Pride Month is both a celebration and a reminder: visibility was fought for, and equality is still unfinished.
Across politics, fashion, law, media and grassroots spaces, Filipino LGBTQ leaders are not only claiming space – they are reshaping it. From New York to Manila and beyond, these 10 trailblazers show how queer Filipinos are leading in public life, culture and community building.
Riya Ortiz, organizer for migrant justice. As executive director of Damayan Migrant Workers Association in New York, Ortiz leads a worker-led nonprofit that supports low-wage Filipino migrant workers, domestic workers and survivors of labor trafficking. She and her team help survivors escape abusive employers, recover stolen wages, access immigration and legal support, and organize for policy change — work that has earned her awards from the Filipino American National Historical Society–Metro New York and the New York City comptroller.
Veejay Floresca, barrier-breaking ‘Project Runway’ winner. In 2025, the New York–based designer became the first openly transgender and Filipino-descended winner of “Project Runway” U.S. (Season 21). Known for sculptural, minimalist designs, Floresca runs a sustainable, made-to-order label that incorporates Filipino elements such as piña fabric while funding scholarships for LGBTQ designers in the Philippines.
Atty. Regal Mendoza Oliva, trans legal trailblazer. Oliva made history as the first openly transgender president of the Cebu Lady Lawyers Association. A former city treasurer and congressional candidate, she now uses her popular “Regal P.O.V.” vlog and other digital platforms to explain complex legal and political issues while advocating for gender equality and LGBTQ rights.
Sara Porkalob, queer theater maker and “artist-activist.” Porkalob is best known for “The Dragon Cycle,” an acclaimed trilogy of shows about three generations of her Filipino American family, a body of work that lets her slip between multiple roles and showcase her range as an actor. A queer artist who can embody a dozen characters in a single piece, she made her Broadway debut in the 2022 revival of “1776,” where her performance of “Molasses to Rum” drew critical praise – and her candid critique of Broadway power structures cemented her reputation as an uncompromising cultural worker.
Mikey Bustos, global content creator and LGBTQ advocate. The Filipino Canadian entertainer built an international following through music, comedy and digital content after “Canadian Idol.” Openly bisexual, he uses his platforms to promote Filipino culture and normalize queer visibility, while also running the award-winning ant-keeping brand and YouTube channel AntsCanada.
Matty Juniosa, ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ breakout and West End newcomer. The Mandaluyong-born singer gained global attention after earning two Golden Buzzers and finishing fourth on “Britain’s Got Talent” Season 19. His next chapter takes him to London’s West End, where he is joining the cast of “Jesus Christ Superstar” at the London Palladium as Annas, building on earlier theater work in “Kinky Boots” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”
Jan Vincent “JV” Gonzales, founder of Mercado Vicente. The New York–based creative launched Mercado Vicente in 2020 as a “global palengke” connecting Filipino creatives to opportunities worldwide. Their viral “Pilipino Ka Ba?” street-interview series has drawn millions of views while sparking conversations on identity, appropriation and representation across the Filipino diaspora.
Mark Labella and Chef Marvin Aritrangco, creatives expanding queer representation. The Los Angeles–based married couple brought rare Filipino LGBTQ representation to mainstream film with their roles as a married gay couple in “Hello, Love, Again.” Labella is currently creator, showrunner and director of “Nurse the Dead,” a forthcoming supernatural workplace comedy about Filipino nurses that is being filmed in Los Angeles and billed as a first-of-its-kind bilingual Filipino nurse series for streaming. Aritrangco, a chef trained in Manila and Australia, has cooked for global figures and leads culinary and media ventures while collaborating with Labella behind the scenes.
Anna Javier and Angel Carreon, founders of Bukas Cafe. The partners created Bukas Cafe in Queens as a Filipino “third space” centered on community and inclusivity. The cafe has drawn attention for its drinks topped with shaved Filipino heritage salts and its progressive menu, while doubling as a platform for small Filipino businesses, artists and bakers and promoting queer visibility in everyday neighborhood life.
R.D. Alba, filmmaker bridging Filipino stories. Based in West Hollywood, Alba directs and produces projects connecting Philippine and diaspora audiences. His credits include directing diaspora-focused shows such as “All in the Family with Dr. Tess” and “Make Your Marc” on GMA Pinoy TV, extending Filipino narratives into international cable and digital spaces.
Why Pride and visibility still matter
Pride traces its roots to protest, from the 1969 Stonewall uprising to ongoing fights for legal protections worldwide.
In the Philippines, despite decades of advocacy, a national SOGIESC law remains stalled, and many LGBTQ Filipinos continue to face discrimination at work, in schools and in public life.
Recognizing leaders like these is not about celebration alone. It is about documenting impact, expanding representation and affirming that Filipino LGBTQ voices belong in every space – from government and classrooms to global stages.
