This work has not been peer reviewed by the University of the Philippines Rainbow Research Hub or its project members. The views expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Hub or its project members.
2026 Philippine Queer Studies Conference
POSTER PRESENTATION
Queering the mic: A phenomenological study on voice acting as a queer performative space among Filipino gender nonconforming voice actors
Marybelle Grace Aton
This study explores the lived experiences of six Filipino queer voice actors and how they negotiate their gender identities within the Philippine voice acting industry. While existing literature in performance and queer studies has examined gender representation in theater, film, and on-screen media, limited attention has been given to how queerness is regulated, expressed, or reimagined through vocal performance, especially in contexts where the body is unseen as related to the voice acting industry. Addressing this gap, the research aims to understand how queer voice actors navigate industry expectations, discrimination and representation in their professional environments. Guided by the Queer Theory (De Lauretis, 1991), and Gender Performativity Theory (Butler, 1999), the study uses a Queer Phenomenological approach through in-depth interviews and reflexive memos. The findings are organized into seven main themes, revealing how voice acting has become a performative space for transformation and self-discovery, creative adaptation, resistance to gendered norms, and strategic navigation of professional standards. Participants reported subtle and blatant forms of gender-based discrimination, and yet also demonstrated agency through subversion, visibility and queer advocacy and queer optimism. Ultimately, the study positions voice acting as both a liberating and a constrained space, where queer actors reshape what gendered voices can sound like, and advocate for broader inclusivity in media labor.
