Making sense of the queer: Methodological explorations and tensions in Filipino queer ageing research

Abstract

To queer or not to queer? This question consumed my situatedness whilst inquiring into Filipino LGBTQ+ ageing. I offer to problematise and contextualise the queer in methodological elements of my research. I draw from queer phenomenology (Ahmed, 2006), on being critically queer (Butler, 1997), the power and the self (Foucault, 1994a), the core Filipino value of kapwa (shared identity) (Pe-pua & Protacio-Marcelino, 2000), and queer ethical moments (Guillemin & Gillam, 2004). These are explorations, and tensions result to queer (power) relations, queer ethical moments, and queer methodological turns. I use experiences from my Filipino queer ageing research as examples of my reflexivity in context. Problematising the use of queer and (re)orientating its intentionality in my methodological process are potential contributions to decolonising and queering of methodological and ethical conversations.

Keywords

• reflexivity
• queer
• Filipino values system
• kapwa
• queer methodology