Sometimes, it is hard for women to find spaces where they feel safe and comfortable. Add another layer—being queer—and that challenge becomes even more complex.

People who can attest to that are Caz Uy-oco and Pepper Solis. When the couple started sharing their relationship online, little did they know that their content would resonate deeply with women-loving-women (WLW) audiences across the Philippines. Eventually, they built a community that grew beyond the screen. But creating a physical space where that community could meet, celebrate, and feel a sense of belonging was far easier said than done.

That's why, in 2025, Caz and Pepper founded For The Love of Women (FTLOW). Pronounced “fit-low,” it is a Manila-based sapphic nightlife and community platform designed specifically for lesbians, bisexual women, and other WLW. The inspiration stemmed from the couple's own experience of searching for spaces where they could simply enjoy a night out without having to question whether they truly belonged.

“While many nightlife establishments say they're LGBTQIA+ friendly, dedicated spaces specifically designed for queer women are still very limited,” Pepper tells Manila Bulletin Lifestyle. "There's a big difference between being tolerated and truly being considered when a space is created."

“It's one thing that we're women, another that we're queer, and another that we're a couple,” Caz adds. “Those layers often come with unwanted attention. We've experienced stares, comments like, 'Sige nga, kiss kayo kung talagang magjowa kayo' ('Go on then, kiss if you're really a couple'), and moments where our relationship felt sexualized or reduced to something performative for other people's entertainment.”

Apart from creating a welcoming space for their community, Caz and Pepper want FTLOW to be intentional. To create an event like this, everyone behind the scenes has to share the same understanding of what a safe space actually means. During its first anniversary and Pride Night celebration last June 27 in Quezon City, at least 80 percent of the team involved—spanning organizers, creatives, media, and the technical crew—were WLW themselves.

During their events, guests are given clear no-photo or no-video indicators that quietly signal they do not want to be documented throughout the night. Their media crew, and even attendees, are oriented beforehand to respect those indicators—even in crowd shots or group photos.

This mindful approach extends to every element of their events, including the collectible blind box. Rather than explicitly using Pride branding, the keepsakes are intentionally labeled as FTLOW's “Anniversary Celebration,” which helps avoid putting attendees in difficult situations once they return home.

"We know some guests may go home to families or environments where Pride isn't openly celebrated or necessarily safe," they say. "We still wanted them to have something meaningful from the night without forcing explanation or discomfort afterward."

FTLOW regularly conducts post-event surveys to gather feedback from the community and identify areas for improvement. One thing they consistently hear is that attendees appreciate how much they prioritize safety—not just physically, but psychologically as well.

“So far, we've maintained an average satisfaction rating of 4.5 out of five,” Caz says. “We have attendees who keep coming back to every event, while many are also first-timers discovering the community for the first time. Either way, we're always grateful to host them.”

“More than anything, though, people simply ask us to keep doing more parties,” Pepper says. “That tells us we're creating something meaningful: a warm and safe space where queer women can show up as themselves.”