an impact to the
participants.
The researchers asked the participants if they are aware of the show, how
did they learn about it and what episode stood out for them. Most of the
participants have watched both season and all of them said that it was very
heartwarming. “The show allowed me to see that change doesn't always have to
hurt and will always help improve our daily living and I would watch it all over
again.
Another statement that stood out was, “It’s a very uplifting show, so it does
help...alam mo yun it just helps promote good vibes and it helps fill you with
positivity because it’s message is always very positive.” It shows that Queer Eye
was able to connect, inspire and give hope to the participants through showcasing
different real life stories.
Outcome 3: To interpret the show’s concept and message to the Filipino
viewers.
From the discussions with the participants, relating the Filipino values
and/or culture enabled them to connect with the show’s theme. The participants
stated their thoughts in introducing the show here in the Philippines:
 The show is very family oriented.
 Filipinos can relate to the message and concept of the show.
 The show is not available for everyone especially in the lower class system.
 It creates more opportunities for the queer people to be recognized and
build respect for them.
 It helps Filipinos to be aware that the queer community is not just about
falling into a specific category or gender.

Participants Demographic (Group B, 30-40 years old)
Noreen Legaspi 30 Content Strategist Cavite City
Ron Baetiong 34 Entrepreneur Cavite City
Markus Ibasan 32 High school Teacher Las Pinas City
Mitch Loteria 30 Video Editor Las Pinas City
Dominic Teves 30 Secretary Laguna
Marie Carlos 36 OFW Tokyo, Japan

Table 4. Group B Demographics
Outcome 1: To understand how the cast of Queer Eye made an impact to the perception
to its Filipino viewers.
What are your thoughts on the queer people being presented on the mass
media?
All six (6) of the participants had the same view on the representation of the
community through mass media. The community have fought so hard to represent
themselves and battling the society’s assumptions and prejudice.
One (1) of the answer that stood out was:
“I think the queer people in media is not a “taboo” subject anymore . Ellen
Degeneres, RuPaul Charles some of the legendary names has placed a period on
judgement towards the homosexuals in Media. Nowadays it’s rising to norms to
have queer characters in shows and in media.” (Ibasan, 2019)

Two (2) of the participants said that presenting shows like Queer Eye is
“Empowering” and when asked about the representation and acceptance of the
queer people in the Philippines is enough, four (4) of the participants answered
that the Philippines have yet to fully accept the homosexuals. Two (2) of the
participants both agreed that there is an enough representation of the community
here in the Philippines.
participants.
For the participants, four (4) out of six (6) participants have watched the
show through the Netflix’s advertisements and recommendation of a family and
friends. Two (2) of the participants haven’t watched the show but have heard of it.
The participants were able to identify three similarities from the show and
discussion:
 It boost one’s confidence
 Positive representation of the community
 Gives a new perspective especially for the heterosexuals.
Five (5) out of (6) participants agreed that the show somehow
improved their well-being. The show have helped them to more loving and
compassionate, became more open to the community, and on how they present
themselves to other people. One (1) of the six(6) Participants described how the
show changed the life “heroes”

“Not my life but theirs. Queer Eye show amazing transformations, not just in
fashion but also in the overall look of the house, appearance, and better food. It’s
literally an overall transformation.” (Legaspi, 2019)
Outcome 3: To interpret the show’s concept and message to the Filipino viewers.
 From the discussion with the participants, relating the Filipino values and/or
culture enabled them to connect with the show’s theme. The participants of
discussion group B stated the following attributes in introducing the show here in
the Philippines: Valuing the sensitive society issues such as the homosexuals.
 Filipinos can relate to the message and concept of the show.
 It gives recognition to the marginalized groups of people.
 The show is family oriented.
 The Openness of the show.
Participants Demographic (Group C, 40-50 years old)
Enrico Mecija 48 Sales Engineer Muntinlupa City
Terry Murillo 50 Housewife Muntinlupa City
Bebeth Sison 50 Business Women Calamba City
Marites Sarte 43 Housewife Las Pinas City
Ronaldo Rey 44 OFW Las Pinas City
Annie Rey 40 Housewife Las Pinas City

Table 5. Group C Demographics
Outcome 1: To understand how reality television and the queer people make an
impact to the participants.
Two (2) out of six (6) of the participants both agreed that as long as it
makes them happy it is okay for the queer people to be in the media. Three (3) out
of six (6) participants answered that there is not enough representation and the
queer people here in the Philippines is not fully accepted.
One (1) out of six (6) said that most shows shows violence and
discrimination against the homosexual characters in the media.
 The gay community is not fully accepted.
 Filipinos are very sensitive/conservative.
 Visual media produces shows for comedic reliefs.
 The homosexuals is seen as toxic individuals.
 Millennials are much more exposed in the community.
participants.
All of the participants have watched the show, through the advertisement,
recommendation of a colleague and a word of mouth. All of the participants agreed
that the show somehow improved on how they present themselves. They also
answered that it helped them understand the generation today.

One statement that stood out was:
“Yes, perhaps that show gives all of its viewers their relevance that "they" are part
of this world especially na they're quite different from the usual male/female sex.”
(Murillo, 2019)
Outcome 3: To interpret the show’s concept and message to the Filipino
viewers.
From the discussion with the participants, relating the Filipino values and/or
culture enabled them to connect with the show’s theme. The participants of
discussion group C stated the following attributes in introducing the show here in
the Philippines:
 It’s very family oriented.
 The openness of the show.
 The value of “pakikisama”.
 It generates the curiosity of the Filipinos towards the community.
 It’s a new approach to introduce the queer community.
II. Summary of Content Analysis
These are the two (2) selected significant Queer Eye episodes from seasons 1
and 2 in 2018. In this analysis, the researcher provides background for each
advertisement.
1. Too Gay or Not Too Gay (February 7, 2018)
Title of Episode Description Codes
Too Gay or Not Too Gay This is a forty seven (47) Emotional Appeal:
minute show about an Inspirational
emotional makeover Personal
helps the self-proclaimed Sadness
"straightest gay guy in Fear
Atlanta" come out to his Series Objective:
stepmother and make Transformational
peace with his past.

Series Execution Style:
Reality
Lifestyle
Makeover
Slice-of-Life
Predominant
Values/Culture:
Trust
Authenticity
Acceptance
Friendship
Vulnerability
Open Mindedness
Strong Family Ties
Table 1. Too Gay or Not Too Gay Summary Content Analysis

2. God Bless Gay (June 15, 2018)
Figure. 2
Title of Episode Description Codes

God Bless Emotional Appeal:
Gay This is a fifty one (51)
Humor
minute episode about a
Happiness
devoutly religious woman
Fear
with a gay son and a
Social
giving heart gets a new
Personal
look and a makeover for
Inspirational
her church's new
Sadness
community center.
Strength
Series Objective:
Informational
Transformational
Series Execution
Style:
Makeover
Reality
Lifestyle
Slice-of-Life
Testimonial
Predominant
Values/Culture:
Trust
Authenticity
Acceptance
Friendship
Vulnerability
Open Mindedness
Strong Family Ties
Table 2. God Bless Gay Summary Content Analysis

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Birth of the “bakla” in the Philippines
During the 300 years of Spanish colonization change of ideology was
present. From the indigenous matriarchy to the Spanish patriarchy and the
machismo concept which made gender crossing a ridiculed practice. It was not
long enough for the effeminate men were looked down upon, calling it the “bakla”
(also meant confused and cowardly) in contrast to the “babaylan”, bakla are not
really female, their “essence” and their bodies do not match.
According to J. Neil C. Garcia, records of the precolonial era are however
more accurately called records of the very early colonial era since they are all
written by Spanish travellers. This means the information about pre colonial sexual
and gender identities is not only second-hand but has also passed through filters
of the Spanish language and Catholic and European concepts. The introduction of
the Spanish culture of “machismo” negatively affected the position of women in
Philippine society. Therefore, it also had a negative consequences for those
whose “essence” are female.
But in any case, the Spanish imported their notions of sexuality, sin and
unnaturalness into the Philippine context. The term used for unnatural sex in the
Catholic discourse was “sodomy”. It is historically incorrect to say sodomites were
gay, that they had a homosexual identity. Sodomites were not considered sinful
because of their identities, but because they committed certain acts. In principle all
people were assumed to have the potential to commit sodomy. Sodomy was just
one of many sins, in the Philippines this also included as homosexual acts.
The institutionalization of gender, and gender roles in the Philippines begun
during the American colonization wherein education and mass media were used to
regulate sexuality. This includes the widespread use of the ‘homosexual’, and
‘heterosexual’ distinctions in society.
The American colonization period further reinforced of Western
conceptualizations of gender and sexuality, cementing it in formal education.
(Rozul, 2017)
Homosexuals are generally tolerated in the Filipino society, especially in the
recent years where the community earned some legal rights, promote acceptance
and empowerment for the community. Bakla and bading are Tagalog words for a
man who has feminine mannerisms, or dresses or identifies as a woman.
The bakla are the most culturally visible subset of gay men in the
Philippines. They are often considered a third gender, embodying femininity
(pagkababae) in a male body. Although bakla is sometimes used in a derogatory
sense, bakla people have largely embraced it. In addition to this, lesbians in the
Filipino community are called tibo or tibs, which are likewise often used as
derogatory terms. However, lesbians too have recently embraced this terms, and
have used these terms jokingly to refer to each other. But despite being used to
refer to lesbians, the word tibo or tibs often refer to the more masculine lesbian,
otherwise known as the ‘Butch’. (Casabal,2018)

Figure 4. History of Queer in the Philippines
Status Quo in the Philippines
It’s not difficult to understand why coming out in the Philippines is a
challenge, a struggle. First, because eighty percent (80.9%) of Filipinos identify as
Christian (National Statistics Office, 2018) Philippines is a predominantly Catholic
country, which means that any sort of same-sex relationship is discouraged by the
church because of it’s being immoral, an act against nature as stated in one of the
stories of damnation in the Bible. Second, considering that we live in patriarchal
society, every man should be true to what he perceived to be: masculine and virile.
The presence of the homosexuals was recognized, but their acceptance in
the society was still vague. For decades, the gay men in the Philippines want was
to be respected and be treated equally and they continued to fight for the passing
of laws that still protect their rights as individuals (IGLHRC, 2013). Furthermore,
the UNDP reported (2014) indicated that the homosexuals faced challenges where
they had experienced discrimination and abuse. There were no coordinated and
comprehensive state or even non-state mechanisms that monitor the instances of
discrimination, bias, prejudice, and violence that homosexual Filipinos faced due to
homophobia, transphobia, and machismo. (The Status of LGBT Rights in the
Philippines, 2012)
Filipinos openly tolerate and/or accept homosexuality as long as the bakla
remain confined to certain occupational niches and fulfill certain stereotypes. In a
2013 Pew Research Center report about global opinions of the LGBT community,
more than 70 percent of Filipinos said homosexuality should be “accepted by
society,” making the Philippines the most “tolerant” nation surveyed in the Asia-
Pacific region after Australia.
According to Ging Cristobal, a Manila-based activist with the International
Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission, “there is high tolerance here, there’s
not real acceptance”.
In 2011, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines stated that the
“church won’t tolerate same-sex marriage,” adding that being homosexual is a
“choice.” The debate on same-sex marriage has also proved controversial, with
the Catholic Church and other conservative groups speaking out against marriage
equality. Without the right to marry, LGBT Filipinos are treated unequally in a
whole host of ways in comparison to heterosexual married couples. Transgender-
heterosexual partnerships regarding hospital and prison visitations, making
medical and burial decisions, transfer of joint properties, custody of children,
insurance benefits, and other privileges accorded to married and unmarried
opposite-sex couples. (Mosbergen, 2015)

The mis-portrayal of Homosexual Men in the Philippines
Reality television has always been a way for audiences at home to see the
“real” lives of “real” people – even though most of the story lines are planned out in
advance. Sociologist Joshua Gamson has states that reality TV is “a welcoming
place for gays and lesbians, who have served as efficient sources of disclosure
and self-acceptance drama, symbols of authenticity, and lessons in tolerance”
(2013, pg. 52). In some ways, reality TV has continued the stereotypical images of
queer people – especially gay men – while it has also given attention to of forms of
queerness that have long been overlooked by the media, like drag queens and
trans people. Both cases have their problems though.
Many critics and non-believers argue that the need for an LGBT (lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender) political party like Ladlad to look out for the
protection, rights and welfare of its members, or the passage of the Anti-
Discrimination Bill is no longer needed in our country.
“The LGBTs are already tolerated in the Philippines, what’s the use of an
LGBT political party and why do they still need to fight for their rights?” a leader of
a religious group said in an interview. The LGBTs are not asking to be tolerated,
they are asking to be accepted. If they are just looking for tolerance then it’s an
easy fight; they can stage a weekly Ms. Gay pageant in every city and barangay
and let the heterosexuals consider and stereotype them as entertainers and call
them names when they parade on stage in their swimsuits and evening gowns.
(Pascual, 2012)
Representation of Homosexuals in Mainstream Media
How about we call a man wearing a pink top “gay”? When we saw him
lifting his pinky finger as he holds the glass to drink, let he be called effeminate.
Let’s take girls, one who dressed without a style, and another who is “kikay” (chic)
above anything else, let’s call them lesbians. How about we label each person, like
how you’d mark with permanent ink in your container jars, just because they look
or dress a particular way.
Almost every day, we were exposed to images that forced us to create a
“label” or a “category” for people who looked like this or that. We see gay men on
television, and once we see similarities of that in real life, we were quick to label
that person as gay. Lesbian and transvestite characters in films are often feared,
or ridiculed, almost always negatively portrayed, and so at the instant we see a
person that so much as look like that character, we label her without hesitation.
(Tagudina, 2012)
From comedy bars to television, radio and film, the pervasiveness and
prominence of male homosexual personalities cannot be denied as they
comprised a distinctive niche in Philippine show business. They had indeed
become a staple in the local entertainment scene. A cursory looked at the top-
rating television programs such as GMA 7’s “Eat Bulaga” and “Startalk TX” and
ABS-CBN’s “It’s Showtime” and “The Buzz”, revealed that gay actors and
personalities had been enjoying a substantial share of the limelight. (Payuyo,
2012)
The importance of queer representation on television is twofold. First,
exposure to queer characters through the media can affect how the general,
mostly straight population views the queer community and related public policy
issues. Secondly, media representation can have a positive effect on members of
the queer community, especially among adolescents. (Cook, 2018 p. 8) Viewing
movies, primetime situational comedies and drama, music videos, and popular
culture magazines were significantly correlated with accepting attitudes toward
homosexuality (Calzo 289; LGBT Study). Among men and people with high
religiosity, the positive associations between media exposure and attitudes toward
homosexuality were more pronounced (Calzo 292 -93; LGBT Study).
a. ‘Hanging Out’
The first Filipino gay web series is produced by local gay publication Team
Magazine and a gay dating app named Blued. This is centered on a story of a man
who was supposed to be on a blind date but led him to meet a new set of friends.
This series was produced because they believed that there were many queer
stories that needed to be shared in order for Filipinos to understand the community
and in order to showcase that the community the realness of the series because it
is really true and happening in real life.
b. Zombadings 1: Patayin sa Shokot si Remington
Story of a young heterosexual boy named Remington, who mocks gay men
and was cursed to become gay when he grows older. According to Michael David
C. Tan of Outrage Magazine, the film was abhorrent, and he pointed out:
 Being gay is not a sumpa. The entire movie was based on the premise
that Remington being cursed to become gay for ridiculing gay people, highlighting
what is believed to be the worst thing that can happen to any person. In doing this,
the film – even if arguably not intentionally – promoted that homosexuality can be
“cured”.
 The film focuses on the supposed predatory nature of gays – e.g.
Remington is unable to work with men when they started taking their shirts off
because all he wanted was to idolize their male bodies. The portrayal of gay men
that Zombadings made only shows that they cannot be trusted, particularly when
around men, since they always have intent to have sex with them.
 Stereotyping of the characters; the film portrays all gay men with pilantik
of fingers, cat fights between gay people because they are too weak to fight,
transitioning to transsexualism as soon as gender-identification happens. The
characters don’t have to dress like women or put on make-up like women or
sashayed while walking like women – acts deemed that only women should be
doing – just so they can be identified as gays.
c. My husband’s Lover
One of the recent examples of the supposed acceptance of queer people in
the Philippines was the presence of the television soap opera My Husband’s
Lover, which tells the story of a woman whose husband has indiscretions with a
male lover. Widely popular, the show was cited for showing a non-stereotypical
image of homosexuality. This popularity was tempered by calls from the Catholic
Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Episcopal Commission on Youth
(ECY), which expressed discomfort with the show. The CBCP’s call resulted in the
closer scrutiny of the show by the Movie and Television Review and Classification
Board (MTRCB) (Marfori, 2013).
Netflix as a New Media Platform
Netflix is one of the most well-known and leading streaming service that
allowed people to watch a wide variety of award-winning TV shows, movies,
documentaries and more. Not only has Netflix been shaking up the film industry
with its original movies, the premier streaming service that offers a wide variety of
award-winning TV shows, documentaries, and movies, has now been rated as the
most popular way for people to watch TV, according to a recent survey by
investment firm Cowen & Co..(Ofiaza, 2018, par. 1)
Picchi A. (2015) stated that:
Consumers "love the service more than TV," according to a consumer
survey conducted by his firm and ClearVoice Research. That's going to help swell
the ranks of Netflix subscribers not only domestically but internationally, given the
service's push into new countries such as Philippines.
The company has quickly gained a prominent position in the Philippines.
according to research from AIP Corporation, found that 60% of internet users
surveyed in the Philippines in February 2017 subscribed to Netflix, more than
competitors iflix (39%) and Hooq (32%). “Consumers in the Philippines will find
they never have to wait again to be the first to watch their favorite shows or to
suffer endless buffering.” the Internet firm reveals. Also with digital media, we get
to access content through video-on-demand services like Netflix. Filipinos now
have the opportunity to immerse themselves in different genres of films and TV
series. You now have the privilege to choose to continue on a preferred genre and
jump to another. Thanks to Digital media, access to different content is made
convenient. (Flores, 2017)
Netflix is steadily rising as cable is declining. That trend is apparent when
pouring over television ratings for traditional shows. (Katz, 2017, par 5)
Consumers have increasingly opted for the ease and convenience of Netflix, not to
mention the streamer’s less expensive cost. In return, Netflix have reinvested in its
product with a content budget of $8 billion in 2018. (par. 6)
Netflix is notoriously private about how many people use the streaming
service, but it's estimated that it has about 94 million paid subscribers. This means
that 94 million people could possibly view a series that portrays gay men in a
flattering, accurate, and overall exceptional light. Best of all, it shows them relating
to and having important conversations with men of different races and religions, as
well as economic and political backgrounds. Though queer people should not have
to be excellent in order to be respected, celebrated, and recognized in all of their
diverse forms, it's not often that they are portrayed without harmful tropes and
stereotypes. The size of Netflix's audience combined with the quality of the men on
"Queer Eye" is a winning combination, one that speaks to the possible impact of
well-done representation of gay and queer people. (Baragona, 2018)

Queer Eye and the Impact of Reality Television to Filipinos
Audiences now go for TV programs that show ordinary people or celebrities
engaged in different kinds of challenges, performing without any given script in
popular programs called “Reality TV” (Almo 2008). This enthusiasm among
Filipinos has triggered the giant TV Networks in the Philippines to franchise reality
TV shows from foreign countries. Game shows, singing and dancing competition
and other personality search programs are just some of the categories that
continue to dominate the time slots for television shows in the Philippines these
days. Giant networks namely ABS-CBN, GMA-7 and TV5 have adapted foreign
reality shows such as Survivor, X-factor, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Fear
Factor, Big Brother, Dream Academy, and The Voice, to name a few. (Limjuco,
Chavez, Loguinza, Noval, 2017)
Queer Eye stands out as uniquely warm and welcoming television with a
correspondingly wide fan base. The format remains essentially unchanged since
the shows first 2003 to 2007 iteration, then titled Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.
According to the producer of the show, David Collins, The show had always
been evergreen, the format was beloved. It had international appeal. The run that
we had originally on Bravo had been wonderful, but the time came when it ended,
and there was just enough time to kind of settle it. And quite frankly, the
Republican world came to be, and it was time for a new ‘Queer Eye’. The new
reboot of the show has generated significant buzz for Netflix. It transplants the
concept of the original to small-town Georgia, where the show’s casts of lifestyle
experts were able to interact in meaningful ways with men who don’t always had
the broadest worldview regarding gay people.
According to GLAAD, at the time, queer people were virtually absent from
mainstream television. Only five lead characters on primetime television identified
as LGBT. (Waters, 2018, par. 2)
The reboot was touching, powerful, and culturally relevant in so many
different ways, particularly with a new set of diverse cast and in a society in which
gay men were oftentimes barely tolerated, let alone celebrated.
Though things had progressed socially since “Queer Eye” first premiered on
Bravo in 2003, the world still remains a largely divided nation in regards to its
stance on queer issues.
The conversation around gender and sexuality in the intervening years had
greatly evolved beyond the deficits of Bravo’s original experiment, and rightfully so.
In the new episodes, that conversation has become multilateral; the lessons
extended in both directions and to all gender identities. This time around, the Fab
5 has just as much learning to do. (Parham, 2018, par. 2) Five gracious lifestyle
gurus, Bobby Berk (interior design), Antoni Porowski (food), Karamo Brown
(culture), Jonathan Van Ness (grooming), and Tan France (fashion) are all back
for the new episodes, and set on bringing redemption into the lives of these small-
town Georgians, all of whom had been nominated for a makeover by someone
close to them. The men and women who get made up have, by most metrics, lived
silent, unactualized lives. Stubbornly, almost purposefully, stuck in their corners

and comforts of society, these are awkward, insecure, unassertive, inward people.
(par. 3)
B. INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS
The content analysis focused on these variables: Types of Emotional
Appeal, Series Objective, Series Execution Style, and Predominant Values/Culture
used in the episodes.
The researchers analyzed what type of emotional appeal were used to
engage with the viewers which included inspirational, fear, humor, personal, and
social. The objectives of the show was also examined whether the show intended
to inform, transform or do either.
Next, the researchers evaluated the series execution style which are:
makeover, reality, slice-of-life, lifestyle, and testimonial. Lastly, the values and/or
cultures used in the show were also determined.
Emotional Series Appeal: Personal
The researchers observed that the episodes selected in this study used
personal appeal. According to Khanna, P. (2016), Personal Appeal, also known as
the Emotional Appeal, are directed primarily at an individual’s psychological, social
or symbolic needs. Emotional appeals touch on a variety of feelings including fear,
humor, love, anxiety and sex.
When the respondents were asked about how they felt after watching the
show, words such as love, acceptance, humor and fear were used. The show
contains that focuses on the relationship of family and friends. The second
emotional appeal used is social. This includes the aspect such as acceptance,
approval, involvement, respect and recognition. While humor and fear were also
seen in the show.
Series Execution Style: Slice-of-Life
Queer Eye is a reality makeover show that showcases realistic
representation of day to day life. This statement is supported by the material used
in the study used slice-of-life as the main execution style. According to
Hendrickson (2018), Reality shows can promote understanding by introducing
viewers to people and communities they might not otherwise encounter and
facilitate conversations.
Series Objective: Transformation and Informational
The show seeks to connect people who one may assume have walked very
different paths in life. It educates and shows emphasis on the marginalized
communities. Its objective is to let people be aware that there are certain people
and organizations that can accept them for who they are. It aims to let people,
whatever choices they make in their lives regarding their identity, to not be
ashamed for what they are despite some discriminations they get from other
people.
Predominant Filipino Culture: Strong-Family Ties
Queer Eye is a show that gives inspiration and hope to the people who do
not have confidence in themselves. It reflects the importance and role of family in
one’s life. It will make you realize that at the end of the day, your family is the one
who will truly accept you.
I. Coding Table
Variable Number of Category/Codes Frequency

Instruments
Title of Episode 2 S1 E4 Too Gay or As is

Not to Gay
S2 E1 God Bless As is
Gay
Language used in 2 English 2
Series
Others
Type of Emotional Humor 2
Series Appeal
Happines 2
Fear 2
Personal 2
Inspirational 2
Sadness 2
Emotional 2
Strength 2
Series Objective 2 Informational 0
Transformational 2
Both
Series Execution 2 Makeover 2
Style
Reality 2
Lifestyle 2
Slice-of-Life 2
Testimonial 1
Characters 2 Male 2
Female 2
LGBT 2
Predominant 2 Acceptance 2
Values/Culture
Vulnerability 2
Open-Mindedness 2
Authenticity 2
Trust 2
Strong Family Ties 2
Friendship 2
Table 1. Coding Table

CHAPTER IV
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
A. SUMMARY
The purpose of this study was to determine the reception of Filipinos to the
show Queer Eye and the importance of positive representation of the queer people
in the Philippines. To accomplish this, it is necessary to reach the prerequisite
goals of this study. Determining how the show can be a tool for opening the minds
of the Filipinos towards the homosexuals. It became necessary, through the
related literature of the study, to look into the Filipino identity to understand the
nature of Filipinos being exposed to reality television. In relation to this, it was
important to observe and analyze the Filipino’s reception to the identities of the
makeover show Queer Eye in attaining the purpose of this study. Once this was all
achieved, the researchers were able to move forward.
Four (4) In-Depth Interviews were conducted. (1) The researcher had a
face-to-face interview with Mervin Lazaro, a celebrity stylist and LGBT advocate,
(2) the second interview was an e-mail interview with “Ang Ladlad” founder Danton
Remoto. They were asked to provide information regarding how the show Queer
Eye is changing the perception of the Filipinos toward the homosexuals.
(3) the third interview was a face-to-face interview with a psychologist, and
asked to provide information about the background of the Filipino culture and the
process of making decisions in watching a transformational show. (4) the fourth
interview was with a sociologist, and asked to provide information regarding the
Filipino values and culture on a societal point of view. (5)

The researchers held three (3) focused group discussion with six (6)
participants per group. All the participants were asked to get involve and
participate in the discussion answering questions regarding the selected Queer
Eye episodes used in this study. They were asked to identify the Filipino values
and culture that was presented in the show, and the participants were asked about
how the show can make an impact to the representation of the queer people to the
Filipino audience. Through these procedures, data were collected and addressed
the research problems presented in the first chapter of this study.
CONCLUSION
The queer people is an underrepresented sector of the society as queer
characters in movies and television shows only seem to only be complimentary
storylines or even comedic reliefs.
The homosexual has made countless strides toward mainstream
acceptance both on screen and off. Overall, representation of queer people has
improved the presence of more characters, notably bisexual and transgender
characters which were nonexistent back then, by a shift in the tone of jokes, and
by allowing queer characters to make more displays of affection. (Cook, 2018)
Because of the Spanish colonization, Philippines is one of the most
predominantly christian country in Asia. Seeing the same sex expressing love to
each other is not fully accepted by the Filipino audience.
The Filipino homosexual men are very different compared with the Western
homosexual men because the roles given to Western homosexual men are
leading towards heavy emotions and relationship management through their
shame to pride coming out narratives. (Wiley, 2012)
As media evolves, so does the content being produced in and through it.
with about 17 million Filipino households migrating to digital TV, Television shows
and movies are slowly becoming more inclusive of everyone in the society. Queer
Eye has been an incredible hit for everyone, straight or not. The openly gay TV
show has opened up important conversations about sexuality, gender, and identity
at a time when being open and vocal about these topics is important.
Importantly, the show is not only a “feel good” show it also tackles cross
cultural, racial and religious barriers and doesn’t shy away from controversial
topics to find common ground with their subject.
RECOMMENDATION
The following recommendations are offered as helpful ways to improve this
study. It is helpful for the future researchers who would want to further this study.
The researcher acknowledges the limitation of this study thus recommends to
further research the Filipino’s reception to the portrayal of homosexual people in
the digital media. This study contains both local and foreign sources mentioning
the queer community, Transition of television to digital media and the Filipino
values and culture.

 To the Filipinos and Queer community. This will help the community to
continue to fight for acceptance and equal rights, to show not only the Philippines
but the world that this community is as strong and colorful as the rainbow.
 To the Television Industry. This research can serve as an example for
future shows, to make more room for the community because they deserve equal
representation in the visual mediums.
 To San Beda College Alabang and Future Researchers. The researcher
recommends the future media students who will want to pursue the similar topic to
be more specific when it comes to researching about the LGBT community in
mass media, this information will be useful in understanding the Filipino’s
background in terms of culture, values and identity.

CHAPTER V
BENEDICTINE VALUES
The researchers watched and analyzed the two (2) episodes used in this
study, Season 1 Episode 4 To Gay or Not Too Gay and Season 2 Episode 1 God
Bless Gay. In this study, the Benedictine Values of Awareness of God, Community
Living, Respect for Persons, Common Good, and Truthful Living were applied.
A. AWARENESS OF GOD
“We acknowledge the primacy of God.”
Episode 1 of Season 2 which is God Bless Gay is one perfect example
that shows the awareness of God. This episode is nothing less than Queer Eye
versus religion. This episode will show you how important faith is and how
important God is in our lives. Many people today were raised with the idea that
homosexuality is a sin and immoral and behaving that way is against our nature.
There are people who doesn’t go to church anymore because they are scared that
they won’t be accepted because of their identity. Through Queer Eye, it reminds us
that it is a true love – love for strangers because at the end of the day we were
once strangers from God and have been welcomed back in through the grace of
the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus.

B. COMMUNITY LIVING
“We are committed to forming stable relationships in the community.”
“To become who we are by our relationships with others… and may he
bring us all together to everlasting life.” RB 72.12
The fab five guys really represent a healthy cross-section of the community.
In the episodes we used for this study, they are not just transforming the physical
appearance, but also they will help you to improve of what you think to yourself.
Homosexuals is not just for parlors, make-up artists, stylists and etc.
C. RESPECT FOR PERSONS
“We reverence all persons.”
“To respect each person regardless of class, cultural background, or professional
skill. No one is to pursue what is judged best for oneself, but instead, what is better
for someone else.” RB 72.7
In the show Queer Eye, every episode showed respect for others. It helps
the viewers to respect sexual identity whether you are a lesbian, gay, bisexual, or
a transgender. The show shows that giving respect to others will not cause you
any harm. Philippines is a predominant country, the church accepted the
homosexuals however they are still not accepting when it comes to sexual
interactions. They accepted them individually but they are against with same sex
marriage.
D. TRUTHFUL LIVING
“We foster and environment for deep transformation of the whole person.”
“Through this love, all… will now begin to be observed without effort, as though
naturally, for habit,... out of love for Christ, good habit, and delight in virtue.” RB
7.68-69
In this study, it shows that being true to yourself isn’t going to offend
somebody, that it’s not someone’s fault that you’re just being true to yourself. The
show will help you realize and appreciate someone’s identity because being
different is normal, that being different is not a hindrance on pursuing what you
want to become. There are people who will tolerate your identity but will not fully
accept just because it’s different from their eyes.

REFERENCES
Löf, C. (2016). Love is ours only in death: An analysis of how lesbian and bisexual
relationships are stereotyped on Western television shows through the use of
tropes.
Vargas, Yarma Velazquez. The commodification of sexuality: A critical analysis of

“Queer Eye”. The Florida State University, 2008.
Abcede, Esporna, Pepito. Coming out of millennial Filipino gay men. LPU- Laguna
Journal of Arts and Sciences, 2016.
Manalastas, E. J. (2013). Sexual orientation and suicide risk in the Philippines:

Evidence from a nationally representative sample of young Filipino men. Philippine
Journal of Psychology, 46(1), 1-13.
Cook, C. (2018). A content analysis of LGBT representation on broadcast and

streaming television.
Tagudina, I. (2012). Media representations of the LGBT community and

stereotypes’
homophobic reinforcement. Unpublished Research, Manila, Philippines.
Tolentino, J. A. Polytechnic University of the Philippines–Graduate School Sta.

Mesa,
Manila, Philippines.
Payuyo, L. A. (2012). The portrayal of gays in popular Filipino films, 2000 to 2010.
Driskill, Q. L. (2010). Doubleweaving two-spirit critiques: Building alliances

between native and queer studies. GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies,
16(1-2), 69-92.
De Jong, A. (2010) Bakla. The creation of Filipino gay men.
Garcia, J. Neil C., (Quezon City, 2008) Philippine gay culture. Binabae to Bakla,
Silahis to MSM.
Benedicto, B. (2008). The haunting of gay Manila: Global space-time and the
specter of kabaklaan. GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, 14(2-3), 317-
338.
Kornhaber, S. (2018). Queer Eye Opens the Miraculous Gay Wallet. the Atlantic
Baragona, L.(2018). Here's why we need the 'Queer Eye' reboot now more than
ever. The Insider.
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A
A. FGD Group A (Ages 20-30)
March 12, 2019

Muntinlupa City
Aey: What are your thoughts on the Queer people being presented on the mass
media?
Therese: I find that the queer people has a strong impact especially in mass media,
as they come forth as unique individuals with their own stories to tell that spark
people's hearts.
Charm: As a supporter of the queer people, happy ako that they are starting to get
more recognition sa mass media in the past few years. It is refreshing to see a number
of TV Shows/Series na normalize this community.
Samantha: I think it’s a good thing, I think that like media is supposed to reflect the
world as it is. And the more gay people that are in mass media the more it accurately
reflects how our society looks and the more that kase diba representation is important
and i’m a firm believer in that. Because it’s important to be able to see yourself and
believe that your alam mo yon it’s important to see
yourself in mass media and mainstream media kase that validates your existence.
Michael: If I will base the queer people presented in mass media on today's
generation, the majority of people and mass media today are more welcoming arms
than the past generations. Because of the acceptance that we homosexuals
get from the world, we tend to express ourselves proudly and made us feel that we are
also a part of the normal life
Carlos: On the show Queer Eye I am happy to say that the show presented the
diversity of queer individuals. Most especially because when they have this stereotype
of every gay as being effeminate though they lack support on our fellow lesbians and
transgenders.
Zel: I would say over the years, the portrayals of the queer people have continued to
increase. and i must say that the media has been a huge help in understanding better
the homosexuals regardless the differences of other people, it has also helped a lot of
the gay people to come out and share their feelings.
Aey: Do you think the representation and acceptance of the homosexuals in the
Therese: It is definitely not enough. I find that many people in the Philippines only
support gay rights whenever it is convenient. People still tend to become keyboard
warriors and refuse to take a stand when a call of action is needed.
Charm: Sa tingin ko yung queer community is not yet widely accepted and
appropriately represented sa Philippines due to conservatism pero over the past two
years, I personally have seen some progress naman and I suppose na it is a good
way to start.
Samantha: No, definitely not. Uhm, we have yet to move past seeing gays as uhm
first of all, we’re still just dealing with a gay representation. We haven’t even move to
bisexual representation, we barely scratch the surface of transparent representation.
And like wala pa there’s still nothing about gender fluid representation and yung mga
ganon. And like sa gay representation palang, we’ve
barely move past representing them as mga yung mga parlor gay na flamboyant and
very loud and for comedic purposes lang.
Michael: Being a part of this community, I think that the Philippines is in its half
perspective state on accepting our sexual orientation. There are still some cases that
show violence, harassment towards our community. Even though our country is in the
state of half-standpoint to this matter, I am still optimistic that this country is in its
progressing state in accepting and making our gender identity normal to our society.
Carlos: The Philippines’ acceptance on the queer people is better than before.
Though acceptance is an overstatement because it is more of tolerance.
Zel: No, people and the catholic church here in our country is blind sighted and
everything is just about politics. well, for me.
Aey: Are you aware of the show “Queer Eye” or Have you watched it?
Theres: I watched both seasons religiously in one sitting.
Charm: Yes
Samantha: Yes.
Michael: Yes
Carlos: Yes
Zel: Yes and yes.
Aey: Where did you learn that show or how were you able to learn about the
existence of that show?
Therese: I first heard of Queer Eye during the time of the first Fab Five, which
included Carson Kressley. Having caught word of a new, revamped Fab Five, as
well as through my Netflix recommendations, I watched it.
Charm: I heard about Queer Eye from my friends in the queer community.
Samantha: Ano, punong puno yung timeline ko ng Queer Eye and its through people I
know on social media.
Michael: I learned the show from my college friend. She introduces me to this Netflix
series since she knows that I am a part of the queer community.
Carlos: It was referred to me by a friend who was a fan of the show.
Zel: A friend suggested it for me to watch, learning goes both ways.
Aey: Does the show Queer Eye help you build more confidence of yourself? How
does it help you?
Therese: Queer Eye has definitely helped me in terms of keeping a tidy room,
recipes, and fashion. The show allowed me to see that change doesn't always
have to hurt and will always help improve our daily living.
Charm: It does naman in some way as it showcases different stories where you can
relate to somehow.
Samantha: Uhm, I wanna say confidence in myself but it does, it’s a very uplifting
show. So it does help give alam mo yon it just helps promote good vibes and it helps
fill you with positivity because its a very positive, its messaging is always very positive
ganon.
Michael: Yes, it does! This show helps me improve my lifestyle. The most important
lesson that I learned from this series is: We should accept the fact that we all have
flaws in life, don’t believe that you don’t cannot be awesome with your flaws; just keep
your heads up, have confidence, believe to yourself and that will
make you flawsome honey.
Carlos: It doesn’t give me confidence but instead it gives me peace of mind knowing
that it gives awareness about the homosexuals unique individual stories and I’m sure
a lot could relate because many gone through the same phase.
Zel: It did help to open my mind in building my confidence up because in this movie
series, they don't just put makeup or do hairstyle on someone and just to do
their "job", what matters the most is they do their job while letting the person gain a lot
more confidence.
Aey: Did you continue watching Queer Eye because it somewhat help your personal
Therese: Yes. The psychological tips that come from Karamo definitely help me get
through everything daily
Charm: Yes, it’s a very positive and fun show to watch and super relatable.
Samantha: Yes naman.
Michael: Yes.
Carlos: It was actually a “comfort show”, my go to show when I feel down because I
am part of the queer community.
Zel: Yes.
Aey: How does the show improve the quality of your life?
Therese: It improves the quality of my life by featuring many different individuals from
all corners of life, thus making it impossible not to relate to anyone, and shows me
how they improve, giving me a glimpse of how I can improve.
Charm: Queer eye just gives you more positive outlook sa life. Seeing five beautiful
gay men help others just gives you more faith in humanity.
Samantha: After watching the show, it helped me love and appreciate life more.
Michael: As I have said from number 5, it really became a big help for me to improve
my lifestyle and become flawsome.
Carlos: It improves my sense of belongingness and respect to myself and everyone
around me. In short, it made me to be considerate of others.
Zel: All i can think about is gender equality is a big deal.
Aey: What is your favorite episode and why?
Therese: I firmly enjoy Season 2's "God Bless Gay" episode. It really touched my
heart since i relate to growing up in a similar upbringing. I know for a fact that my
elders struggle to accept the queer people, but I don't. Seeing Mama Tammye actively
show her son real love despite what the Christian faith tells us is what the world needs
to see as well.
Charm: Super hirap mag choose which one pero there are a couple of standouts from
both seasons.
Samantha: Yung ano na lang, yung season finale ng season 2. Yung may mayor,
yung super young mayor yun. Wala lang, it stands out to me because it’s the most
recent one I remember and because sige, siguro because like it’s nice to see young
politicians and people who specially since like we can see everything that’s happening
in the US right now, that’s negative. It’s nice to see these small communities who are
moving past, specially ang alam ko nasa south sila. So it’s nice to see these small
communities moving past uhm yung conservative view nila and yung view nila na
parang that young people don’t know what they’re doing yet and they can’t contribute
to society.
Michael: Mostly.
Carlos: Episode 2 Season 2 because it actually inspired to do more of my talents and
skills as a person. To be able to express myself and be respected is a big honor for
me even though the gratitude wasn’t towards me.
Zel: Season 2 ep 1
Aey: Do you think the show will be accepted here in the Philippines wherein we live in
predominantly Christian country?
Therese: It may take a while for "all" to accept it per say. It is easier for people in
higher social standing to enjoy shows as to its very limited platform, but people in
lower social standings may not understand or particularly enjoy the show because of
its westernized humor and "issues," which only higher SES people may understand.
Charm: Yes kasi yung Queer eye does not impose anything on people’s belief. It is
mainly helping out people find their self-confidence and I don’t see anything wrong
with that naman.
Samantha: I think so, because shows like Queer eye is not just a makeover show, it
helps you to be more confident and accepting yourself.
Michael: Yes! I think the goal of this show is to help in improving lifestyle and have
confidence. This show’s target market is not only for the homosexuals. Queer Eye
show can be also helpful to everyone; especially for those who need guidance to
improve their lifestyle.
Carlos: I think that it would be accepted well because of Vice Ganda’s platform it
gave the homosexuals/gay people a place in the industry more than a backstage crew
or an extra. But many negative comments will rise but using that to an advantage,
negative slurs is an awareness of how far acceptance for the homosexuals is before
achieved.
Zel: Yes, and a lot of people have already watched it here in our country and the
Philippine catholic church/government can do nothing about it.
Aey: Did your view on the queer people changed after watching the show?
Therese: It more so strengthened my views in support of the queer community.
Charm: No, kasi I’ve always seen gay people as normal as any human being. Queer
eye shows that people are people whether you are a Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Straight, Black,
Asian, Western or Arabic (above the whole makeover part). It is nice talaga to see
shows that normalize the gay community alongside bringing up issues that needs to
be addressed to the viewers.
Samantha: No? No, parang hinde. Kase I mean I would like to think that I already had
a positive view with them. Na widen, na broaden. I learned a lot about skincare, and a
lot about food and a lot about avocados.
Michael: No! The Queer Eye actually helps me in building confidence and helped
me in improving my lifestyle.
Carlos: No, because I am aware of how we people are part of society and it doesn’t
matter how many hate we receive we still return the favor with love. The show raised
the respectability of the queer Community.
Zel: No. and it never will never change. I believe that people is entitled to their own
opinion and other people has the option to choose whether to care or not to care
about it. at the end of the day, people's decision for themselves is what will matter.
APPENDIX B
B. FGD Group B (Ages 30-40)
Joviene: What are your thoughts on the Queer people being presented on the mass
media?
Noreen: It is definitely empowering to see homosexuals being considered as okay in
today's norm and is now shown in mass media. Queer community fought such a hard
plan into representing who they were and battling society's assumptions.
Markus: I think the homosexuals in media is not a “taboo” subject anymore . Ellen
Degeneres, RuPaul Charles some of the legendary names has placed a period on
judgement towards the queer community in Media. Nowadays it’s rising to norms to
have queer characters in shows and in media.
Ron: In this show, they see themselves in a struggle to be accepted by other people.
At the same time they also help people, of any sexual orientation, who are struggling
on how to live.
Marie: I think there’s nothing wrong with it. I think it’s empowering to the
homosexuals/gay people because they’ve given themselves an identity.
Dominic: I’m the community is being represented other than someone’s side person
or a joke.
Mitch: I think it’s fun to see them grow from the mass media, I have friends who are
part of the community which I support and a fan of.
Joviene: Do you think the representation and acceptance of the homosexuals in

the Philippines is enough?
Noreen: Not that much. Most homosexual individuals shown in PH mass media are
considered as comedians in the general's public eye. Most, I think, would still insult
them in public places.
Markus: Well I would say we are getting there, there are only a few number of shows
and movies that have their main protagonist a part of the queer community, but it’s
slowly progressing there.
Ron: Yes.
Marie: I don’t think it’s enough, although it has improved from the last couple of years
from not being accepted.
Dominic: I think there have been enough representation but there’s no acceptance
yet. Maybe just tolerated but not fully accepted.
Mitch: The community evolved so much in the past years but i still think not
everyone here in our country have accepted them.
Joviene: Are you aware of the show “Queer Eye” or Have you watched it?
Noreen: Yes, I've watched Queer Eye before.
Markus: Yes I am, but I haven’t looked into it that much because I’m busy with school
work and Internship.
Ron: I think I saw it in one of the Netflix previews
Marie: I haven’t seen the show but I am aware of it since I have heard of it from my
friends I just didn’t have the time to watch it.
Dominic: Yes I am and I have.
Mitch: No, but I have heard of the show.
Joviene: Where did you learn that show or how were you able to learn about the
Noreen: I saw Queer Eye in Netflix as an ad and heard a couple of friends enjoying it.
Markus: Through my friends and Ads that were shown.
Ron: I think I saw it while browsing through Netflix.
Marie: I have heard of it from my friends but I am not familiar with it, only now that I’ve
seen the trailer.
Dominic: I was in LA and I was browsing Netflix when it was released on Netflix.
Mitch: Through my office mates and family.
Joviene: Does the show Queer Eye help you build more confidence of yourself? How
does it help you?
Noreen: It's gratifying to see how they transform people into the better version of
themselves. Though, I do not feel much of a boost in my confidence. I do empathize
with them well.
Markus: Well I guess any show or movie that can represent the queer community in a
positive manner is enough for me to feel empowered and accepted
Ron: Yes, as a heterosexual, I think it helped me see a new perspective about the
queer community.
Marie: Yes, even though I just watched the trailer. The trailer showed how they had
boost the confidence of the people who had think that they’re not good enough and
because of that it had help me boost my own self-confidence
Dominic: It helps be with how I present myself to the world mostly.
Mitch: Definitely, seeing the transformation and how they help out a person makes
me want to take care of myself even more not just on the physical aspects.
Joviene: Did you continue watching Queer Eye because it somewhat help your
personal and professional life?
Noreen: Not really, it just made me feel happy for the people to see themselves
change and have a better outlook in life.
Markus: If I have the time, probably I’d look into that show more. As I said any show
that can represent my community I would definitely support.
Ron: I don’t particularly watch this kind of shows. But I guess I could get advice from
it. Seeing that show helps people with their lifestyle.
Marie: Yes, but I only finished until season 2 episode 2.
Dominic: Yes I did.
Mitch: I have watched a couple of episodes, and what I really liked about the show is
how the “Fab 5” affect those people’s lives in a positive way and I think it’s very
heartwarming and it helped me understand the community better.
Joviene: How does the show improve the quality of your life?
Noreen: Not my life but theirs. Queer Eye show amazing transformations, not just in
fashion but also in the overall look of the house, appearance, and better food. It’s
literally an overall transformation.
Markus: It shows me that more and more people are now accepting the fact that
people like me are part of the norm. That we are not different from what has society
labeled us to be.
Ron: I became more open about the lgbt community.
Marie: For that short amount of time, the show had given me self-confidence and
hope in this community.
Dominic: It helps me with how I present myself to the world, so it helps me with my
confidence as I am taken more seriously now.
Mitch: The show made me love myself more and appreciate what I have, it opened
my eyes that life can always get BETTER when you start loving yourself and valuing
your self-worth.
Joviene: What is your favorite episode and why?

Noreen: My favorite episode would be episode 2 Saving Sasquatch. I saw how Neal
was very uncomfortable at first but he became so accepting of the Fab Five. He
became a better version of himself, a sociable and fashionable one.
Markus: Season 1 episode 4, because in that episode I like how the black gay finally
talk heart to heart with his stepmom about his true self so that he could be peaceful
and has nothing to hide from his stepmom again. Also, after telling his true self to his
stepmom, they became closer than ever.
Ron: Season 2 ep 2 because i like it how they help the guy with the marriage
proposal.
Marie: I don’t actually have a favorite one. I like all the episode because the fab five
helped a lot of people by gaining their confidence and accepting their true selves.
Dominic: I fell in-love with the woman that was the head of the church and she
insisted that the Fab5 to call her mom. She reminded me of how a mom should be and
she had a queer son which reminded me of my mother and my relationship.
Mitch: The first episode of season 1, because it made me emotional because I myself
did not have much confident growing up.
Joviene: Do you think the show will be accepted here in the Philippines wherein we
live in predominantly christian country?
Noreen: I’d say we still have a little bit more to go. Though, we’re so progressive now,
I think we’re still lacking that acceptance that the homosexuals aren’t just comedians
but are actually humans.
Markus: I think it will spark a huge debate between those who are okay with our
community vs those who aren’t okay with the way we live our lives.
Ron: For me, I think that the church can accept, because there is no judgement, as
long as it is viewed at a proper age.
Marie: I think it will be accepted but not fully. It’s because some people are still close
minded and its quite hard to change the people’s perspective.
Dominic: Yes I think so. Because it does not show anything that the Christian shoves
down their people’s throats or anything that offends other religions. It’s a show that
helps people. Mostly people that are selfless and put their community/work/family first.
Mitch: Yes, The show can help a lot of people, especially here in the philippines
where in the gay people is not fully accepted, I think Queer Eye is a great introduction
for that.
Joviene: Did your view on the queer people changed after watching the show?
Noreen: I’ve always viewed the homosexuals as an inspiring community, showing
their true colors despite the norm. So, it did not change my view.
Markus: No, it’s still the same.
Ron: Somehow, it did. Just from watching the previews. And the fact that they are
helping people, regardless of their sexuality
Marie: Yes, it made me respect them more because of the actions they’ve shown.
Actions such as helping each one and boosting their hope and confidence seen in the
show.
Dominic: Yes it did because as part of the queer community, I was able to reflect
and see myself thru them.
Mitch: Yes, the show showcased a diverse cast and from that it helped me
understand and love the community better.
APPENDIX C
C. FGD Group C (Ages 40-50)
Caye: What are your thoughts on the Queer people being presented on the mass
media?
Enrico: For mass media, maraming movies na lagi unang either pinapatay or unang
may masamang nangyayari is sa mga homosexuals or sa mga people of color.
Marites: Its community changing in a way na these days yung mga millennial
maraming generation na mas expose sila sa happenings sa lgbt. In social media/mass
media mas naoopen sila sa reality and yung openness nila sa social is not to
downgrade to those na part ng queer community so basically they are community
changing in a good way for them to accept more kung ano ba talaga ang reality na
kinakaharap ng mga people these days.
Terry: Well, as of today the community is somewhat accepted. Not as before na
they're super misjudged and the community is seen as toxic (as poison) to an
individual.
Bebeth: I think that sometimes they are being discriminated because in our country,
the queer people is not yet fully accepted.
Ronald: For me, as long as they’re happy, treated right, and accepted by other people
it’s fine with me, every person should live normally and be happy for what they are
doing.
Annie: The queer people in the mass media, specifically in the Philippines, they are
not really represented that much. When they are, they only show the cliches and how
it’s a phase and how one is gay and should dress like this or like that.
Caye: Do you think the representation and acceptance of the homosexuals in the
Enrico: No, kase marami parin conservative people or yung mga matatanda na
parang tingin nila na once na part ka ng community is masama ka na.
Marites: No, Filipino culture is a lot different than the westernized one so basically
kahit ipakain satin yung westernized belief na yon hindi mawawala sa Filipino culture
kung ano yung ipinaniniwalaan nila in the first place.
Terry: No. Some generations, still views homosexuals as a threat.
Bebeth: 50-50 because there are times that homosexual is being discriminated and
sometimes they promote lgbt movies.
Ronald: No. Because some families are still too old school. They still have negative
thoughts about it. Others say that if you’re gay or whatever you don’t
believe in God. That is why some of the queer people are afraid to show them who
they really are because they are scared that their family is not going to love and
accept them.
Annie: I feel like 50% of the community still has that close-minded and traditional
mindset that a man should be with a woman, and that some always say that
“sayang naman ang gwapo pa naman niya/sayang ang ganda pa naman” but in
reality, the homosexuals who loves the same gender, wala namang nasasayang, love
is love and we should all be accepted, and loved equally and rightfully.
Caye: Are you aware of the show “Queer Eye” or Have you watched it?
Enrico: Yes.
Marites: Yes.
Terry: Yes particularly S2E1
Bebeth: Yes.
Ronald: Yes, I have.
Annie: Yes, I watch Queer Eye.
Caye: Where did you learn that show or how were you able to learn about the
Enrico: Through relatives.
Marites: Through advertisement.
Terry: From a colleague / friend.
Bebeth: Through word of mouth.
Ronald: Facebook
Annie: A friend of mine showed me what she was watching on Netflix and I saw queer
eye and asked about it and then eventually I became curious and watched it.
Caye: Does the show Queer Eye help you build more confidence of yourself? How
does it help you?
Enrico: yes, siguro if magkakaroon ng show na ganto sa Philippines medyo malaking
help siya even though hindi pa ka acceptable yung mga homosexuals.
Marites: Kapag sa social media mas na eexpose yung mga tao so basically it’s easier
for them to accept what they are seeing on their screens.
Terry: Yes, perhaps that show gives all of its viewers their relevance that "they" are
part of this world especially na they're quite different from the usual male/female sex.
Bebeth: Shows us that we should not be afraid to show our true selves.
Ronald: It helps me understand that the generation today is very different. We need to
love and accept them for who they are as long as they’re doing the right thing.
Annie: Queer Eye helps me build my self-confidence, in terms of how i should present
and represent myself, when it comes to the way i dress and take care of myself
despite my age. This show also helps me build my self confidence in terms of learning
the importance of self-care.
Caye: Did you continue watching Queer Eye because it somewhat help your personal
Enrico: Yes
Marites: Yes
Terry: Yes, but not continuously, I mean in my free time.
Bebeth: Sometimes.
Ronald: No
Annie: I continue watching Queer Eye because of how it touches my life, yes both
personally and professionally. It just really touches your heart and it aches for all the
different stories and seeing how they can grow, and how the fab five empowers one
another and who they are having the make over with. Professionally it makes me
always be the better version of myself so that i can do and work efficiently.
Caye: How does the show improve the quality of your life?
Enrico: I become more open about sa mga queer people.
Marites: Mas na-uunderstand ko lalo yung queer community and their situation sa
pagiging different nila.
Terry: I don’t think Q.E show alone improves the way I view life specifically qualities of
it but I take that show as one of my inspirations whenever I’m in my lowest point
because they give happiness and satisfaction.
Bebeth: It inspires to be not afraid on what you really are.
Ronald: It improves my life because I learned something new and the show helps me
understand more about queer people. We just need to stop discriminating them and
accept them and let them become who they want to be.
Annie: The show improves the quality of my life by giving me the zest to make the
most out of everything and value everything that i have in my life. That I shouldn’t let
other people bring me down and that’ it’s always okay to put yourself first.
Caye: What is your favorite episode and why?

Enrico: I like the episode na nimake over nila yung first woman and as well as yung
community center.
Marites: For me lahat ng episode kasi every episode may iba’t ibang tao sila
tinutulungan.
Terry: S2E1 well, despite of a certain religion, that church still accepted the whole
personality of Tammyie's? (di ko na sure name) son.
Bebeth: parang lahat naman ok.
Ronald: I think lahat ng episode is maganda naman at nakaka help sila ng iba’t ibang
tao.
Annie: My favorite is season 3 episode 5 “Black Girl Magic” because it really shows
how race and gender preference can be stereotyped, but how they were able to let her
understand more about the culture, loving herself and her family, it can be a lesson for
self-love, and finding family even though you are not blood related.
Caye: Do you think the show will be accepted here in the Philippines wherein we live
in predominantly christian country?
Enrico: I think so, pero some will accept them pero some hindi parin accepted lalo na
pag dating sa same sex marriage.
Marites: Not all Filipinos will have a good response on it, yet not also everyone will
accept it. Filipinos ngayon are starting to adapt the westernized thinking but the
culture and traditions of Filipinos won’t be replaced in them.
Terry: I guess, yes it is possible. Others could naman eh, thus IF we try.
Bebeth: I think some will accept and some will discriminate and will leave bad
comments.
Ronald: I believe yes that it is possible that the show will be accepted in our
country.
Annie: Slowly I think the Philippines is starting to accept queer shows or films that are
not that cliche so i do hope and pray that the christian community will learn to accept
this.
Caye: Did your view on the queer people changed after watching the show?
Enrico: Oo, kasi hindi siya katulad ng ibang shows dito sa pilipinas na puro comedy
lang.
Marites: Not exactly changed but improved in a way na basically those who are part
of the lgbt community, hindi lang sila limited but they changed lives in that way through
the queer eye.
Terry: No, my views are the still the same (positive). And pano ako magkakaview
kasama ako sa community.
Bebeth: Yes, i admired them even more.
Ronald: Yes.
Annie: Yes, it really changed after watching this show. It made me understand and
appreciate them more, it became a way for me to hear their voice by just seeing them
be themselves and do things that they are passionate about.
APPENDIX D
D. Sociologist (Wilbert Namoc)
March 20, 2019
San Beda College Alabang
Aey: The 21st Century is the “Golden Age” for the homosexuals identifying people, do
you think that it is a community or a culture?
Sir Namoc: Defining culture is a kind of way of thinking, a kind of lifestyle, and at the
same time meaning ng community sa people. I think it is the matter of both. Why is
homosexuals both a culture and a community? When we talk about this queer
community, it talks about the community of with this particular kind of gender
orientation. They are somewhat connected with their own kind. In that way they built a
kind of community of their own so they have their own advocacy, own kind of thinking,
face, culture, food, the way of perceiving things and the way of looking at things and I
really do appreciate the way they look at things from affirmative perspective. Not in the
sense na parang babae sila, or lalaki, but the kind of way of looking things. Or kind of
paradigm na its something that they can own. I could say na a kind of being in the
queer community is like there’s a freedom. Freedom of diversity. They can express in
their own particular idiosyncrasies. Basta the way na parang the subtle ways na sila
ang nakakaintindi. On our part naman, belonging to a culture na iba sakanila, we
might brand them or label them some sort of different. They just think differently,
everything about them is different.
It becomes a culture because many people or community are coming out with a
particular exploitation and it has become a way of life for us not belonging to this
homosexual na to be with them na co-exist with them and with the hope na accepted
sila. Yung concern sa culture maraming dynamics yan, may remorse may norms na
acceptance on the part na kelan ba sila naging ethically acceptable, non-ethical
acceptable ways, right and wrong and it becomes challenging community for the
culture na lalake or babae. But being a committee they form a
culture of their own because it becomes they become prominent force in society. They
have sense of freedom to diversity.
Joviene: Do you believe that there are person who are considered “stereotypes?”
Sir Namoc: One thing that I notice in our Philippine culture, looking from a
perspective ng mga other class, pag tambay or lower class or under privilege so they
are being branded that way na yung work mo dun ka lang, like parlor or medyo
malandi, yun lang yung mga na karamihan na na encounter ko being in the
exemptions of these so I devote a number of my time going to this particular
communities. Parlor, manicurista, hairdresser, yung profession na ganun or skill based
na livelihood is very much identified with them. However meron naman napag daanan
privilege na pag marunong magluto. Yung ang mas ma ano sakin like parang
umuusbong na kind of professional skill na livelihood sakanila like HRM na luto luto.
Kapag sa perspective naman ng middle class, higher class, they belong more about
kind of expression, like they are very talented, creative, artistic. So kita yung mga
ibang perspective ng ibang tao they longing to lalo na sa intellectually inclined nasa
academics, commercial advertising, basta sa medyo
magandang klasing profession. They are being stereotype as being talented, creative,
outspoken, and they are just being really honest on who they are and that is
something that we need to appreciate also. And I like that kind of perspective na
honest sila.
Caye: Based on the sociocultural norms of the Philippines, how do you think the
homosexuals identifying people treated differently to those who are “straight”?
Sir Namoc: There’s an evident of way of dealing treatment. Hindi lang treatment but
in our culture we are very relational, we are very expressive, we extend our hands.
Usually they are very evident lang talaga.
Aey: If it were understood that one’s sexual orientation is not a choice, would that
significantly reduce prejudice against the community?
Sir Namoc: We are cultural religious people and that’s part of our culture. We are
quite concern about decency, very much attached to our Christian beliefs or whatever
beliefs pa yan and it is being indoctrinated or cultivated in us or imprinted in us that
there are only two genders: Male and female kaya I doubt in our culture it takes time
for the Philippine culture na Filipinos to find this queer community be acceptable.
Joviene: Do you think shows like Queer Eye influence other people to show their true
self? Do you think yung mga shows like queer eye makakatulong po sa Pilipino? Para
mas maintindihan lalo yung community?
Sir Namoc: Yes. I really appreciate yung queer eye as a vehicle for greater social
awareness in a sense of radar force that we need to recon that we can count on their
own influence, advocacy, talent, contribution, profession and everything. Second,
they deserve to be accepted as people because its not their fault na
ganun sila. I think this show it give us a lot of awareness, that this new brand or new
personality would be a different kind of social responsibility na they can effect change
sa pag iisip ng tao and also they can be an instrument of their own to promote na kami
as homosexual ay hindi kami ganito sa stereotypes na dinedescribe saamin, hindi
kami na ganito na mababaw, that could be a good vehicle for the Filipino context
because sa mga American iba kasi doon eh, satin
kasi need natin ipaintindi kaya I don’t know why. Bakit hindi tanggap ng mga Pilipino?
It could also a kind of he can for them to gain respect, sense of dignity nila.
Caye: Sa tingin niyo po ba kulang pa yung representation ng homosexuals sa media?

Sir Namoc: Yes kulang pa because it’s not really intellectual, it’s only for entertaining.
It’s not something very favorable on the queer people. Parang pang pa-lipas oras lang.
It does not believe a kind of yung they need to be respected yung program na eto kami.
Nawala na yung time na mga intellectual talk show, eto yung mga nawawala. And I
believe that could also change of concept pero the same of fact form pwede siyang
ganun. Eto yung maganda na kung pano nila na rebranding to promote na eto kami.
Kasi kailangan talaga nila ipakita na hindi lang kami for entertainment or rumarampa
lang kung san san. The media should have another venue to rebrand and give more
prominence on their value as persons, that they deserve to be respected, they want
dignity and rights.
APPENDIX E
E. Psychology Major and Guidance Councelor (Joel Ventura)
February 27, 2019

San Beda College Alabang
Aey: What is your take on homosexuals in mass media being presented? Is it a good
thing that today there are many queer communities that are presented in television
and shows like Queer Eye?
Sir Ventura: When it comes in representation it has something to do with the plot of
the program. Because there are some plot na ginagawang katatawanan yung queer
people, may ibang plot naman na beneficial yung mga homosexuals like for example
the Q&A in Showtime, they make it funny yung mga queer people which is for me, it’s
not a way to respect them kasi after watching the Q&A pagtatawanan sila pagkatapos,
which is saakin is disrespectful pero when it comes to the Queer Eye na pinanood ko
kanina, it really give the viewers that this is a kind of community that could also help
and could be beneficial to the viewers because they are giving us information on how
are we going to deal with things, it could be helpful for those who are not only for the
lgbt but also who are straight men/women.
Joviene: As a catholic country, is there a shift in acceptance of the homosexuals in

the Philippines?
Sir Ventura: Actually matagal na yan pinagtatalunan. Accepted naman ang queer
community in the Philippines. Ang pinagtataka ko lang is that they keep on asking for
gender equality pero there is a big gender equality here in the Philippines kasi kahit
yung ibang countries when I try to view it yung reaction ng mga foreigners sa
Philippines, they wanted to reside in the Philippines kasi we are open when it comes
sa queer community and yung mga ibang foreigners migrated pa sa Philippines
because the queer community are respected here so I can see any kind of gender
inequality however according naman sa catholic sa CBCP they are accepting the
homosexuals however ang ayaw lang nila ipractice ng is to have a partner with the
same sex when it comes to male to male and female to female
pero kung opposite gender pwede yun. For example, lesbian and gay. Pero yung
same sex doon nila ayaw. When it comes to homosexuals open naman yung CBCP
and yung catholic. We have saints who are gay. Like Saint Aelred. He really admitted
that he admired some of his follower before however ang ano lang kay Saint Aelred
hindi niya pinapractice because he knows his limitation. The same thing with Vice
Ganda that is why I really respected her kasi alam niya if you’re going to have a same
sex relationship, wala talagang forever at alam niya yung habol sakaniya kapag
nakikipag relation sakaniya which is really money. So alam niya yung limitation and
kung ano lang yung benefit na kinukuha sakaniya nung same sex na inaadmire niya
or naffall in love siya pero ang maganda sakaniya ay hindi siya nakikipag laban na
kailangan magkaroon ng same sex marriage sa Philippines because she believes that
there’s no such thing as forever in same sex. Because in the Philippines ‘extraherada’
lang talaga yung mga gays.
Caye: Do you think the show is going to be accepted here in the Philippines wherein
believed in the predominant division country?
Sir Ventura: I think so. Because even me I’m also watching it eh. And when the queer
eye where aired its not only queer eye eh. I also used to watch America’s
next top model, I also used to watch the Runway and yung mga panel or judges are
also mga third gender but I give them a high respect simply because they are an
expert when it comes to that kind of field and at the same time wala silang
pinaguusapang sa mga let’s say mga kalaswaan. It’s all formal though hindi talaga
maalis yung mga sigawan kasi it’s a way for them to express that they are the
members of this population on what they call as Queer people kasi syempre naman
how are you going to express yourself if you’re not going to show it. For
you to show if you are one or not, you have to express a curtain action or gesture na
magpapakita na member ka kasi kung hindi lalabas na paminta ka which is half baked
yun. Hindi mo alam kung ikaw ay lalaki or babae so mas maganda what you believe,
you express but yun nga lang yung high respect ako sa mga may expertise something
about their field pero hindi ko rin naman inaalis sakanila ang pagiging gay or lesbian
because it’s a way for them on how they express themselves.
Aey: How do you see the transformation ng community from 10 years from now then
yung today?
Sir Ventura: There’s a big transformation especially during your generation, the
millennial generation. This is the golden age of the homosexuals. During the millennial
age, dyan pumutok yung queer community kaya ko sinabi na Golden
Age kasi dyan sila nag express, dyan sila nag pakita. Pinakita nila sa mundo na there
is still a third community as they call a lgbt community so with that before kase during
10 years back talaga povert yan and there is what you call gender discrimination.
Whenever you are going to apply for a job, someone discovered that you are a
member of a third gender, actually we called it as a third gender
because there is only 2 sex male and female. Tinatawag namin sila noon as third
gender and a third gender before is only limited for the gay and lesbian walang
bisexual, walang transgender, walang transsexual, and then during our time it is
connotated as abnormalities when it comes to the indocrine secretion of the hormone
kaya sila nagiging ganun. Mas nagiging high yung feminility nila or mas nagiging high
yung masculinity and it shows that sometimes there are some lesbian that really has
no boobs. Talagang maliit lang yung boobs. So there’s an
abnormality when it comes to body chemistry kaya during our time in psychology, we
called it as abnormality. Actually belonging siya sa parafelia sexual disorder. Kasi ang
tawag namin sa mga nag ccross dresser which we call it right now is transgender, we
call them as transvestites it means they are wearing dresses and underwear which is
not according to their nature. Kaya ang tawag namin sa therapy that we are used to
give to them is reparative therapy. It has something to do with repair. We are repairing
namin sila sa dati nilang sex na according to their preference. But right now they are
already overt and in our new psychological disorder they are no longer recorded as
abnormalities they are already accepted na talagang may gender preference ang
bawat tao. As of now it was already open to us by the k12 na nagulat rin ako kasi I am
teaching Understanding the self and the understanding the self, one of the chapter is
discussing about the sexual self and the sexual self it has been emphasize there. It
does not mean if you’re a male, you’re already a straight male, it doesn’t mean if
you’re a female you’re already a straight female. You still have the right to choose
your own gender. Kasi pagdating mo sa puberty nagkakaroon ng gender identity
confusion. Whatever gender you want, it will be respected. It will also be accepted in
the Philippines kase yung
understanding the self is ang gumawa niyan is ang mga Pilipino which is the
commission of higher education, so if the commission of higher education is trying to
educate the students when it comes to sexual self not only means they are opening
the eyes of the student that they are free to choose whatever gender that they want.
Joviene: Are there any students who approached you to consult because they are
being bullied for his or her gender identity?
Sir Ventura: Yes. actually twice lang. Ang lagi pinapa council nila is about
sexualrelationship. When it comes to bullying yes they are being bullied but ang
kinakagusto ko lang sa homosexuals is that they are psychologicaly prepared about it.
Sometimes they tempt to be passive about it. They tend to be emotional about it. Mas
naapektohan sila when it comes to their sexual relationship kasi in the Philippines they
are accepted as a member of queer community however when it comes to sexual act
they are not accepted so they tempt to be guilty about it kaya mas marami akong
kinacouncil when it comes to sexual relationship.
APPENDIX F
F. Expert #3 (Danton Remoto)
1. How long have you been the chairman emeritus of “Ang Ladlad” partylist?
I have been the chairperson for 16 years of “Ang Ladlad”. The organization's thrust is
toward human rights, and the organization is fighting for equal rights among all
Filipinos, whether they are LGBT or not.
2. Being the chairperson of “Ang Ladlad” what are the challenges you have
encountered in your partylist?
Low popularity Dilemma due to the country's opposing influential Catholic figures is
seen as the major walls in Ladlad's congressional bid. Modernization has lessened the
percentage of Filipinos tracking traditional Catholic teachings and more LGBT Filipinos
are coming out of the closet as noted by local surveys and as seen in the huge influx
of LGBT Filipinos in nationwide Pride Marches, notably the Metro
Manila Pride March.The Commission on Elections denied Ladlad's petition to be
allowed to run in the 2010 elections, on the grounds of "immorality", However, on
January 12, 2010, the Supreme Court granted a temporary restraining order, thereby
allowing Ladlad to participate in the 2010 elections.In the 2007 elections, Ladlad was
previously disqualified for failing to prove they had nationwide membership. In the
2013 elections, the party also failed to reach the minimum two percent of votes cast
barring the party from running in the 2016 elections.
3. What are some of the programs of “Ang Ladlad” that you would like to give
more emphasis on?
Ang Ladlad partylist main mission is to: protect and promote human rights and access
to justice of LGBTs, to raise awareness and educate Philippine society about LGBT
issues and concerns, to address health issues and concerns of LGBTs, to initiate
economic and social support projects for LGBTs, especially those marginalized.0.0
4. As the media evolves, so does the queer community. How can the
homosexual men inspire the community to unceasingly stand for their rights?
The homosexual men can inspire the community to stand for their rights by
demanding the recognition of these rights. The lip service that we are all humans after
all does not wash anymore. We are citizens of this country, and taxpayers as well, so
we have to demand equal rights with the rest of the Filipinos. By being steadfast and
firm in this goal, then we can inspire the rest to help our cause as well.
5. What are your thoughts on the the homosexual men being presented on the
mass media?
The social acceptance on the presence of the homosexual men have provided an
ample breathing space for those involved. Lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and
transgenders have been braver in coming out of the closet. Their solid aim to achieve
equal rights have been heard and given seat in the congress. Their families accept
them. They have an established set of friends. They excel in their own undertakings
and get the same amount of respect given to the usual, straight people.
6. We live in a predominantly Christian country, do you think that homosexuality

is being accepted and tolerated by the church in today’s social status?
Even Pope Francis himself has distanced himself from this line — that homosexuals
are not co-creators of God. Being a co-creator of God does not simply mean
procreating and populating this earth with as many children that cannot be fed and
housed and clothed and educated. To be a co-creator means to reach one’s potentials
to the fullest; it also means to treat everyone fairly and justly. After all, creation in its
broadest sense means bringing forth something vital and something new–something
that homosexuals can do as well as the rest.
7. There are a lot of homosexual men in television right now, is there a need to
have more queer people in television?
Many people are saying that because of Ladlad the community are taking seriously by
media, 20 years ago they laugh at us and now they run at us for commentary on
LGBT issues because we have projected a sober, serious and focused image before
the public because most of the time the battle is for the hearts and minds of the people
is a matter of perception and image. Plots involving queer characters can improve
social tolerance, exposure, to lesbians and gays increase, either interpersonally or
through television.
8. Do you think shows like Queer Eye will help the Filipinos understand the
community better?
The new Queer Eye is still fundamentally a show about makeovers, but unlike its
predecessor, it doesn't use The Fab Five's queerness as a gimmick. Rather, their
experience of otherness as queer men becomes the beating heart of the show.
The Five understand what it's like to overcome adversity and to constantly challenge
toxic masculinity, and they use what they've learned to help teach their wards, as well
as their audience, that there is no greater joy than learning to love oneself
unconditionally.
9. Does presenting this kind of content will help cultivate people’s perspective
overtime?
Everything changes, policy changes, hearts and minds changes when visibility
happens. Media depictions have both benefited and disadvantaged and often
represent them as visibly and behaviorally different. Despite the stereotypical
depictions of gay people, the media has at times promoted acceptance of them with
television shows such as Queer Eye. This increased publicity reflects the coming-out
movement of the queer community.
APPENDIX G
G. Expert #4 (Mervin Lazaro)
1. How has perception change on the queer community evolved through the
years?
Nag evolve na siya actually. Since 1970’s up to now. Before kase ang stereotype ng
bading is more of a parlor, make-up artist. Right now kase nag evolved na siya into
mas responsible citizen na siya in terms of like sa may Doctor na, meron ng stylist,
meron ng uhm Senator, yung mga ganon. Na mas kahit papano uhm binibigyan na
sila ng pansin, hindi katulad date kase sobrang let’s say community namin it’s like
more of ah parlor yan, ah designer. Now it is wider pa, mas nag evolve siya, na mas
naging sabihin nating mas naging tao siya in terms of how busy, as how they parang
see or yung sa pagiging bading ng isang tao or pagiging bading sa isang community
diba. So yun, so it’s totally changed. Na changed siya totally tapos uhm ano pa ba.
Uhm, siguro dahil na rin modern na siya ngayon tas uhm i’ll be honest, madami kami
before pa. The reason why madaming nag o-out, the reason why akala niyo lang wala
kase nagtatago sila. Dahil akala nila hindi sila inaaccept na hindi sila accepted.
Nakaka sad ah, madaming madami titos, daddys, nagpakasal sa babae na wala
silang choice na takot sila ma condemned nung time nila, nung bata pa sila. And for
me kase nung time ko, gen z kase ako eh uhm uhm 90’s ako eh hindi ako 70’s or 80’s
eh, so 90’s de pero sige fine, nasa middle ako ng 80’s and 90’s. Kase nung 70’s kase
sobrang konti lang and nag o-outt, ang nag o-out ng todo. Pero madaming mga suma-
side line na napupunta sa mga bath house parang labas lang yung pagiging bading
nila pero straight sila sa wife nila. Kaya mas complex and life before ng mga bading
kase hindi inaaccept, pero now accepted na siya eh. Just imagine maraming
tumatakbong Senators, Barangay Tanod, Chairman, Mayors, diba. Hindi lang siya
madaming Doctors na ano, kaya diba may isang nag react sa community namin na
kapag sinabe bang Ms. Universe parlor lang ba? Diba. Papano naman yung mga
Doctors, papano naman kaming mga stylist, papano naman yung mga ibang
Directors. So yun, through that yung ganong ano it’s mapapansin mo may change na
talaga yung perception ng tao sa lgbt. Tapos same thing with sa mga tomboy din,
ganon din sila. Before akala niyo babae sila pero very “lipstick” may tinatawag kaseng
“lipstick” sa mga tomboy. Sila yung mga mukang babae pero ano sila uhm gay sila
naka todo ayos. It’s a perfect example yung ex girlfriend ni Sam Milby, she’s a lipstick
na nalaman lang pala niya na gay pala siya then dun siya nag dala na dun yung gusto
niya love pala yun ng isang babae na same gender. So yun, yung nga yung sinasabe
ko before 70’s, 80’s, 60’s sobrang taboo kase yun eh. Kung may mag o-out man, it’s
either parlor ka, make-up artist ka, kaya na sstereotype siya ng parlor or designer.
2. Working in the industry, what are the typical stereotypes faced by the
homosexual men then? Do such stereotypes still exist today?
Kaduktong din kase ng sa second question niyo naman, ano bang typical stereotypes
niya, typical stereotypes palengkeng bakla, palengkeng pageant ano na bading, or
parlorista, right now nababago na rin siya. Uhm, it exist sa mga probinsiya yungmga
ganong stereotypes kase hindi sila open sa mga sa sa mundo namin. So ayun, pero
kung kase madami kaseng mga sarado parin ang utak ng mga lalake eh kaya at the
end of the day lalapit parin sila samin. Laging
biro ko sa mga straight na guy, alam niyo hindi kayo mamamatay kayo ng matitikma
parin kayo ng bading, at dadaan at dadaan parin kayo sa bading no matter what
happened. Kahit gano ka ka straight dadaan ka parin sa bading. Kase nandon yung
curiosity, kase right now mas kuwawa ang millennials eh, yung mga straight na lalake
ang daming category now. May fluid, ang fluid they go for same gender, they go for
girls na nakikipag sex sila ah, nakikipag relationship sila pero di nila takot sila sa sarili
nilang gay sila. Gender fluid ang tawag sakanila, so madaming ganon na bata na
pumapasok kase they’re curious. Tapos after non ah
okay dito na ako straight na lang ako. Parang perfect example yung ex-boyfriend ko
before, ex-boyfriend ko is like gender fluid siya. Ngayon ko lang nalaman na gendre
fluid siya by the way, after namin maghiwalay. Bestfriend ko siya since college. So
ayun yung normally ang stereotype, isa lang ang stereotype sa mga bading na tingin
nila ay parlor, walang di palengke or what na di parlor. Kase yun yung nakikita nila
before pa, kase yun yung laging sinasabe ng mga magulang nila before na para bang
gusto mo bang maging ganyan parlor. Yun yung laging iniinsist ng mga magulang.
Pero now kase, depende sa generation niyo ang dami kaseng kakaiba yung
generation niyo promise, as in kakaiba. Pero nung time ko, yun lang yung sa ano
saamin na stereotype so I guess kung nag eexist, yes I guess nag eexist parin.
Depende sa kung san kang nakatira I guess, background like kung if you’re living in
Manila tapos di ka naman sa probinsiya, well accepted na kase yung mga ganito eh.
Walang nagsasabe na ah parlor yan, sa probinsiya na kase yung normally yung
ganon eh. So yun.
3. “Ang Probinsyano” aired episodes that showcased the struggle of Awra’s

character (i.e. hiding his true self by being a bully). When his character decided
to come out, how was this received by your viewers?
Ah perfect example yung kay Aura, sa probinsiyano. Uhm, i’ll be honest, nahirapan si
Coco don before kase si Coco kumuha kay Aura. So malaking parang uhm, test for
him. They’re scared kase baka hindi ma accept yung role ng masa na merong batang
na bading, baka hindi iaccept na bakit tinotolerate. So yung mga ganong issues. So
ngayon parang nag stand sila, hinde eto yung reality eh. It’s the reality may batang
bading talaga and eto yung proseso ng na fefeel nila. May reason behind that kung
bakit bading yun, kay ganon yung pinalabas, may reason behind that.
I’ll be honest, lahat kaming bading may rason kung bakit kami bading. Hindi kami
pinanganak na bading kami. May socio ano kami like may iba diyan because of
molested ng mga cousins nila, or ng mga uncles nila, yung iba diyan walang father
figure, iba diyan masiyadong binibaby, mga ganong factors. So yung namang kay
Aura, ginawa is uhm walang parang mother figure ah walang mother tapos sobrang
strikto nung dad niya. So yun, tas dahan dahang nilabas yung tunay ng character niya
na kinagulat naming lahat na parang ah kinagat siya ng tao kase that’s the reality diba
so yun. Tapos ano pa ba, kase sa school kase talagang binubully nila yung mga
bading that’s the reality kase pero gustong gusto naman namin na binubully kami.
Kase siyempre andon yung feeling namin babae kami, pero may iba kaseng bully na
sobrang nambubully talaga yun yung nakakapikon. Kaya perfect example yung sa
Ateneo, binubully kase bading yan eh na hindi nag o-out, feeling ko ah its bading. So
yun so ah, yun din yung isang nakakasama ng loob na yun yung dapat siguro inaayos
naman ng mga schools
now yung mga ganong issues.
4. Is media still a powerful tool in shaping perception when it comes to

educating them on queer community?
Yes, it’s a perfect tool talaga media kase naiinform naten lahat ng tao na may
ganitong klaseng ganitong katulad namin na nag eexist kami, na we love boys and we
love dressing up as girls and we have a soft heart na ganon. Hindi namin maco-
control yun eh, its more of like uhm yung sinasabe ko nga sayo hindi namin
kasalanan na bakit kami naging bading. It’s pansin mo sa lahat ng mga movies sa
about gays, pinapakita nila na may back stories kung bakit naging ganon sila so yun.
Sobrang powerful tool siya kase naiinform lahat ng tao na ah ganito pala siya bakit.
Kase yung sa maalaala mo kaya MMK, pag may mga bading na stories diba may mga
back stories sila, pinapakita nila na ano yung kung bakit sila naging bading. So ayon
isang powerful din yung sinasabe sa lahat ng tao na ah kaya pala naging bading to
because of this factor. If you don’t want maging bading yung anak mo, iwasan niyo
tong ganitong bagay. Kase ano lang yan eh, kase kung ano yung the more na
ginagawa ng mas nakakatanda saten nung bata pa tayo, yun ang ginagawa naten yun
yung nagiging tama diba. Like for example ako na lang. nung bata ako ano ba, nung
bata ako uhm masiyadong na baby ako ng mga magulang ko, tas gusto nila na
parang babae so ganon nangyayare naging. Napapasukan napapasukan so
hanggang sa pag tanda ko ay ganito ako eh.
Hanggang sa ay ganito pala ako, hindi yun panganak pag anak palang bading na
siya diba.
5. What are your thoughts on the representation of the homosexual men in the
Mass Media?
Uhm, papano tong what are your thoughts on representation of queer people in mass
media? Like yung typical characters in terms of sa movies mga ganon?
Joviene: Parang if its a good thing for media to show the LGBT parang kung okay po
ba ishowcase yung LGBT community through media.
Sir Lazaro: Ah, dito sa Philippines hindi pa. Hindi pa well accepted kase masiyado
tayong pano ba sagradong katoliko kase tayo eh that’s one thing. As in sobrang
hindi pa sila open kaya tignan mo yung mga ganung klaseng movies or sitcoms hindi
kinakagat masiyado. So wala siyang tignan mo walang show na regarding sa ganon.
Kung makikita mo may bading man sa talk show diba, tas anong prinopoject niya
parlor padin or yun nga eh binabago naten yung society kaso nga lang sa religion
naten medyo cino condemn parin nila yung katulad namin yun yung nakakasama ng
loob. Kase parang sinasabe an may chance pa daw kami, wala na kaming chance eto
na kami, wala na as in kahit sabihin mong mag asawa parin kami bading padin kami.
As in, eto na yun na eh wala ng magagawa eh kase eto yung kinalakihan namin eh.
It’s so hard hindi sanay pero eto na yung kinalakihan namin na diba.
6. As a predominantly catholic country, and with a Pope who is vocal on his

support for the community, do you think that we are on the road towards
acceptance of the queer community?
I don’t know kase about sa Catholic yung dito ha, diyan yung sabi ng Pope kase kailan
nangyare to? Yung number six question niyo.
Aey: Ah parang ini-state niya po na ayaw niyang mag bitaw ng lines about the LGBT
community because sa tingin niya po parang there’s no problem as long as walang
sexual relationship act na nangyayare.
Sir Lazaro: Ayun yung sinasabe ko, it’s hard eh. Kase ang problema kase saten yung
church naten, hindi nila cino-condemn yung yung pagiging bading pero ang sexual act
cino-condemn nila. Eh part it’s a human need yun eh. Parang katulad dun sa
pinagaaralan ko now, kase I am into spiritual awakening to hindu. I do yoga rin,
uhm in alignment of chakras mga seven chakras mga ganon. Kase it’s an energy eh,
it’s a human need, it suppressed our need, for sex. May sooner or later may
magkakaproblema siya, so it’s so hard to control that. If you accept us, dapat accept
us wholeheartedly. Wala walang but walang exceptions mga ganon diba. Yun nga,
yung sa pari ay sa kay Pope. I’ll be honest, nalalabuan ako sa gusto niyang
mangyare, kase ang unfair lang naman yun sa side namin. Parang sige, you can be
gay, with conditions pero you can be gay pero pigilan mo yung puso mo. Diba parang
ang hirap non eh, magkakaruktong yun eh. Di sabihin mo wag mo na lang kaming
tanggapin nalang diba, pero syempre kung positive ka at parang it’s a good thing na
gradually inaaccept narin niya pero knowing them, sagradong katoliko kase sila eh di
nila inaaccept. Ayun.
7. Do you think queer centered television shows like Queer Eye is a good tool in
bring awareness and educating the Filipinos to understand the community
better?
Alam mo kase ang weird ng number seven question niyo, kase Queer Eye is a
Netflix lang siya. Out of 100% Filipinos, 10% lang yung may netflix. I’ll be honest, taga
TV ako, and audience share ng netflix mababa at mayayaman pa yon hindi siya hindi
lahat. Ang Filipino kase ang may kaya lang talaga let’s face it 40% and the rest was
like -- It’s questionable, uhm it’s it’s hindi mo talaga sure, hindi siya hindi mo talaga ma
me - measure kase it’s a netflix eh. Yun lang dun lang yung lumalabas eh, gets? Kase
ngayon palang tayo nagiging digital eh, gradually. Kami sa ABS, dahan dahan
hinahawakan inaaccept yung platform na yan eh kaya bino boost nila ngayon yung
iWant TV. Pansinin niyo ang daming pinoproduce ng ABS na pang digital, diba ang
dami. Tas ang problema pa satin yung uhm data naten ang bagal laging nag c-crash.
Perfect example yung glorious, na yung sa iWant TV yung kay Tony Labrusca and
Angel Aquino, that’s the madaming nag stream non ah. Nag c-crash yung iWant TV,
so ibig sabihin hindi pa supported parin talaga ng country pero gradually naaayos nila.
So yun nga, debate parin yan sa mga TV networks eh ng mga bosses na parang
natatakot sila mag invest sa more of ganyan sa digtal kase yung sa probinsya hindi
pa nila alam. Most especially Queer Eye, nasa netflix lang siya diba. Ang netflix may
bayad pa. Siguro ibang show, ibang shows siguro sa local if ever magkakaron ng
ganyan maging magandang tool siya, kaso nga lang yun yung sabihin ko sainyo eh i’ll
be honest ilang years nako nag wowork sa TV hindi kinakagat ng mga advertisers
pag regarding sa bading na issues or mga gay to gay na relationship. And nabubuhay
ang network sa advertisements. That’s the problem. Kaya tignan mo ang kunyare
tignan mo kapag mag ccreate ng show regarding sa bading, ano makeover lagi,
talkshow lang, wala talagang ano uhm regarding sa focus on gay. Napanood niyo ba
yung, meron kaming series before sa states before na pinapanood uhm it’s a
gay din. Queer as Folk, sobrang ganda non. It’s about gay and uhm tungkol siya sa
bading na magkakabarkada na iba’t ibang types of gay sila as in wide range of bading.
Pinaguusapan nila aids, pinaguusapan nila sex, pinaguusapan nila heaven
relationship ng isang batang gay sa modern gay. Sobrang ganda na hindi kayang
mailabas magawa here sa media, nag attempt yung iba nag attempt. Eto nalang eh,
perfect example uhm perfect example diba yung sa GMA yung uhm tomboysila.
Interviewee: ayan ba yung my husband’s lover?

Sir Lazaro: Oo, parang ganon pero hindi parin naka latched dun sa issue. Merong
another straight locus na rin siya peri mrog full focus sa tomboy hindi nag click, after
few months sinarado na nila kase hindi mataas ang rating.
8. Do you think the Filipinos are open to seeing content, like what Queer Eye
presents, on mainstream media?
Yung number 8 yes, pero uhm. May gumawa na nito ah Queer Eye, sa mainstream,
sa Philippines. Tingin ko kase iba yung atake ng Queer Eye dahil hindi siya yung
typical uhmm shows dahil more on siya sa pagbbibigay ng advise galing sa mga
bakla. Uhm, dito kase sa pilipinas, parang pinapanood lang ng tao ang mga bakla
kapag comedy at mga pageants. I think itong show na to is very pampamilya kase
hindi siya to ano eh yung vulgar. Kumbaga, in your face ang pagka bakla nila pero
makikita mo na professional parin sila sa kanilang ginagawa. I also think na
makakatulong siya kase hindi lang sila nakaktulong sa physical appearance but
nakakatulong sa emotional, personal na buhay ng tao.
CREATIVE SYNTHESIS
BAKLA? BAKLA!
Pst Bakla, Hoy Bakla!

Bakla? Mga chararat!
BAKLA
Isang salita na may limang letra .
Sila yung mga taong inaakala nating naiiba
na minsang sinasabihang sa mundo natin ay extra.
Masakit? Oo
Ititigil mo na ba ang iyong panglalait? Hindi!
Ititikom mo na ba ang iyong bibig? Siguro
O di kaya hihilingin ko na lang na wala na akong pandinig? Pwede
BAKLA BAKLA BAKLA
Paano ka ginawa?
Ginawa ka ba para pagtawanan ng madla?
Madlang walang ibang ginawa kundi apakan ang iyong pagkatao

Pagkataong pilit hinuhulma , nilililok, binubuo para magkasya sa lipunang ito.
BAKLA, BADING, BEKI, BAKLUSH,
At kung ano ano pang tawag sakanila
Para samin tao din sila na kabilang sa lipunang pilit silang itinaboy.
Ngunit mga besh,mga bakla at kung ano pa
sa mundong ito wala tayong kailangan patunayan,
Dahil sa mundong ito kabilang tayo bilang tao at hindi basta basta bakla lamang

Filipino Perceptions of LGBTQ Identities in "Queer Eye

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Filipino Perceptions of LGBTQ Identities in "Queer Eye

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

WE’RE HERE, WE’RE QUEER: AN AUDIENCE ANALYSIS ON THE

PERCEPTION OF THE FILIPINO VIEWERS TO THE IDENTITIES PRESENTED

Joviene Jade T. Datinguinoo

Proffesor Nyssa Bernal

An Undergraduate Thesis Proposal

The Faculty of College of Arts and Sciences

SAN BEDA COLLEGE ALABANG

of the Requirements for the Degree

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA STUDIES

Datinguinoo, Joviene Jade T.

Palacol, Caye Magdalene S.

Rey, Aey Simon James M.

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to our ALMIGHTY GOD,

The researchers wishes to convey their profound gratitude and sincere

them, this study would not have been possible.

and rendered valuable suggestions in the preparation of the study.

To our beloved parents, for their continuous support, encouragement and

understanding and giving us time to make this study possible.

participated to make this study credible.

Research Title : WE’RE HERE, WE’RE QUEER: AN AUDIENCE ANALYSIS

THE IDENTITIES PRESENTED IN “QUEER EYE” AND ITS

IMPACT IN TODAY’S SOCIETY.

Researcher : JOVIENE JADE T. DATINGUINOO

CAYE MAGDALENE S. PALACOL

AEY SIMON JAMES M. REY

Degree Content : BACHELOR OF ARTS IN COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA

School : SAN BEDA COLLEGE ALABANG

Adviser : NYSSA KRISTINE BERNAL

Date Completed : April 2019

No. of Pages : 117

Brown. Collectively known as the “Fab 5” experts in matters of interior design,

charged makeovers, heartfelt reveals and social commentary interspersed with

cast (Fab Five), bridge-building narratives and inspirational transformations

educate the Filipinos attitude towards acceptance of homosexuality being under

and an expert’s interview.

Theory, which is a theoretical approach of how media is produced, disseminated

on sexual orientation in addition to gender.

given society defines its nature.

totally accepted here in the Philippines since then.

I. Chapter I. THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

B. Background of the Study………………………………………...….…….….8

C. Statement of the Problem……………………………………………….…..14

G. Significance of the Study………………………………………….….……. 19

H. Scope and Delimitations……………………….....………….……….…….20

II. Chapter II. METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURE

B. Sample and Sampling Design…………………………………….……….24

III. CHAPTER III PRESENTATION, REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE,

ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION

A. Review of Related Literature……………………………………...…..…….35

C. Summary of Content Analysis………………………………………………65

D. Interpretation and Analysis……………………………………………...…..69

IV. CHAPTER IV. SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATION

they're concerned, that's on them. You're happy."

— Tan France, Queer Eye 2018

Brown. Collectively known as the “Fab 5” experts in matters of interior design,

charged makeovers, heartfelt reveals and social commentary interspersed with

acceptance on who they really are.

Queer Eye (2003)

unifying of friendship and crying, testifying to the transformative power of

heart. (Kornhaber, 2018)

marketed directly to straight men. It was created by executive producers David

lead characters on primetime television identified as homosexual, according to