STRIDE IN PRIDE

written by Nikka Joy Macasa

graphics by Hanz Salvacion

Their common denominator? All of them bear the brunt of being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, etc. (LGBTQ+) and of being a science researcher in the Philippines.

For years, transgender and gendernonconforming people have been persecuted for their sexuality, regardless of their contribution to society. A popular tale stars Alan Turing, an English computer scientist who turned the tides for the Allies during World War II by breaking the codes from Enigma but was later condemned a criminal by the United Kingdom’s homophobic laws.

Although not branded by the law as criminals because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression (SOGIE), the Filipino LGBTQ+ community is no stranger to oppression and discrimination. Krista, Herald, Jayson and Mark, themselves, have had their fair shares of marginalization. From the glares in public restrooms to overcompensating for one’s sexuality often through financial support, to outright sexual harassment—they, along with the rest of the LGBTQ+ community, experience prejudice through microaggressions, abuses and exploitation from day to day. Yet, there remains no infrastructure that safeguards and promotes their basic human rights on a national level.

Inadequate support also extends to different sectors, one of which being the science and technology (S&T) sector. Although they are unseen—in some areas, nonexistent even— Filipino queer scientists have backed and driven research and development (R&D) in the country. But regardless of gender, the state of S&T in the Philippines remains backwards and staggered.

Both sectors have made huge progress over the past years but straddling in both quagmires of being LGBTQ+ and being a scientist in the Philippines remains a great feat and warrants urgent demands for science to be truly inclusive of all genders.

More often than not, when someone pictures a scientist, the image that initially comes to mind is a straight cisgender male doing lab work. In some regions in the country, imagining a scientist alone even proves to be a challenge, what more a queer one?

Such plight stems from the feudal culture that prevailed in the country during the Spanish colonial period. The babaylan and asog, respected political and social leaders in pre-colonial Philippines, were shunned and authority was concentrated in the hands of priests, fathers, and other predominantly male figures.

This manifests up to today in the microaggressions that transgender people, scientists or not, experience. Before working in the National Institute of Physics, Jayson was a researcher in a Catholic university and they recall that there were instances wherein they’d be bullied for their sexuality, citing the “feudal culture prevailing among [their] workmates.” At present, they find themself in a conducive work environment because their colleagues are openminded about SOGIE-related matters and they find comfort in the presence of other queer scientists.

In the past few years, professionals have been at the helm of thoroughly leading this community into the light. On July 5, 2018, the first annual International Day of LGBTQ+ in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) was held to celebrate the works and identities of LGBTQ+ people in all STEM fields. It has gained much reception and support since and has helped raise recognition on the struggles that queer scientists all over the world face.

In the Philippines, Filipino transgender and non-gender conforming science workers have also taken steps to advance LGBTQ+ rights in the country, lead researches and lobby for antidiscrimination legislation among others. And for the first time, the first national conference for the LGBTQ+, the Philippine Queer Studies Conference, will be held in October 2020 to provide an avenue for policymakers, academics, researchers and advocates to discuss the situation of and response on SOGIE-related human rights matters.

Proactively organizing more programs that put more queer scientists in the spotlight should empower aspiring scientists of all gender identities, gender expressions, and sexual orientations to pursue careers in STEM and mobilize them to battle prejudice as a scientific community.

In April 2020, Anril Tiatco, professor in UP Diliman and long-time partner of Dr. Alonzo Gabriel, revealed the excruciating process that came after his better-half’s passing. Tiatco was initially prevented from handling different procedures himself before painstakingly explaining their living conditions, since he would not be recognized as family, and eventually being able to reach a compromise. Gabriel was a respected food scientist whose decorated career was oriented towards ensuring food security and safety among small-scale food enterprises.

This is only one of the cases which exhibit the gap between the rights enjoyed by same-sex and heterosexual couples and individuals. The marginalization that the LGBTQ+ community faces even goes as far as hate crimes which oftentimes are not addressed judiciously. One of the main infrastructures that would crucially bridge this is an anti-discrimination bill that recognizes same-sex unions, safeguards the rights of the LGBTQ+, shields them from SOGIE-related abuse, ensures disciplinary action against offenders, and promotes SOGIE equality and awareness.

There must also be provisions that ensure their safety in the workplace and allow them to enjoy basic benefits. In her four years of being a research assistant, Krista never had health insurance which became her ultimate concern when she had a freak accident in 2018, she revealed in her personal blog. Even with the blood gushing out of her wrist, her foremost worry was how to settle the medical bills. Such instances only prove that the welfare of workers of all genders must be an utmost priority--in that they must be provided with appropriate insurance, hazard pay, proper protective equipment, compensation, and job security.

It is no news that the prevalent attitude towards the LGBTQ+ in the Philippines is only tolerant and not genuinely accepting. In 2013, a survey by the Pew Research Center revealed that 73 percent of the adult Filipinos surveyed agreed that “homosexuality should be accepted by society” and yet a Social Weather Stations survey in 2018 showed that 61 percent oppose the legislation of same sex unions. “There remains to be a great disconnect with how they’re perceived and how they’re actually treated,” Herald said.

Filipinos are accepting of the gendernonconforming so far as stereotypes are met— the effeminate, loud bakla, the masculine lesbian and the creative gay entertainers. It is the same stereotypes that box LGBTQ+ individuals who, for the longest time, were only visible in the creatives and entertainment industry. For Mark, who wanted to become a civil engineer as a child, his dream seemed rather unthinkable as he initially perceived that the career necessitated a more butch character. “Inisip ko na baka mabully ako ng mga lalake kong kasama sa trabaho or baka hindi ako ma-take seriously,” he recalled. Fortunately for him, he realized later on that he was actually drawn to the mathematics aspect of engineering, prompting him to pursue his current career.

Perceived discrimination in specific settings due to associated stereotypes tend to limit the career opportunities that queer people believe they have. Some fields also seem uncomfortable, if not inhospitable, for some LGBTQ+ people. A study by Mattheis and Yoder (2016) showed that workers’ openness to colleagues was found to differ significantly among various STEM fields, with those participants in the Earth sciences, mathematics, engineering, and psychology reportedly being less out than those working in the physical sciences, social sciences and life sciences.

For S&T to truly flourish, there is a need to cultivate a culture with a visibly welcoming community wherein every curious mind is free to explore in and out of the workplace. Beyond the workplace, it’s crucial to avoid enforcing heteronormative ideals and introduce SOGIE awareness as early as basic education level. The diversity that comes with accommodating all genders in the workplace, eventually, drives research, education, advocacy, and practice to fulfill their full potential.

As of 2015, the Philippines has 106 researchers in R&D per million Filipinos—a far cry from the UNESCO-recommended figure of 380 researchers per million. As a developing country, we face a large demand for more people in the workforce to drive our nation to progress but a great deal of work still has to be done. For years, the calls to prioritize R&D and basic services have only strengthened. Especially in the midst of a pandemic, more funds must be allocated to agencies and sectors that would lead us out of this crisis.

References

Evidently, the crucial elements that address the adversaries of both the LGBTQ+ and the STEM communities are strong government support and better social services.

The stratified struggles of Filipino queer scientists are also weaved with the rest of society. The stunted and backwards state of S&T they endure puts the entire population on the same boat. Thus, the sciences can only be truly inclusive to all genders with free and quality S&T education, sufficient R&D funding, guaranteed job opportunities and security, conducive working conditions, complete compensation and benefits, and accessible basic social services.

Their common denominator? They all demand change—an urgent shift from the existing status quo that has curtailed their liberation for years. They all need a safe space--one that they could occupy with the rest of society while enjoying their basic democratic rights, loud and proud. They all take their struggles in stride to pave the way to an inclusive scientific community—for science sees no gender but all genders must be seen in science.

Erratum (November 11, 10:59 p.m.): The paragraph explaining the experience of Mx. Jayson Cubero (they/them) about studying in a Catholic university originally included a sentence in which they were referred to as "he." This has since been changed to "they," corresponding to their preferred pronoun. The editors are apologizing for this oversight and recognize the importance of using the proper pronouns.