For All Women and Girls: Xyza Ragunjan on building the Philippines' ballroom community

#ForAllWomenAndGirls is a rallying call for action on the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA). Xyza Ragunjan is a dance artist and the mother of the Iconic House of Mizrahi Philippine Chapter. and the trailblazer of the Philippine ballroom community – an underground subculture that originated in Harlem, New York City between the 60s and the late 80s primarily within Black and Latinx lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and other (LGBTQIA+) communities. She shares how she’s supporting the empowerment and resilience of LGBTQIA+ youth, fem queens and creatives.

As a cisgender woman leading in an LGBTIQA+ community, Xyza Ragunjan is intentional about her actions. “I approach everything with deep respect and a willingness to keep learning,” she says.

Ragunjan has spent nearly 15 years as a professional dance artist. Today, she leads the House of Mizrahi in the Philippines, nurturing a growing ballroom scene that combines self-expression, family and activism.

From dance floors to safe spaces

“Ballroom is more than just a dance,” says Ragunjan. “It’s a place where we can express who we are, find community and be safe.”

Ragunjan sees strength in the culture of family that the ballroom community fosters. “Our sense of Bayanihan - the strong sense of family, mutual support and collective responsibility within their scene – makes us unique. We support one another like family. That’s what keeps us going.”

Her leadership style is deeply personal, shaped by her own experiences navigating gender expression in different dance worlds. “I came from the street dance community where the expression at the time was very masculine” Ragunjan reflects. “Stepping into ballroom allowed me to embrace my feminine energy and lead from a softer, more nurturing place. That shift has changed not just my dancing, but how I support others.”

At the House of Mizrahi Philippines, Ragunjan has become a guiding figure for many in the community, mentoring young queer and trans creatives as they navigate their identities, careers and dreams.

Why creating safe spaces for gender expression matters

While climate-related events are not the primary focus of the ballroom community’s advocacy, Ragunjan and her house have quietly stepped in to support those in need during natural disasters. “We’ve silently donated funds during typhoons to help people,” she shares.

These acts of solidarity reflect the broader principles of the BPfA, which emphasizes the need for gender-responsive disaster preparedness and recovery, recognizing how environmental crises disproportionately impact women and marginalized communities.

Ragunjan’s work speaks to deeper, ongoing vulnerabilities faced by fem queens and trans community in the Philippines – vulnerabilities that are exacerbated not only by environmental events but by persistent inequalities in healthcare, social services and legal protections.

“For us, survival isn’t just about getting through a typhoon,” she says. “It’s about making sure our community has consistent access to the healthcare and support we need to live with dignity.”

Ragunjan provides direct support for those in the community undergoing gender transition, work that highlights systemic gaps in access to gender-affirming healthcare and mental health services.

“We often create spaces to help educate the community for trans health, medical and mental health care awareness,” she explains. “Access is a huge barrier in the Philippines. Many medical professionals either won’t help or are not familiar on how to provide safe care.”

Placing all women and girls at the centre of LGBTIQ+ rights and visibility

Ragunjan stresses the urgent need for government action to address access gaps, an issue echoed in the BPfA, which calls for universal access to healthcare services and the protection of the rights of marginalized women and girls, including those of diverse gender identities.

“Transitioning safely should be a basic right,” Ragunjan says. “Mental health services should be accessible to everyone. Right now, it’s too expensive for most people.”

Ragunjan remains hopeful about the future. “In the community, everything we do comes from a place of love. We spread love. We create. We support one another,” she emphasizes. “But outside our community, discrimination and unsafe spaces are still real. We need more safe spaces, places where we can be ourselves, marry who we love, have equal rights in education and work, and live without fear.”

Her call to action is clear: “We need government policies that support us. We need them to recognize our rights, protect our health, and make sure everyone, especially the trans women and the young LGBTQIA+ community, can live with dignity.”