Bakla

Bakla is a long‑standing social category in Philippine societies with linguistic attestations in Tagalog and other Philippine languages. Etymologies proposed in the literature include a portmanteau of babae ('woman') + lalaki ('man') and a derivation from babaylan (the precolonial shamaness). The word's senses have shifted over time: Old Tagalog bacla meant 'uncertainty' or 'indecisiveness,' later usages (including Spanish‑period terms) evolved through the 20th century, and the identity has been rearticulated in late 20th‑ and 21st‑century queer and transgender discourse.

Descriptions emphasize gender expression rather than a fixed bodily template. Typical markers include feminine mannerisms and speech, use of make‑up, cross‑dressing, long hairstyles and other forms of effeminacy collectively referred to as kabaklaán. Social stereotypes (for example the 'parlorista'—a flamboyant, camp cross‑dresser who works in a beauty parlor) exist in popular culture, but individual presentation varies widely.

Bakla denotes social roles and identities rather than inherent supernatural powers. Historically many bakla occupied roles as spiritual leaders—babaylan, katalonan and other shamans—in indigenous Philippine religions, meaning some individuals performed ritual, healing and leadership functions. In contemporary society bakla participate in a wide range of social and economic activities; the term overlaps with sexual orientation in practice (many bakla are attracted to men) but is primarily a gender identity.