A safe space for a haircut

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COCO CHANEL once said: “A woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life.” But what if the person getting that haircut doesn’t identify as a woman, or does, despite their assigned sex at birth?

We met up with Paul Sumayao, who co-founded Barbierro with his life partner Jedi Directo, on April 23 in the Biñan, Laguna branch. Barbierro is billed as the country’s first “queer” barbershop.

Here’s the thing, though: with all the stereotypes about gay men doing hair, doesn’t that mean that all hair spaces are automatically queer? Not quite.

“Kung babae ka (if you are a woman) or feminine ka, you go to the salon? Pero ’pag macho-machohan ka (but if you are macho), you go to the barbershop. But what if you just want a decent haircut?” said Mr. Sumayao.

He gives examples of microaggressions that queer people can encounter in the gendered spaces of barbershops versus hair salons. “Why is there a dichotomy?” he asked. A queer woman with short hair, for example, can be told that her hair would be better longer, and rebonded and styled. Queer men, in barbershops, would get conversations about sports, women, or other things that they’re boxed out of. Actually, that’s how the kernel of the business started: growing up, he was the one tasked to bring his siblings to the barbershop to get their haircuts. Labeled and treated as a “softie” by the staff, he said he felt uncomfortable in those spaces.

“It’s claiming safe spaces and queer spaces in areas that were traditionally masculine. If nobody else is claiming it… and no one else is doing anything about microaggressions sa mga (at the) barbershops and salons, bakit hindi namin gawin? (why shouldn’t we be the ones to do it?)”

The staff at Barbierro undergo SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression) training twice a year, and the barbershop itself is a member of the Philippine LGBT Chamber of Commerce, and is recognized by Strands for Trans, a global network of salons identified as safe spaces for trans people. They also practice gender-neutral pricing: he noticed that in salons and barbershops, women automatically get higher pricing (regardless of length and complexity). In Barbierro, haircuts are priced according to length and the time it takes to cut it (from P220 to P330, depending on the seniority of the stylist). “We want to eliminate that barrier,” he said.

Founded in 2022, he remembers that they had a hard time hiring staff at first because the barbers simply didn’t get the idea. Furthermore, some refused because they thought cutting women’s hair impinged on their masculinity. Mr. Sumayao said, “Hindi naman kasi kami naga-advocate ng kabaklaan (we’re not advocating for queerness). It’s more really just advocating for a safe space for everyone.”

Right now, they have two company-owned branches: this one in Biñan and another in Camarines Sur (where he hails from). There will be another soon in Quezon City. They do have a branch opened through a queer-led franchise partner in Sampaloc, Manila, and a forthcoming one in Taft. It’s not that he discriminates, but he prefers queer-led businesses as franchise partners, because otherwise, “Alam ko naman na mahihirapan rin sila (I know non-queer partners will have a hard time) to navigate the whole thing. Especially if they’re not coming from our own native story.”

Asked why the branches are located outside the country’s capital, when queer life is so much richer in the city (at least, that’s what it seems like), he replied: “I’ve always felt like an outsider, and I’ve always felt like Manila is not the center. If there are queer spaces in Manila, or in Cebu, in Davao — kung saan man iyong sentro (wherever the centers are) — I feel like badings (queer people) in towns, probinsyas (provinces), they also deserve a safe space.”

He campaigned for former vice-president and presidential candidate Leni Robredo down the street in Biñan where the barbershop is now located.

In Barbierro’s Instagram account, he once posted that hair is political. “It’s the easiest part of our body (to use) to make a statement,” he said. “It’s the most obvious. It’s what people see first.

“The possibilities are endless. Ang buhok, wala talagang kasarian (hair really has no gender).”

Asked how they measure their success, he said, “I would say we succeeded if marami nang gumaya sa amin na barbershop rin (if many barbershops copy us too). We don’t want to be alone forever. The only time that an advocacy succeeds is when we’re no longer needed — when everything and everywhere is already a safe space.”

In Biñan, Laguna, Barbierro is in Unit 1D, Bldg. 1, RJ Titus Building, Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna (Flying V Gas Station). In Sampaloc, Barbierro is in 2157 Laong Laan Road, Sampaloc, Manila (across Bulaluhan sa Laong Laan). In Camarines Sur, it’s across the Pili Municipal Hall, Altamarino Bldg., Arejola St., Pili, Camarines Sur. For more details, visit instagram.com/barbierrobarbershop. — Joseph L. Garcia