Pride Month Controversy Brings Neepawa Filipino and 2SLGBTQIA+ Communities Together

June marks both Pride Month and Filipino Heritage Month in Manitoba — two celebrations that some might see as distinct, but in reality, often beautifully intersect. A recent letter to the editor in the Neepawa Banner & Press tried to highlight perceived divisions between the communities, but instead sparked backlash from both.

NACTV student journalist Keira Mendoza McKay sat down with local drag performer Mx. Dione to talk about the letter’s impact, as well as the intersections of queer and Filipino identity, and the strength of the local drag scene.

One of the letter’s more pointed claims was that the Filipino flag should be flown at Neepawa’s Riverbend Park instead of the Pride flag. In truth, both flags were flown — in different locations — and the Filipino flag had already been raised in a public ceremony to mark Filipino Independence Day.

“[The Pride flag] makes me feel welcome,” said Dione. “It makes me feel like I’m safe and included in that space. I didn’t like that he used the Filipino community to back up his ‘ideology.’”

McKay echoed that the letter seemed aimed at pitting the Filipino community against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community — two groups that, in fact, often overlap. Dione added that while the controversy wasn’t welcome, the conversation it sparked was necessary. “Neepawa must be doing something right, something progressive to draw that kind of attention,” he said.

The two also reflected on queer history in the Philippines, noting that before colonization, queer gods and goddesses were revered as leaders and healers. They also pointed out that the Filipino language doesn’t use gendered personal pronouns at all.

“What kind of world could we have been living in [without colonialism]?” wondered Dione.

Since 2023, Mx. Dione has been performing with the House of Hex in Brandon, after discovering his first live drag show in 2022. He had already been sharing makeup looks online when Flora Hex, the house’s matriarch, invited him to join the drag family.

Despite the controversy, Dione feels the local community has been largely supportive, and that the Westman region as a whole is steadily moving forward.