Navigating Acceptance: Challenges Faced by LGBTQIA+ Students in a Tertiary Institution in the Southern Philippines

Abstract

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual and other sexual (LGBTQIA+) community is continuously facing local and international challenges. There is an increasing social integration of LGBTQIA+ individuals, including different forms of discrimination and abuse. Despite worldwide movements and advocacies aiming for gender equality and inclusivity, many are still undergoing social adjustment for acceptance. Various universities and academic institutions are not always pillars of education but can be axes of prejudice and exclusion. By employing a mixed-methods approach,  this study aims to investigate the experiences of LGBTQIA+ students in a conservative community of Tawi-Tawi, southern Philippines. This research used survey questionnaires (n=50) and focus group discussions to capture respondents’ demographic profiles, challenges, experiences, and gender inclusivity within the academic institution. The findings revealed that most of the respondents were aged 20 to 21, identified as bisexual, and were enrolled as second-year undergraduates. Verbal abuse (44%) appeared as the most common form of discrimination, with the lesbian (39%) and bisexual (39%) respondents reporting having experienced frequent discrimination within the academic institution, compared to queer (37%) and gay (25%) respondents. Despite these commonly experienced challenges, most LGBT individuals feel included, enjoying freedom of self-expression within the institution. Thus, the LGBT students can safely and liberally embrace themselves even in a highly Muslim-dominated province of Tawi-Tawi.