The pioneering Southeast Asia Queer Cultural Festival (SEAQCF), organized by the ASEAN SOGIE Caucus (ASC), returned for a second iteration, held from October 2024 to March 2025 online, through the site https://seaqcf.net and other platforms, and onsite for the first time with in-person events in Timor Leste, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

Spearheaded by ASC executive director Ryan Silverio, the festival was born during the height of the lockdowns and travel restrictions because of the coronavirus pandemic, and held entirely online from 13 February to 13 March 2021 with the theme “Be/Longings.” It affirmed how the arts and other creative expressions play crucial roles in LGBTIQ+ lives, especially during the pandemic, which compound the struggles of LGBTIQ+ persons across the region. It also provided space for voices that have long been marginalized and erased, and an opportunity for convergence to discuss, document and enable solidarity among the diverse peoples of Southeast Asia. Thus, another festival is warranted, especially during the current resurgence of hate.

“Queer existence has always been inherently political, as queer individuals must navigate unfriendly — even hostile —spaces in their daily lives. In a time when queerness faces increasing hate, embracing diverse narratives and simply existing as queer becomes an act of resistance. Resistance, at its core, is a source of joy — one that deserves more space and collective effort to sustain,” said Sidhi Vhisatya, festival coordinator of the second SEAQCF.

The second SEAQCF carried the theme “ImagiNATIONS,” which was a call to “fellow queers to imagine new nations and communities: societies that sustain us and celebrate our existence,” the non-governmental organization explained, as “[t]oo often, modern nation-states have failed the peoples of Southeast Asia,” and “[g]overnments across the political spectrum have used their power to oppress those on the margins — especially LGBTQIAN+ individuals and communities — instead of granting us the protection and dignity we deserve,” thus leaving LGBTIQ+ persons struggling “to navigate an ever-shrinking civic space due to ongoing discrimination.”

The festival highlighted the power of queer imagination to recover histories, to forge solidarity, to sustain communities and to create “a more caring, more inclusive tomorrow.”

The second SEAQCF gathered together more than 50 advocates, artists and cultural workers for different component events such as art exhibits, poetry readings, publications of zines, film screenings, performances, and discussions. It culminated in an in-person event in Quezon City, Philippines, on 22 March.

Organized in collaboration with the Quezon City Gender and Development Council, Galang Philippines, Dakila, Pride PH and LOUD (Lesbian Organization for Unity and Diversity), the Philippine leg of SEAQCF was held at Sine Pop, a 1948 home transformed into a cultural space and botuique cinema in Cubao, Quezon City.

It was graced by Quezon City mayor Joy Belmonte, who is an ally of the LGBTIQ+ community.

“Your presence here is deeply meaningful. Quezon City has long stood as an ally in the movement for equality, championing the rights, dignity, and well-being of our LGBTQIA+ community. From pioneering policies to inclusive public services, we continue to lead institutional efforts to ensure that every person, regardless of identity, is treated with fairness, respect, and compassion. This commitment is not just written in our laws, it is lived in our everyday actions,” she said.

She added, “We also recognize that one of the most powerful ways to nurture inclusion is by creating spaces where the community’s vibrant and courageous spirit can shine. Art and culture do exactly that. They offer not only a mirror to reflect who we are, but also a bridge to bring others closer to our lived experiences. Yet we know that telling queer stories, especially in this region, is not without risk. Across Southeast Asia, many still struggle to find acceptance, held back by cultural barriers and outdated mindsets that limit the full expression of our shared humanity. That is why festivals like this matter so deeply. They push boundaries, they awaken empathy, they make the invisible visible. Through storytelling, we build connection. Through representation, we spark understanding and, most importantly, nurture acceptance.”

Belmonte further said that “the arts are not just an outlet, they are a powerful force for justice” and that “we must all do our part to fund queer creators, to amplify marginalized voices, to shape inclusive programs, and to build institutions that celebrate rather than silence the full spectrum of human experience.”

“We must also defend the right to free artistic expression and stand firm against all forms of discrimination in creative spaces. And above all, we must foster an environment where LGBTQIA+ individuals can thrive, create, and inspire without fear, without apology,” she said.

Also in attendance to express their solidarity were Juan Pablo Mejía Villar, chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of Colombia; Pedro Pizarro Gonzalez, consul of Chile to the Philippines; and Francisco Javier Lopez Tapia, director of Instituto Cervantes de Manila.

SEAQCF Philippine leg included the launch of the research project, “Mapping of SOGIESC Inclusion Among Philippine Civil Society Organizations,” and poetry performances of Benj, Lakan Umali and Louise Meets.

The art exhibit showcased the works of artists from Southeast Asia with a section, “Colors of Inclusion,” featuring works by LGBTIQ+ artists from Batangas City, Batangas. There were also a display of queer zines and publications with a discussion on zines led by Benj.

The film screenings featured Calabai Akan Terus Menari by KWRSS; The Visible by Atikah Zainidi; At the End of the Day by Walkie Talkie; Fragment 147 by Sari Katharyn; Attached [Melekat] by Byakta BaBam; Heels to Heal and Qeluar by Justice Khor; Ulit by Gio Potes; Tandemonium by Mrs. Tan; We by Oat Montien; and Diwata by Ram Botero. Two panel discussions with some of the filmmakers were held.

Attendees were also treated to drag performances by controversial and embattled drag artist Pura Luka Vega.

The organizers hoped that the impacts of the festival will ripple across the region, uplifting marginalized voices, engaging meaningful conversations and spurring positive changes

“It is crucial that we both celebrate and support artistic and cultural expressions as integral in LGBTQIA+ activism. Art is a multifaceted force that promotes visibility, facilitates community, and inspires joyful actions for social change,” Silverio emphasized. “Art enables and emboldens us to exercise agency to disrupt societal norms, to strategically transform hate into joy, and to challenge traditional ideas about gender and sexuality.”