Photographer Regine David explores the beauty of Pride in Manila

Photographer Regine David explores the beauty of Manila Pride through a collection of photographs shot for Manila based sport resort brand Toqa.

The photographs were captured at the Marikina Pride March, which took place last month and was attended by a record breaking number of 25,000 LGBTQ+ people, an event organised entirely by volunteers.

Speaking to It’s Nice That, Toqa founders Isabel Sicat and Aiala Rickard say, “Those pictured, clad in Toqa, are mainstays of the underground queer artist community in Manila. They comprise a handful of well regarded photographers, stylists, models, fine artists, and leaders in the developing nation’s youth culture”.

“An event of this scale has never before been seen in the predominantly conservative Roman Catholic (87% of the population!) country. It is also important to note that, as a developing and conservative tropical nation, Pride still serves a purpose for visibility that may be absent in developed countries far more accepting.”

Manila-born and Brooklyn-based photographer, Regine David captured the images over a day and tells us: “It was my first Pride in the Philippines, and it was beautiful. I was so happy to capture friends and strangers in our community celebrating love. That we had an avenue for queers and allies to wear Toqa as a celebration of Pride made it all the more perfect.” 

UK Pride celebrates members of the LGBTQ+ community and London Pride takes place on July 7.