Pride has never been just a parade. It’s protest. It’s resistance. It’s community. But more than anything—it has always been a walk for love.
As we look back at our own history, the question of “when did it really begin?” becomes more complicated than we think. Was it 1994 which often credited as the first Pride March in the Philippines? Or was it 1996, when Pride as an organized, annual movement truly took root? Or should we be looking even further back to 1992 when the lesbian community courageously marched during a Women’s Day rally, demanding visibility and rights long before Pride was even called Pride?
The debate isn’t just about dates. It’s about whose stories get remembered, whose struggles get centered, and how narratives are shaped. This confusion isn’t just historical—it’s a mirror to the gaps, the biases, and sometimes, the erasure that still exists within our own community. But maybe, the answer isn’t about who came first. Maybe it’s about recognizing that Pride, like our movement, has always had multiple beginnings. And in honoring every step taken before us, we remember that none of this—none of us—happened by accident.
Thirty-one years later after "Stonewall Manila," much has changed since that first Pride March in Asia. What began as a bold protest for rights has grown into something far more than a fight for visibility. Every year, the community—now larger in number—returns to the very streets where it all began, for these roads have become a home. And every stride taken there is a step where queerness claims its rightful space.
In many ways, Metroscene Mag is an extension of that street—a platform where queer narratives take up space, claim visibility, and demand to be heard. All the stories we’ve told and celebrated throughout the year—every feature, every voice, every narrative of queerness, artistry, and chosen family we now bring back to the streets. Back to where they belong. Because these stories were never meant to exist only online or in quiet corners. They’ve always been part of something bigger—a movement, a protest, a walk for love.
To the Streets That Raised Us
There’s a shared experience that ties the LGBTQIA+ community to the streets. Because the street has always been more than just a road that leads somewhere. It’s a battleground. A playground. A refuge. A stage.
It holds contradictions. It’s never just one thing. It can be freedom and fear, liberation and danger, joy and pain—all at once. It’s a space that raised and shaped so many, including TikTok stars Deo Cabrera and Queen Mathilda, whose own journeys are deeply rooted in the rhythms of the street. “Sa lansangan kasi, maraming bakla. Sa lansangan, maraming kuwento ng mga kapatid nating LGBTQIA+—iba-iba rin yung struggles nila. Kasi sa lansangan mo talaga unang mae-experience yung kutyain, ma-catcall, ma-discriminate.”
But the street isn’t just about survival. It’s also where joy spills over. Where freedom feels real, even if only for a moment. Long before we ever learned the language of Pride, we knew this truth: the street is where we could simply be. As Queen Dura, Ernalyn, Sesable and Junjun Salarzon put it, “Doon talaga nagsisimula yung sangkabaklaan sa kalye. Simula bata pa kami, sa kalye kami malaya. Sa bahay, doon nagsisimula yung pagtatago—pero sa kalye, doon bumubuhos yung kaligayahan namin. Kaya minsan, ayaw na naming umuwi.”
It’s a truth that resonates even for icons like Mimiyuuuh, who grew up navigating the streets of Baclaran. “Alam mo, totoo yan. Dun talaga makikita kung paano mabuhay ang isang bading. Ako, lumaki ako sa Baclaran. Growing up, I really tried my best to be ‘yung lalaki’ kasi parang during that time, kapag bakla ka, hindi acceptable. Natutuwa ako ngayon kasi kahit papaano, empowered na yung mga bakla. Hindi na sila takot maglakad sa streets—unlike before na kapag nakapambabae ka, prone ka sa catcalling. Kahit papaano, nace-celebrate na tayo. Yun yung natutuwa ako talaga.”
That’s the thing about being out in public. Nica del Rosario and Justine Peña said it perfectly too: “When you’re out in the streets, you have no choice but to be yourself. Lalo na dito sa Pilipinas, pag nagcocommute ka, it’s you against the world. So, you have nothing else but yourself to call back. Dun talaga lumalabas yung totoong identity natin.”
And it’s not just about being seen. It’s about being real. Eva Le Queen from Drag Race Philippines and Global All Stars explained it like this: “How you represent yourself in the streets reflects your most authentic self. You can fake it online. Pero once you take it to the streets… that’s real life. Kahit simpleng pumunta ka sa tindahan, sa Starbucks, sa 7/11, o sa kapitbahay mo, those are lived experiences. Ikaw talaga yun. And that’s where authenticity matters the most.”
Because at the end of the day, before we ever found stages or platforms, before we had hashtags and parades, the streets raised us. And they still do.
The Street Remembers What the Law Forgets
If these pavements could speak, they would whisper the names of those who marched, who loved, who fought, and who never made it home. The street has always held what history tried to bury and what power continues to ignore.
For over two decades, the SOGIE Equality Bill, a law that simply asks for protection against discrimination based on ALL gender identity and expression remains trapped in limbo. Administration after administration has shelved it, debated it to death, or dismissed it altogether, while queer lives are left hanging in the balance.
And when protection is denied, violence fills the void. The murder of Jennifer Laude wasn’t an isolated tragedy. Her name is just one among far too many. Her death stands as a brutal reminder of how this country treats trans women, and how gender-based violence continues to go unchecked. For so many in the LGBTQIA+ community, harassment, assault, and discrimination are not exceptions—they are the rule.
This is why the street has never just been a space for visibility. It’s where those ignored by the law carve out power. As Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Sarah Elago powerfully says, “In policy and decision-making spaces, queer voices are too often sidelined. Kaya yung lansangan yung magpapakita na nandito kami—may boses kami, nagsasama-sama kami, at handa kaming lumaban.”
When institutions fail to recognize us, the street becomes our platform. But the fight that happens in the streets is never just about Pride alone. It has always been deeply interconnected with other struggles. As organizers and activists Paul Allen and Neo emphasize, the fight for queer rights cannot be separated from broader movements for justice. “Yung mga sigaw natin—hindi lang ngayong Pride. It’s about higher wages, free education, the fight for the NPU Bill. Kasi intersectional dapat ang laban. Hindi lang iisang identity. Iba-ibang demographics ang bakla, at iba-iba rin ang laban nila.” Because queerness doesn’t exist in a vacuum—and neither does the fight for liberation.
This deep connection to the street has always been the heartbeat of movements like UP Babaylan, whose history stretches back to the very first Pride March in the '90s and continues to reverberate today. For them, the street isn’t just a place of protest—it’s a living, breathing symbol of freedom. As members Nat, JTea Xpress, and Victoria reflect, “The streets are the most honest form of Pride. Kasi pag nasa streets ka—walang walls. It’s freedom.”
This truth isn’t just echoed by activists or those in political spaces. It’s felt deeply by artists, creators, and everyday queer Filipinos whose lives are shaped by the streets. Gian Bernardino of Cup of Joe captures this sentiment with clarity and urgency. “Sa streets kasi, yung mga queers na nasa streets, sila yung pinaka-exposed sa harshest forms of discrimination. Doon talaga natin makikita yung mga bagay na dapat i-address. Kaya sila yung pinaka-honest, pinaka-transparent—kasi sila rin yung pinaka-nangangailangan ng pagdinig at ipaglaban natin.”
Because when policies erase us, the street remembers. When laws forget, the pavement holds the memory. And until dignity is written into law—not just shouted in the streets—the fight continues. The street remembers. And it never forgets.
But as much as the street has been a space for joy and discovery, it’s also where the fight continues. A truth that Sassa Gurl knows too well as she reflect, “Ang street—or ang public—yan ang isang lugar na makikita ng lahat. Dapat hindi tayo nahihiya. Dapat hindi tayo nagtatago. Dapat lantad tayo. Proud tayo. Kaya mahalagang maging proud ngayon, mahalagang lumaban ngayon. Kung hindi tayo lalaban, matatalo lang din tayo. Matatalo tayo ng mga taong hindi tayo naiintindihan, ng mga konserbatibo. Kailangan natin ipakita sa kanila kung ano yung istorya natin. We have to be loud. This is the time na kailangan maingay tayo. Kailangan mag-speak up tayo dahil hindi matatapos ang laban. We need solidarity. At makikita lang ng mga bakla yun pag nakita nilang buklod-buklod tayo, na magkakasama tayo, na may pagkakaisa tayo.”
Our Power Lives in the Street
The fight that Pride carries has always been bigger than the march itself. It’s a fight that stretches far beyond June, far beyond the flags and the parades. Because while Pride is a celebration, it’s also a protest—a reminder of how far we’ve come and how much further we need to go.
In this day and age, online visibility matters. But nothing replaces the presence, the noise, and the power of showing up in real life. As Ben&Ben’s Pat Lasaten and Agnes Reoma put it, “Hindi naman lahat ng tao may internet. Not everyone has access online. That’s why being visible in the streets is still so important,” says Pat. Agnes adds, “The fight right now is really about reaching the masses. Because there are still so many stereotypes—especially from older generations and media—na parang ‘yung bakla, maingay, clown, pang-distraction lang.’ But when we show ourselves in the streets, when we show the full spectrum of who we are, it opens eyes. People realize queerness isn’t just a stereotype—it’s real, it’s diverse, and it’s everywhere.”
Because visibility in the street isn’t just presence—it’s resistance. It’s proof. It’s a demand to be seen and heard. And as Zymba Ding puts it, “Visibility matters. Whether it’s online or in the streets, it all adds up. Every little thing we do now affects what the future of our community looks like. So tuloy lang.”
For Deja, winner of Drag Den Season 2, taking space isn’t just an act—it’s a necessity. “It’s important to take space kasi ito yung nararanasan natin every day as queer people. We all have stories that deserve to be heard. By showing up, we’re proving na we’re here, we exist, and the fight isn’t over. Malayo pa tayo, pero malayo na rin ang narating.”
Hana Beshie echoes this, “These aren’t just stories for clout or content. These are real. They’ve been real long before social media. These are truths.”
And for queens like Khianna, it’s a reminder that this fight isn’t just for those in Metro Manila. “Importante talaga. Kasi iba-iba tayo ng pinanggalingan. I’m a regional queen, so malayo ako sa kinagisnan. Our stories come from everywhere—not just the city but every region. And that’s why it matters na we show up and tell them. Kasi hindi lang ito laban ng iilang tao—laban ito ng buong komunidad.”
Because no matter how loud we are online, the street remains the loudest stage. The most honest. The most effective. It’s where movements are born. Where change starts. Where we prove that we are here—not just to survive but to thrive, to fight, and to be free. The street raised us. And it still holds our power.
A Walk For Love With You
As we close Pride Month, Metroscene Mag honors the truth that Pride has always been more than just a celebration. It’s a protest. A fight that was born—and continues to thrive—on the streets. It’s in every step taken, every voice raised, and every story shared by those who refuse to be erased.
This month, we don’t just tell these stories—we return them to where they’ve always belonged. To the streets. Because the street has never just been concrete and corners. It’s a space of resistance. A space of becoming. A place where queerness takes form, claims space, and lives loudly—in protest, in joy, in freedom.
The street holds our power. And we hope to keep walking—with love, with pride, and with each other—until the day we no longer have to.
Metroscene Mag JUNE 2025 COVER: A WALK FOR LOVE
Cover Photographed by
JL Javier (@jljavier)
Portraits Photographed by
John Lim (@johnlimjml)
Makeup by
Thazzia Falek (@thazziafalek) assisted by George Dillinger (@george.dillinger), Yra Mantaring (@facesbyyramantaring), Jomari Braganza (@jomaribraganza), Jia Acha Cruz (@jiaachacruz), Irish Mendiola (@makeupbyirishmendiola), Mariejo Amaba (@mariejoamaba)
Hair by
Patty Cristobal (@patty.cristobal), Bryan Eusebio (@eusebiobryanl_), Dale Mallari (@dalemallari_), Mhar (@workwithmhar), Wigs By Margaux (@margauxbertrand_), Backie (@iambackie)
Fashion Direction & Styling
Gee Jocson (@geejocson)
Styling Assist
Sassa (@thelifeofsassa), Kassie (@kassicorn), Lyle Vuy (@lylevvuy), Joff Miranda (@joffmiranda), Teru Dequito (@terudequito)
With Special Participation
Ian Rey (@stylingbyianrey), Jezary Joy (@jezaryjoy), Elgin Victoria, Jana Rafaela Castro, John Rubio
Set Design
Tangerine Projects (@tangerineprojects), Paul Jatayna (@pauljatayna)
Production Design
Gill (@gillnvrr), Bruce (@lowmaintenancefriend), Lance(@lancenavasca)
Co-Producer and Shoot Location
Rocket Sets (@rocketsets)
Video Team
Main Videographers
Sam Zaraspe (@its_samzaraspe)
Cyrus Bon (@itscyrusbon)
BTS Videographers
Mira Vidal (@g7rlfront)
Miki Dela Flor (@_mikikikiki)
Interviewers
Xaria Castillo (@zariyadelie)
Dio Domingo (@diorelalala)
Food & Sponsors Videographer
Cloyde Godoy (@cloydegodoy)
Miki Dela Flor (@_mikikikiki)
Editors
Cyrus Bon (@itscyrusbon)
Cloyde Godoy (@cloydegodoy)
Xaria Castillo (@zariyadelie)
Sound Editor
Dio Domingo (@diorelalala)
BTS Photographer
Jam Russians (@jamrussians)
Story by
Mark Elwyn (@markelwyn)
Assistant Production
Ryan Magno (@ryanpma_), Dang Lumaan (@danglmn), Ackey Blakey (@ackeyblakey)
Metroscene Mag Interns
Ron For Your Lives (@ronforyourlives), Holykaee (@holykaee)
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors
Colourette Cosmetics (@colourette.cosmetics), Dood PH (@doodph), New Era Philippines (@neweraphilippines), Paraluman World (@paraluman.world)
Food Sponsors
Kebomb (@kebombofficial), Domino’s PH (@dominosph), Chicken Chingu PH (@chickenchinguph), Butterboy PH (@butterboyph), Ooffee PH (@ooffee.ph), Tasty Panda PH (@tastypandaph)
MIMIYUUUH in Kurot wrap tupi skirt and Dzai apron top in cotton silk by Carl Jan Cruz (@carljancruz), earrings from The Official Klad (@theofficialklad), necklace by Russet Accessories (@russetaccessories), nails by Eli Nails (@elinails.co).
EVA LE QUEEN wearing leather blazer by Dino Bancoro (@dinobancoro) and Look 1 corset top by Lilah Roche Museum of Thoughts (@lilahroche).
GIAN BERNARDINO wearing red sequined coords from Kay Morales (@kayemoraleskm).
SASSA GURL in New Era Philippines x Amorsolo cap (@neweraphilippines).
KHIANNA in textured brown blazer by Nene Dvo (@nene.dvo).
HANA BESHIE wearing oversized cropped vest by Hanz Nabong (@hwnabong), gold corset by Job Dacon (@jobdacon), fur leather shorts by Maison Andrade (@maison.andrade), and necklace by Stone River (@stoneriverph).
SARAH ELAGO in cropped polo shirt, Italian box flora linen skirt from ABC Clothing Lifestyle (@abcclothinglifestyle), pants by Uniqlo PH (@uniqlophofficial), and colored straps by Blanc Nue (@blanc.nue).
ZYMBA DING in flower bra top by Yana Kalaw (@yanakalaw), malong in Goku orange by Gumamela Manila, and red floral mini skirt by La Oriental PH (@laoriental.ph).
JUNJUN SALARZON wearing New Era Philippines Men’s New York Yankees cap (@neweraphilippines) and New Era street dangle Oceanside blue long sleeve, denim by Lyle Uy (@bylvvu), and link chain by Sainte Marion (@sainte.marion).
PAUL ALLEN in metallic vest by Yves Camingue (@yvescamingue), swimsuit by Locacray Wear (@locacraywear), colored strap by Blanc Nue (@blanc.nue), and eyewear by Peculiar Eyewear (@peculiareyewear).
NEO wearing top by Proudrace (@proudrace), crown by Ha.Mu (@_ha.mu_), cap by New Era Philippines (@neweraphilippines), feather skirt by Yana Kalaw (@yanakalaw), tote bag styled as skirt by Blanc Nue (@blanc.nue), “Putangina” rugs by Profanity (@profanity.ph), and plushies by Fickle Friends Studios (@fickle.friends.studios).
MATHILDA AIRLINES wearing motocross dress by Proudrace (@proudrace), denim tube top by Thee 3rd (@thee3rdd_) x Cynzaelle (@cynzaelle), round skirt by Gil Salazar (@giljustinsalazar), and eye earrings by Russet Accessories (@russetaccessories).
QUEEN DURA in devilish rug by Profanity (@profanity.ph) and necklace by Russet Accessories (@russetaccessories).
SESABLE wearing bra top by Yana Kalaw (@yanakalaw), feather cape by La Oriental PH (@laoriental.ph), rug by Profanity (@profanity.ph), top by Matter Makers (@mattermakers), and dood adhesive by Dood PH (@doodph).
ERNALYN in cowboy hat by Yves Camingue (@yvescamingue), bandana top by Blanc Nue (@blanc.nue), and fringe denim skirt by Nard Redoble (@nardredoble).
DEO CABRERA wearing nude bubble dress by Nene Dvo (@nene.dvo) and rug corset by Job Dacon (@jobdacon) for Profanity (@profanity.ph).
PAT LASATEN in atelier de syndrome polo by Syndrome Supply (@syndrome.supply), green top by Yves Camingue (@yvescamingue), denim skirt by Alser (@___alser), and boots by Meshki (@meshki).
AGNES REOMA wearing cover-up polo by Syndrome Supply (@syndrome.supply) and shorts by Blanc Nue (@blanc.nue). Accessories by Russet Accessories (@russetaccessories).
UP BABAYLAN – VICTORIA wearing detachable Filipiniana by Nard Redoble (@redoblenard), ruffled skirt by Gil Salazar (@giljustinsalazar), and stockings by Vivienne Westwood (@viviennewestwood).
UP BABAYLAN – NAT wearing cropped shirt by Proudrace (@proudrace), puff Filipiniana jacket and puff maxi skirt by Hanz Nabong (@hwnabong), and necklace by Russet Accessories (@russetaccessories).
UP BABAYLAN – JTEA XPRESS in bra top by Vetue Designs (@vetuedesigns), fur leg warmers by Designed Lotus (@designed.lotus), red button-down peplum top from Alser (@___alser), and gloves by HM x Mugler (@hm x @mugler).
DEJA wearing blue floral top by Furious Richie (@furiousrichie), MiuMiu corset by La Oriental PH (@laoriental.ph), and East of Eden terno with rose-draped skirt and watteau back in cream taffeta styled deconstructed (@exploreeastofeden).
