Privacy in Peril: Filipino LGBTQ+ Digital Rights Under Trump’s Return

Honey, we need to talk about our digital rights, because they’re getting as threatened as last season’s platform shoes!

As we navigate the fabulous yet precarious field of 2025, the Filipino LGBTQ+ community finds itself at a critical digital crossroads. With the 2025 midterm elections approaching faster than a quick change at a drag show, our community’s online safety and representation hang in the balance, particularly as international political shifts cast long shadows over our digital freedoms.

The Digital Battlefield for Queer Rights

The Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA) recently sounded the alarm with their 2025 Digital Rights Electoral Agenda, pushing stakeholders to prioritize pressing digital rights concerns in this election cycle. And darlings, we should be listening!

For us in the LGBTQ+ community, digital spaces have been both sanctuary and battleground. They’ve allowed us to find our voices, connect with chosen family, and organize for rights like the groundbreaking Right to Care Act currently being debated in committee.

This revolutionary bill, filed by the fierce advocate Rep. Percival Cendaña last November, would grant LGBTQ+ couples the right to make critical health decisions for incapacitated partners through a special power of attorney. For the first time in our predominantly Catholic country, our relationships could receive legal recognition in healthcare settings, a monumental shift after 25 years of Congress rejecting basic protections for our community.

Digital Activism in the Face of Uncertainty

In a stunning collaboration that gives me life, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Philippine Anti-discrimination Alliance of Youth Leaders (PANTAY) have joined forces on Project Rainbow AGENDA to increase queer visibility and participation in the 2025 elections.

“We would also want to be seen as partners in the democratic process and nation building,” declared PANTAY National Convener Vince Renzo Liban at their memorandum signing. Werk, representation!

This partnership couldn’t come at a more crucial time, as global political shifts threaten to embolden conservative forces both abroad and at home. As our community fights for the long-stalled SOGIE Equality Bill, our digital organizing capabilities remain essential tools for mobilization.

Protecting Our Digital Sanctuary

As we sashay toward the 2025 elections, let’s ensure our digital rights remain protected. The National Privacy Commission has committed to safeguarding citizens’ privacy while building trust in government digital efforts, a balancing act as delicate as walking in six-inch heels.

For the Filipino LGBTQ+ community, the internet isn’t just for serving looks on social media, it’s where we organize, educate, and advocate for our Right to Care Act and beyond. As Cendaña so powerfully stated: “For 25 years, we’ve been depriving LGBTQ people of their basic fundamental rights.”

The time for digital action is now, queens and kings. Our rights won’t wait for another election cycle!