Gerard Rabara and Charmaine Taus, led a panel titled “Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy,” held as part of the Kumain Ka Na? cultural exhibition curated by Chelsea Amada at Wien Museum’s Community Gallery.
The exhibition—running June 12 to August 31, 2025—explores the history of Filipino nurses in Austria and how care, identity, and family are woven into the diaspora experience.
Gerard Rabara emphasized that stereotypes, while often rooted in protective cultural practices, can unintentionally confine identity.
He described how second-generation Filipinos may internalize these labels, confronting obstacles when their sense of self diverges from familial expectations.
Charmaine Taus brought in lived perspective and artistic insight, noting how the terms “bakla” and “tomboy” carry layered meanings, reflecting family-specific traditions, religious values, and community perceptions.
She highlighted the struggle of balancing respect for traditional norms while embracing personal authenticity.
The other, from the Philippines, detailed how contemporary queer movements are challenging binary expectations and reclaiming language as tools of empowerment.
The conversation also spotlighted how the exhibit itself, the photos, multimedia installations, and interactive workshops crafted by Amada and Taus with Sige!—serves as a backdrop for dialogue about identity formation and cultural heritage among younger generations trying to reconcile multiple worlds.