Navigating Support Systems: A Life Narrative Study of Help-Seeking Behaviors and Barriers Among Filipino Gay Men in Grandparent-Headed Households

This study explores the help-seeking behaviors and identity development of Filipino gay young adults raised in grandparent-headed households, an underexamined family structure shaped by labor migration and socio-cultural conservatism in the Philippines. Despite increased visibility of Gay individuals in media, limited research investigates their lived experiences within traditional, intergenerational households governed by religious and moral expectations. Using narrative inquiry, six self-identified gay men aged 18-25 shared life stories highlighting how intergenerational caregiving influenced their emotional well-being, identity expression, and access to support. Thematic narrative analysis revealed varied relational dynamics with grandparents, ranging from unconditional support to constrained tolerance, and identified a clear shift from family-based to peer-centric help-seeking strategies in response to internalized stigma, cultural values like hiya, and barriers such as utang na loob. Findings underscore the complex interplay between familial acceptance, silence, and resilience, and illustrate how young gay men strategically navigate support systems outside the family to preserve mental health. This study contributes to queer and family studies in the Philippine context and calls for culturally responsive mental health and family support interventions that address the specific needs of LGBTQ+ youth in non-nuclear households.