Gay culture has never been more profitable online. But for Miss Earth Philippines Joy Barcoma, the creators cashing in on it owe the LGBTQ+ community a lot more than a performance.
The beauty queen took to Facebook on March 25 to weigh in on the growing queerbaiting controversy, calling out content creators who profit from queer-coded portrayals while remaining silent on issues that actually affect the LGBTQ+ community.
“You make money cosplaying as ‘gay’ but when it’s time to support the community you’re profiting from, you keep quiet,” Barcoma said, speaking to creators as a collective rather than naming anyone specifically.
For Barcoma, the issue isn’t the portrayal itself — it’s the hypocrisy behind it. Being gay, she said, is nothing to be ashamed of, and if anything, it’s what makes the performance appealing in the first place. The problem is what happens — or doesn’t — when the camera stops rolling.
“If you can emulate gay people, you should also be able to walk the rough road and experience the complex world just for them to be accepted,” she said. “Fight for them. Speak up for them. Above all, love them.”
Barcoma’s statements came after resharing a post by LGBTQ director Rodina Singh, who traced the long history of “bakla-baklaan” in Philippine media — from its roots as a narrative punchline to its current incarnation as a content monetization strategy.
Singh argued that while straight men mimicking gay behavior has existed in local film and television for decades, today’s landscape is driven less by storytelling and more by profit.
The conversation was first sparked by influencer duo Macoy Dubs and Baus Rufo, who raised the queerbaiting issue on their podcast, calling out creators who capitalize on LGBT culture without taking up its cause.
Another creator, Marlon Tapalord, pushed back, citing a long tradition of straight actors — among them Dolphy, Vic Sotto, and Michael V. — playing gay roles in Philippine cinema.
Barcoma was clear about what she expects from creators who choose to portray the LGBTQ+ community: walk the rough road, fight for their acceptance, and above all, love them — not just when it’s profitable, but when it’s hard.
