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DLSU Arts Congress Conference Proceedings

Abstract

Media serves as a powerful medium for shaping cultural norms and self-perception. Despite increasing visibility in Philippine media, LGBTQ+ representation remains dominated by metropolitan-centric narratives and reductive tropes that overlook the nuanced realities of provincial queer life. The study explored how BEKIZINE, a community-centered zine created by and for LGBTQ+ individuals aged 18–30 in Cavite, can serve as alternative media for self-expression, community building, and historical preservation. Adopting a practice-based, mixed-methods approach, the study integrates Queer Theory, Safe Space Theory, and Alternative Media Theory through semi-structured interviews with local queer artists and individuals, followed by zine launch evaluation surveys. Qualitative findings reveal that participants experience a "liminal space" caught between traditional provincial values and modern identities, highlighting a critical demand for "Radical Queer Joy" over tragic tropes. The project successfully produced a printed zine, social media content, and a promotional poster. Survey results after the launch demonstrated high effectiveness, with participants strongly agreeing that the zine successfully challenged negative stereotypes. The study concludes that local symbols and independent, community-led publishing are essential for authentic representation, unlearning heteronormative biases, and building community strength. Ultimately, this research positions the zine as both a methodological tool and a cultural artifact that empowers marginalized regional communities to reclaim their narratives, offering a scalable model for inclusive, localized media representation in the Philippine provinces.

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