On the night of April 6, popular Filipina drag queen Taylor Sheesh was assaulted by an attendee of the Kalutan Concert in Bayambang, Pangasinan. As documented by eyewitnesses at the event, an individual in a blue shirt hit her neck with their hand as she was passing by. A user on X shared a photo of the incident.
Soon after, Mayor Nina Jose-Quiambao made a post on her Facebook account regarding the assault. She wrote, “I will not tolerate homophobia and physical abuse in my town. I am sorry to Taylor Sheesh that someone assaulted her during her performance!”
Mayor Nina then went on Facebook Live to reiterate her statement, assuring her constituents that the incident was being addressed with urgency.
Read the full transcript of her live video below:
“Magandang umaga po sa ating lahat. I just went here on [Facebook] Live to officially say and officially make a statement that here in Bayambang, we are a very inclusive, a very progressive town. And we love the LGBTQ community and we serve all races, all genders, everyone, here in Bayambang.
So we strongly, strongly condemn the act of one individual last night towards Taylor Sheesh. And on behalf of the LGU-Bayambang and in behalf of the whole Balon Bayambang, I want to truly apologize and say sorry to Taylor Sheesh, and to all [of] those who have been offended, especially the LGBTQ community.
Again, inuulit 'ko: Our administration and LGU-Bayambang strongly support and we really love our LGBTQ community. Kaya I am very upset, and I will make sure that justice will be served. We condemn the actions of this certain person with a name that starts with E, and we will make sure that justice will prevail. Right now, this individual is in prison, and cases will be filed against him, as far as I am concerned, even by Taylor Sheesh.
So, please rest assured that we at the LGU-Bayambang, we are doing our part, and we will make sure, again, that justice will prevail. Muli, and we will update you for further [and] more information. Mag-ingat po tayong lahat. Mabuhay ang Balon Bayambang.”
A concerned netizen voiced out her dismay at what happened, stating, “Grabe 'yung nanakit kay Taylor Sheesh sa Bayambang. Ang ayos ayos na nag-pe-perform eh.” The drag performer quoted the post, saying, “This is traumatic. Literally. I’m shaking [right now].”
Cases of assault against members of the community continue to be a pressing issue here in the Philippines. For a country that presents itself as “LGBTQIA+-friendly,” no legal measures have been taken to protect queer people from being discriminated against because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. The truth of the matter is, Taylor Sheesh’s experience is only one of many cases that, more often than not, are swept under the carpet.
What makes the incident more poignant is how it occurred to someone who’s built such a favorable reputation for herself. Taylor Sheesh has traveled the world and sold out venues just like the pop star she fashioned herself after. Crowds would go wild for her lip sync performances, emulating the actual experience of watching Taylor Swift live. She's made appearances on mainstream TV, guesting on variety shows, and turning celebrities into her own fans. All of these scenarios prove that she’s loved by so many. After all, she wouldn’t be booked for a concert all the way in Pangasinan if there wasn’t any clamor for her presence.
So how come she still got treated the way she did, by a stranger no less? If a well-beloved public figure experiences such assault, what can we expect from individuals who don’t have the platform to publicize their struggles?
The writings are on the wall. The fact that the persona of Taylor Sheesh identifies as queer has a large bearing on why this incident occurred. In the world we live in today, gender-based expectations precede how we approach those around us. And given the grossly patriarchal build our society has, it will always favor masculine ideals, and in turn, will look down on femininity and queerness.
No one is born hateful, though we are constantly exposed to notions that inform our opinions on the people around us. Many individuals, especially in a religious nation like the Philippines, still grow up with the idea that “being gay is a sin” and therefore, develop a disdain for anyone who identifies as such. Whether we admit it or not, each and every one of us has an internalized sense of homophobia. Once we come of age, it’s only a matter of taking autonomy over these ideas, and unlearning the discriminatory behavior that we’ve been ingrained with.
To say that the assault inflicted on Taylor Sheesh was an isolated case is to claim that it had nothing to do with her sexual orientation and gender identity, which blatantly disregards the systematic abuse queer people regularly go through. A hate crime against a member of the LGBTQIA+ community makes it a hate crime against society as a whole. How we perceive and interact with queer people only reflects how we perceive and interact with everyone around us, regardless of their SOGIE.
Mayor Nina did the correct thing by swiftly addressing the issue and recognizing its homophobic motives. As the cases against the assaulter are processed, it’s brought to light how easily these incidents can occur. To be frank, this is certainly not the first time we’ve heard news of violence against an LGBTQIA+ person in this country, and sadly, it will probably not be the last.
To echo the mayor’s words, justice must prevail in this scenario. Taylor Sheesh may have come out of it physically unscathed, but as she expressed, the trauma is real.
It’s been said again and again, but queer people deserve to express themselves sans any fear of being hurt or discriminated upon. While there have been glimmers of hope, this society still owes those in the margins a genuinely safe space that will allow them to thrive freely. What happened to Taylor Shesh should not be written off as just another case of an unruly concert-goer. It proves that institutionalized hate persists even in a “woke” world, and we just can’t seem to shake it off.
About the author
Em Enriquez (he/she/they) is a content creator at Preview. They graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University with a degree in Communication, having taken a focus on film, culture, and media studies.
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