“Vadeng, ang bato, Darna!:” The Queering Strategies and Resulting Queer Representation in Sapphic TikTok Fan Edits of Darna (2022)

Proponent/s Name/s (Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial)

Ashley Rian A. Branzuela, De La Salle University, ManilaFollow
Eshe Dafny M. Donato, De La Salle University, ManilaFollow
Ceana Louise L. Llanes, De La Salle University, ManilaFollow
Allyza Rose S. Santiago, De La Salle University, ManilaFollow

Document Types

Paper Presentation

School Name

De La Salle University, Manila

Track or Strand

Humanities and Social Science (HUMSS)

Research Advisor (Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial)

Ferrer, Nathaniel Rey D.

Start Date

23-6-2025 1:30 PM

End Date

23-6-2025 3:00 PM

Zoom Link/ Room Assignment

Y502

Abstract/Executive Summary

The Filipino teleserye, known for its social realism, offers insights into the world of its audiences. However, LGBTQI+ representation, including queer women, largely stay confined to secondary characters and stereotypes in heteronormative mainstream media. The production of fan fiction, particularly slash fiction, counters this lack of authentic representation by allowing queer reinterpretations of heteronormative narratives. However, there is a notable gap in how such reinterpretations manifest not simply through textual but also short-form audiovisual storytelling, enabled by digital advancements. Hence, this inquiry analyzed 50 sapphic TikTok fan edits, based on similar research by McGorry, of the teleserye Darna (2022), selected using purposive sampling. This study examined how the fans of protagonists Narda Custodio (Darna) and Regina Vanguardia (Valentina), called Vadengs, reconstructed the canonically platonic friendship to portray queer women relationships. Qualitative content analysis, specifically deductive category application derived from Jenkins’ approaches of reconstruction, Goldmann’s generic traits of slash, and Perea’s markers of queer identity, identified five themes, revealing fans queer heteronormative narratives through the (1) intensifying of emotions and (2) shifting of context, and fans depict queer women relationships as (3) traditionally conforming, (4) physically affectionate, and (5) emotionally expressive. The findings reflect a pattern of fan creators dedicating significant attention to depicting nuances of queer women relationships, which are often reduced to fleeting moments in heteronormative media, making sapphic fan edits not just community-driven platforms to reclaim representation but also windows into queer experiences, which informs authentic mainstream representations and further research on storytelling methods in other digital platforms.

Keywords

Darna; fan edit; queering; sapphic; TikTok

Research Theme (for Paper Presentation and Poster Presentation submissions only)

Gender, Human Development, and the Individual (GHI)

Initial Consent for Publication

yes

Statement of Originality

yes