One of the primary arguments for denouncing ‘Filipinx’ is that the term ‘Filipino’ is already genderless. While ‘Filipina’ may be used as a feminine version of ‘Filipino’, the latter is not exclusively masculine: people of Philippine origin identify themselves as Filipino regardless of gender identity. Thus, many assert that creating a gender-neutral alternative for a term that is already gender-neutral is not only moot, but imposes a gendered, Western lens on the Tagalog language.

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The native Tagalog language demonstrates gender-neutrality in ways that other languages do not. For example, it utilises all-inclusive words like the third-person pronoun siya (i.e. she or he in English). Similarly, the language lacks gendered terms like daughter or son and wife or husband, encompassed instead by the gender-neutral terms anak (offspring) and asawa (spouse). Roy Cagalingan, a Filipino language advocate and editor of Diwatáhan, a website dedicated to the Filipino culture, observes that these genderless terms like siya and anak are also present in other Philippine languages, from Ilokano to Ivatan.

On the other hand, it is also important to acknowledge that the Tagalog language is not completely gender-neutral. “Masasabi nating kapuwa may katanian gender-neutral at espesipiko sa kasarian ang Tagalog, [We can argue that Tagalog has both gender-neutral and gender-specific characteristics,]” asserts Cagalingan, drawing from examples like ate and kuya (older sister and older brother), as well as tiya and tiyo (aunt and uncle). However, he also explains that these words originate from Chinese and Spanish influences. The feminine and masculine Spanish suffixes -a and -o have also coloured the Tagalog language, birthing terms like tindera and tindero (the feminine and masculine forms for vendor), and more relevantly, Filipina and Filipino.

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These discussions revisit our country’s history, specifically how our language has changed through colonisation and interactions with other cultures. With this in mind, many Filipinos see ‘Filipinx’ as a misguided Western invention, representing the Tagalog language as gendered and in need of reform when its pre-colonial vernacular was comparably gender-neutral. This is often compared to English, which has seen progressive transformations to become more gender-neutral (e.g. adapting ‘they’ to be a singular, gender-neutral pronoun, like the Tagalog siya).

Nevertheless, Cagalingan reminds us that we should avoid viewing some languages as more or less advanced than others, but rather, examine these linguistic differences as a lens for understanding culture. He advises: “Sa dulo, mas kailangan nating unawain ang mga natatanging operasyon ng ating ginagamit na wika at hindi para sabihin na mas nakahihigit o mas progresibo ito sa ibang wika, kundi para mas lumawak pa ang pag-unawa natin sa ating sarili at sa ibang tao at kultura. Dagdag pa, kailangan nating magkaroon ng pag-iisip na pantay-pantay ang lahat ng mga wika. [Ultimately, we should examine the unique nuances of our language, not so we may declare it as more superior or more progressive than other languages, but rather, to expand our understandings of our own identity and that of other cultures. Additionally, we must develop a mentality that views all languages as equal.]”

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Another concern commonly expressed about ‘Filipinx’ is that it might alienate Filipinos outside the American diaspora. Although ‘Filipino’ was once contentious because the label was initially exclusive to pure Spaniards born in the Philippines, today’s Filipino identity powerfully resonates with Filipinos across the nation, regardless of gender, sexuality, class, or ethnic background. Thus, many worry that introducing an alternative label ‘Filipinx’ may exclude genderqueer individuals from the ‘Filipino’ umbrella. Furthermore, the term ‘Filipinx’ is lexically foreign to the Tagalog alphabet—in the United States, similar frustrations have been voiced about ‘Latinx’, sometimes described as an “anglicism” of the Spanish language.

While the merits of ‘Filipinx’ have been debated over the past couple of years, the term continues to be used, primarily in the United States and in other diasporic communities—for example, in the recent Bon Appetit Instagram post. Earlier this month, Riot Games released a new Filipino character for its popular videogame Valorant: Neon, a Filipino Agent voiced by Filipino-Australian singer Ylona Garcia and created by Filipino game designer Ryan Cousart. However, the announcement also inspired some controversy, as fans and media outlets identified Neon as ‘Filipinx’.

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Considering the contentious nature of ‘Filipinx’, Dictionary.com has noted that its “use as a noun in reference to a person (e.g., “a Filipinx”) is sometimes considered offensive.”

However, others continue to defend its value, particularly as a self-identifier by genderqueer individuals. In their article, “In Defense of the X”, Kay Ulanday Barrett, Karen Buenavista Hanna, and Anang Palomar underscore the empowering potential of the term. Sharing the words of Jade Phoenix Martinez, a trans performance poet and actress in Los Angeles, they quote “As a Filipinx-American I mostly appreciate the use of “x” in Filipinx/Pilpinx as [...] a way of signalling a more inclusive and safer space for myself and my peers, as someone that has experienced so much transphobia in most of the Filipino community spaces I have been a part of growing up.”

Cagalingan likewise highlights the contextual importance of the term, explaining: “Mahalagang asersiyon ang ‘Filipinx’ ng mga kababayan natin lalo na sa konteksto ng diaspora at migrasyon, at kung mas espesipiko, sa danas ng mga kababayan natin sa Estados Unidos. Kailangan natin itong unawain sa sarili nitong konteksto at realidad. [‘Filipinx’ holds significant weight for our fellow countrymen, especially in the context of the diaspora and migration, and more specifically, of the experiences of those in the United States. We need to understand it in its own context and reality.]” 

At its core, the intentions behind ‘Filipinx’ are noble, motivated by a sincere desire to support our genderqueer kababayan in the Philippines and abroad. However, the term continues to be contentious, especially in the Philippines, vilified for the gendered lens and colonial perspectives it employs. 

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