RAINBOW WORLD
“Being non-binary makes me feel free”
Moira lives in the Philippines, a country that is heavily dominated by religion and with a long way to go as regards LGBTQ+ rights. They have identified as non-binary since last summer, and here they share how writing and art have helped them on their journey
As told to Charlotte Manning
@ZIPPERTAB
I’m 21 years old and, honestly, life has been a rollercoaster so far. Before going to college, I went to an all-girls Catholic school. I was raised to pray to the Lord and to act in a very feminine way and to be a bit timid — basically, to have traits that [society here thinks] a Filipina girl *should* have.
This really changed when I entered high school; the idea of being queer was just much more accepted than at middle school. Every day felt like Pride month! It was such a safe space. We were all girls, we all knew each other, and grew up together. If there were trans men — which there were — it was pretty much OK. We’d say, “That’s cool.” You don’t see that much in Catholic schools in the Philippines.