A queer girl's experience going to an LGBTQ+ friendly barbershop
As a queer girl, I like to keep my hair short and stylish but I've always had disastrous haircuts.
One day, I came across a post on X (formerly Twitter) about an LGBTQ+ friendly barbershop in Laguna. It got me intrigued. In pictures, the shop, named Barbierro, looked so warm and welcoming—it even had queer art and a Pride Flag displayed.
Paul Sumayao, one of the owners of the queer-friendly barbershop, told PhilSTAR L!fe that he opened Barbierro to give the LGBTQ+ community a comfortable and safe space for their hair needs. Their first branch opened in Biñan, Laguna in 2022 and earlier this year, they welcomed another space in Laong Laan, Manila.
When he was younger, Paul, too, would dread going to the barbershop.
"As a queer, effeminate little boy, I'd get uncomfortable stares not only from the barbers, but also from other clients," he told L!fe. "It wasn't traumatic, but it was surely uncomfortable as a queer person and also as [a kuya who takes my younger brothers]."
"Looking back, being uncomfortable during barbershop visits shouldn't [have been] the case as I was paying the same as the other clients," he recalled.
Thus while in graduate school, Paul left his job as a marketing manager to start Barbierro and the rest was "hairstory."
"Our mission is to provide superior grooming in a comfortable, safe space for all. We envision a nation where safe spaces will one day just be called 'spaces'—because everywhere will be safe for LGBTQIA+ folks," he said.
My Barbierro experience
The Barbierro branch in Manila was packed when I dropped by the store with my fiancée on a holiday. The owner of the Manila branch, Sir Buboy, made me feel at home as he chatted us up, asking our preferred pronouns and if their playlist (NewJeans' Supershy was playing) was okay.
While waiting for my turn, we even got to talk about my fiancée and my plan to get married. Sir Buboy's face lit up and immediately asked us if we already researched churches here in the Philippines that officiate same-sex unions. He congratulated us and offered suggestions for churches and officiants.
This “chikahan” made me feel at ease during the wait. I was nervous going into this new barbershop and I worried about a few things: What if they don't like me? What if they make fun of me? WHAT IF MY HAIRCUT SUCKS? Fortunately, these thoughts were put to rest. The folks at Barbierro understood how I was an oversharer and even happily exchanged energies while I talked to them. Most importantly, I felt like my hair was in good hands with them.
When it was my turn, Sir Ricky, the barber, asked what he should call me, I just said, "Noelle na lang po or boss. Hehe.” And he laughed and agreed to call me "boss." It was the beginning of a new friendship.
Their barbers undergo SOGIESC (sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics) training as inclusivity is key to Barbierro's values.
The barber was patient with me and asked what haircut I wanted to get. Barbierro has a hairstyle lookbook so I pointed and answered “Yun pong malinis. Para pong ganito.” Sir Ricky also noted other instructions I gave. "'Yun pong crop top with texture ba 'yun. Paiksi na rin po ng hair ko."
Barbierro offers services like quick cuts for short hair, slow cuts for longer hair, shave, color or dye, scalp and shoulder massages, and quick shampoo and blow-dry.
"Boss next time dito ka na magpakulay ng hair para maayos 'yung pagkulay. Sayang 'yung kapal ng buhok mo," the barber told me when I shared about how I used to unsuccessfuly dye my hair by myself. I laughed and thanked him for the offer.
I felt relieved throughout the haircut because Sir Ricky knew what to do with my hair. He would even make jokes like we were old friends.
After the cut, I felt happy and nearly cried because the things I was worried about were thrown out the window. I got the haircut I wanted and it looks great—the barber made my hair look similar to the styles of K-Pop idols.
Nobody made fun of me and my appearance. The staff was so welcoming and understanding, it made me feel like part of their family (I even followed Sir Ricky on Instagram afterward). I felt safe, seen, and heard, as they took my ideas and opinions about my hair seriously. They found a new loyal customer in me!
I'd look in the mirror and check my hair many times after my Barbierro haircut and it was then I realized that our hair is really our crowning glory. No matter what hairstyle you have, it says your story and your life experience—why you cut your hair short or long and how you got to that point in your life.
Barbierro isn't only a barbershop, it’s also a space for us LGBTQ+ Community to be our very fabulous, authentic selves without any judgment and without us being the butt of jokes.