An initial study on the importance of archiving to queer Filipinos

The study explores the possibility of establishing a community archives that can become a venue for the LGBTQIA+ community in the Philippines to express their identity and their desire for complete acceptance. A community archives stands apart from other archives because of its emphasis on identity and empowerment rather than a need to preserve a certain heritage. Thus, the envisioned archive would document and collect life histories, events, and activities that would showcase LGBTQIA+ community's uniqueness and similarities. More specifically, the study sought to lay down the groundwork for creating a queer community archives within the University of the Philippines ' Diliman (UP Diliman) A combined qualitative and semi-structured interviews with key figures of various aspects of the community, consisting of students, faculty, staff, and alumni was conducted to determine receptiveness of UP Diliman's LGBTQIA+ community on the possibility of establishing a LGBTQIA+ archives. Findings show that there is a living, changing, sustainable, and ultimately resilient queer community in UP Diliman, and most people who identify as LGBTQIA+ believe in its existence. Rather than celebrating diversity, the community celebrates intersectionality, where unique traits are woven together instead of taken as separate entities. The queer movement empowers them and gives them a sense of belonging, and for some it even provides a new family in place of one that has a tendency towards being less accepting. Given these, there is excitement and support for the establishment of a queer community archives that will showcase the LGBTQIA+ community's unique traits and identity