More Filipinos are using the internet to satisfy their curiosity and learn more about gender identity. However, new search data suggests that a looming LGBTQ+ sexual health crisis may also be unfolding in the Philippines.
Photo: Unsplash and Google
According to Pink Bunny Philippines, curiosity about LGBTQ+ sexual health and wellness is growing among Filipinos. Using online analytics tools such as Google Keyword Planner and Google Analytics, the company found that the Philippines ranks second globally in monthly searches related to “gender identity.”
Additionally, internal data suggests that many people are turning to sexual health and wellness retailers to explore questions about sexuality, reflecting a growing interest in products and resources related to sexual wellness.
Online search trends also show that Filipinos are increasingly using local LGBTQ+ terminology instead of Western labels. Data points to a 26% increase in searches for “silahis” (a Filipino term commonly associated with bisexuality) and a 51% increase in searches for “tomboy” (a term often used in the Philippines to describe a masculine-presenting woman).
However, the rise in searches related to gender identity may also point to a larger issue.
Despite growing curiosity about gender identity and LGBTQ+-related topics, significant institutional gaps remain. This includes the 25-year legislative stalemate over the SOGIE Equality Bill and reports of healthcare discrimination against LGBTQ+ youth.
There is also a striking 300-to-1 “commerce gap” between the 184,000 peak monthly searches related to queer sex and searches for LGBTQ+ sexual wellness products and resources. In other words, while many people are seeking information about queer sexuality, there is only a small population who are looking for or accessing resources that promote safer sexual health practices.
This may also point to a widening gap in LGBTQ+ sexual health education, awareness, and support, especially at a time when HIV cases in the Philippines continue to rise.
“When a population searches for a term like ‘gender identity’ at this scale, they are seeking answers they are not getting from schools, healthcare providers, or the state,” said Rozaira Angulo, Owner of Pink Bunny Philippines. “Search data is a proxy for unmet informational need, and in this case, the need is immense.”
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