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BLNC Facets: Cassandra Lucas

  • Writer: blncmag
    blncmag
  • Jul 9
  • 2 min read
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BLNC Facets : Pride in Everyday


Cassandra Lucas

PARAÑAQUE


What is everyday life like as a queer person on your side of the country?

CL : Being trans in the Philippines can feel like living under a spotlight you never asked for. People stare like you’re an exhibit, not a person. There’s still so little awareness around SOGIE, and most would rather stay ignorant than try to understand. It’s like they’d rather pretend we don’t exist.


It gets exhausting. Sometimes just stepping outside feels like an act of resistance. But in the middle of all that, I’ve found people who see me as i am, not as a spectacle, but as a whole person. People who make space for me, respect me, and remind me that I deserve to take up space, too.

Because of them, I’ve learned to ground myself, to stand taller, and to become more confident in who I am. I’ve learned to stop seeking validation from those who won’t even try to understand and instead, pour love into the people who truly love me back. That’s where my strength comes from.


What would you like Filipinos to know about the LGBTQIA+ community where you are?

CL: I want Filipinos to understand that being part of the LGBTQIA+ community, especially as a trans person, isn’t just about identity but it’s about everyday survival, safety, and dignity. Where I am, being visibly queer or trans feels like living in a glass box that people would stare, judge, or dismiss you like you’re not fully human. There’s still a lot of ignorance around SOGIE, and many would rather pretend we don’t exist than try to understand.


But despite that, I’ve found strength in the people who choose to see me, accept me, and love me. That support has helped me become more grounded, confident, and sure of who I am. So if there’s one thing I’d want Filipinos to know is that we’re not asking for special treatment, just the same right to exist peacefully, proudly, and freely in our own skin.


Photographer: Wilmark Jolindon  (https://www.instagram.com/thewilmark/)


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