(Editor’s Note: Non-binary or non-gendered pronouns are not gender-specific so commonly used are ‘they/them/their’ to refer to people who identify outside of a gender binary.)
Raphael Vergel de Dios Domingo has been working towards the advancement of the Filipino deaf community, surmounting challenges and breaking barriers.
In 2022, Domingo became the first doctorate degree recipient of the Nippon-Gallaudet World Deaf Leadership Program. They earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics at the Gallaudet University, a private federally chartered research university in Washington D.C., United States, dedicated to the education of the deaf and hard of hearing.
They previously earned a Certificate in Bookkeeping and a Bachelor in Applied Deaf Studies from Benilde School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies and a Master of Arts degree in International Affairs with a major in Comparative International Disability degree from the American University in Washington D.C.
Domingo co-founded the Philippine Federation of the Deaf, Inc., which continues to champion deaf education and human rights. Leading the Deaf Heritage and Filipino Sign Language Studies Unit of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s Center for Education and Advancement of the Deaf, they continue to pursue further research on Filipino Sign Language and work on to address the linguistic barriers that prevent deaf people from pursuing further studies.
Domingo also identifies as non-binary, using the Filipino pronoun “siya.” They share their experiences and thoughts on being on two marginalized sectors — the LGBTQ+ community and persons with disabilities.
Roel Hoang Manipon (RHM): How would you describe being “non-binary,” especially to those not familiar with it but wish to better understand the community?
Raphael Vergel de Dios Domingo (RVDD): Non-binary individuals do not identify as male or female. For instance, I prefer to be called Dx. or Drx. Rafa or use the pronoun “siya,” contrary to society classifying me as a man due to my biological sex at birth without asking for my pronoun choice or consulting with me. In my title, I utilize the letter X to denote gender neutrality. For my sex classification, they are unconcerned about my psychological well-being or human rights. They are indifferent with my gender expression.
RHM: Can you share with us your journey to realizing that you are non-binary?
RVDD: Initially, I identified as gay since it is a popular term in the country, but I wanted to be addressed as Ms. Rafa or “she, her” at the time. However, since moving to the United States in the fall of 2017 and beginning my doctoral studies, I’ve noticed that many straight and LGBTQIA+ faculty, students, and staff, both on and off campus, use their pronouns in their email addresses, social media and introductions, such as classes, university events and conferences. Thus, I reconsidered my pronoun and became comfortable referring to myself as “she, her.”
After a few months, I began attending LGBTQIA+ community events and learned new concepts like cisgender, asexual, pansexual, intersex, queer and non-binary. However, because I was perplexed, I opted to keep it simple. After all, I am gay and use the pronouns “she, her and hers.” I didn’t use my pronouns in my student email account, social media or introduction since I didn’t understand why they were doing. It was only when I met my friends and we spoke about it did I understand what it was all about.
One day, the Gallaudet University Division of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion invited me to participate as an LGBTQIA+ panelist to discuss our experiences as LGBTQIA+ people. I was impressed that they recognized my gender identification without prompting. I also learned from the experiences of my other panelists.
Attending the Theoretical Issues on Sign Language Research conference.
Several years later, during the Covid-19 pandemic, I saw a TV commercial in which every LGBTQIA+ people promote their gender identity and expression. I became interested in non-binary people and began researching them. I recalled my gender identification as I grew older; however, I chose the same one as before since I wanted to keep things simple as it was.
I became immersed in LGBTQIA+ identity when I began my dissertation paper because four Filipino Sign Language consultants in my dissertation self-identified themselves as trans women, male and female, so I verified with two FSL consultants and questioned why they did not name their gender expressions.
They said it was due to the typical profile form requiring them to enter their biologically sex classification. I told them that they should be comfortable with their gender identification and that they should disregard the conventional profile form, and they altered their status to trans woman and lesbian.
After a year, I remembered and thought on my gender identity, and I discovered I am non-binary, opposing my biological sex birth categorization. Then I altered my status and informed the world that I am a non-binary person, so that no one would define me. Call me “Dx.” or “Drx.,” “siya” or “Rafa.” This is who I am!
RHM: What are the challenges that you’ve encountered being a non-binary person?
RVDD: Most LGBTQIA+ people, including myself, have been horribly mistreated and discriminated against because of our belief systems. Misconceptions about us brainwashed many families and religious groups. My parents were quite engaged in our Catholic community church, and they reprimanded me, so I was not permitted to define my gender expression when I was young. I was terrified of being bullied or harmed, and it occurred to me that I had done something wrong, so I had to behave like someone else rather than myself.
When I was about seven years old, I realized I was gay because I felt different from my brothers and had feelings for guys. I was naturally coming out to my previous classmates, despite the fact that we were not connected. But at home, I had to appear like a boy even though I was wearing a t-shirt and shorts, whereas my brothers were shirtless. I was nervous and wary about folks I was hanging out with and working with at times. I watched on TV that people were killing LGBTQIA+ people both here and in the United States. My life as a non-binary person was not easy. Who can say? It may happen to us at any time.
RHM: Likewise, can you share with us your experiences and the challenges you’ve faced being a deaf student and community leader in the LGBTQ+ community? Can you share with us how you overcame these challenges?
RVDD: First and foremost, my intersectionalities are not as simple as one might anticipate. For example, in the Philippines, I am deaf, colored, lower middle-class, non-binary, linguist, community leader and Catholic, but in the United States, I am deaf, International Asian, non-binary, lower-class, PhD scholar and Catholic. Aside from that, when I shared my thoughts and experiences as an LGBTQIA+ person during a group sharing in the United States, I felt unworthy of being a part of the Gallaudet University LGBTQIA+ Resource Center. I didn’t want to join them since I felt they were insincere. But among my LGBTQIA+ peers, I felt accepted and valued.
Furthermore, I had a negative encounter with my former roommate, who is White and gay. I recall him mentioning that two vehicles collided and discovered that they were of the same race, and they forgot about it and drove away as if nothing happened. However, if the other driver is not White, he or she should be held responsible since he or she is not White. I confronted him, telling him that it was wrong and he was racist and that the soul or person is more important than skin color. And I informed him that he, too, is not indigenous because he took territory from Native Americans. His racist comments triggered my emotions to boil. Then, despite all of the ups and downs, I decided to concentrate on finishing my PhD studies. I got it through because the WDL Scholarship program’s timeframe kept me motivated.
RHM: As a deaf community leader, you’ve been championing Filipino Sign Language and the rights of the deaf community. Have you engaged in initiatives that educate people or raise awareness about being non-binary and being a member of the LGBTQ+ community?
RVDD: I was a former advisor to the Pinoy Deaf Rainbow. It now provides annual HIV awareness and free HIV testing in collaboration with Love Yourself, Inc., and it supports the immediate passage of the SOGIE bill. Pinoy Deaf Rainbow and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies are working together on the Empowered Movements for Rights and Gender Equality or EMERGE initiative. The Asia Foundation is funding the initiative, which focuses on creating technical signs for the SOGIE bill concepts. Support for linguistics research is given by the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Center for Education Advancement of the Deaf.
They said it was due to the typical profile form requiring them to enter their biologically sex classification. I told them that they should be comfortable with their gender identification and that they should disregard the conventional profile form, and they altered their status to trans woman and lesbian.
After a year, I remembered and thought on my gender identity, and I discovered I am non-binary, opposing my biological sex birth categorization. Then I altered my status and informed the world that I am a non-binary person, so that no one would define me. Call me “Dx.” or “Drx.,” “siya” or “Rafa.” This is who I am!
RHM: What are the challenges that you’ve encountered being a non-binary person?
RVDD: Most LGBTQIA+ people, including myself, have been horribly mistreated and discriminated against because of our belief systems. Misconceptions about us brainwashed many families and religious groups. My parents were quite engaged in our Catholic community church, and they reprimanded me, so I was not permitted to define my gender expression when I was young. I was terrified of being bullied or harmed, and it occurred to me that I had done something wrong, so I had to behave like someone else rather than myself.
When I was about seven years old, I realized I was gay because I felt different from my brothers and had feelings for guys. I was naturally coming out to my previous classmates, despite the fact that we were not connected. But at home, I had to appear like a boy even though I was wearing a t-shirt and shorts, whereas my brothers were shirtless. I was nervous and wary about folks I was hanging out with and working with at times. I watched on TV that people were killing LGBTQIA+ people both here and in the United States. My life as a non-binary person was not easy. Who can say? It may happen to us at any time.
RHM: Likewise, can you share with us your experiences and the challenges you’ve faced being a deaf student and community leader in the LGBTQ+ community? Can you share with us how you overcame these challenges?
RVDD: First and foremost, my intersectionalities are not as simple as one might anticipate. For example, in the Philippines, I am deaf, colored, lower middle-class, non-binary, linguist, community leader and Catholic, but in the United States, I am deaf, International Asian, non-binary, lower-class, PhD scholar and Catholic. Aside from that, when I shared my thoughts and experiences as an LGBTQIA+ person during a group sharing in the United States, I felt unworthy of being a part of the Gallaudet University LGBTQIA+ Resource Center. I didn’t want to join them since I felt they were insincere. But among my LGBTQIA+ peers, I felt accepted and valued.
Furthermore, I had a negative encounter with my former roommate, who is White and gay. I recall him mentioning that two vehicles collided and discovered that they were of the same race, and they forgot about it and drove away as if nothing happened. However, if the other driver is not White, he or she should be held responsible since he or she is not White. I confronted him, telling him that it was wrong and he was racist and that the soul or person is more important than skin color. And I informed him that he, too, is not indigenous because he took territory from Native Americans. His racist comments triggered my emotions to boil. Then, despite all of the ups and downs, I decided to concentrate on finishing my PhD studies. I got it through because the WDL Scholarship program’s timeframe kept me motivated.
RHM: As a deaf community leader, you’ve been championing Filipino Sign Language and the rights of the deaf community. Have you engaged in initiatives that educate people or raise awareness about being non-binary and being a member of the LGBTQ+ community?
RVDD: I was a former advisor to the Pinoy Deaf Rainbow. It now provides annual HIV awareness and free HIV testing in collaboration with Love Yourself Inc., and it supports the immediate passage of the SOGIE bill. Pinoy Deaf Rainbow and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies are working together on the Empowered Movements for Rights and Gender Equality or EMERGE initiative. The Asia Foundation is funding the initiative, which focuses on creating technical signs for the SOGIE bill concepts. Support for linguistics research is given by the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Center for Education Advancement of the Deaf.