Dani Dayanghirang

(they/them/siya)

MA Student in Sociology

Supervisors: Associate Professor Rhonda Shaw and Dr Amir Sayadabdi

Originally from Manila, Philippines, my experience as an undergraduate at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington (majoring in Sociology and Cultural Anthropology with a minor in Asian Studies) nurtured my interest in interdisciplinary research within Migration Studies, Gender Studies, Queer Studies, and Asian Studies.

My thesis, “Young, Migrant, and Queer: Exploring Experiences of LGBTQ+ Filipino Students in Aotearoa New Zealand” investigates the everyday experiences of queer Filipino youth in Aotearoa’s universities. It explores how queer Filipino youth navigate their interpersonal relationships with their families and communities, and examines the ways in which their expressions of self are confronted and complicated on an everyday basis.

The project is underpinned by a queer sociological framework which decentres unquestioned, universalising Euro- and American-centric narratives about queer Filipino migrants and, more broadly, about queer migrants of colour. My methodological approach draws on Sikolohiyang Pilipino (Filipino psychology), particularly, kuwento/kuwentuhan (collective storytelling) and pagtatanong-tanong (repeated questioning).

Research Interests

Queer sociology, queer theory, feminist theory, critical race theory, migration studies, gender studies, intersectional studies, Philippine studies, Asian Studies

Qualifications

Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours

Oral Presentations

2025. Dayanghirang, D. “Using kuwento to understand the everyday experiences of LGBTQ+ Filipino university students in Aotearoa New Zealand.” SAANZ Conference, 5 December, 2025.