Tibambaylan: An exploratory study of how Filipina lesbian poetry functions as a site of femme activism and decolonial praxis

Abstract

This thesis is composed of a poetry manuscript entitled Tender Vehemence and an exegesis that supports and contextualises the femme lesbian themes that manifest throughout the creative artefact. Rather than amplify definitions of what a lesbian is or taxonomise lesbian writing or poetics, my critical enquiry focuses on how lesbian writers utilise verse to channel their subversive femininity as they engage with their socio-political realities vis-à-vis their intimate experiences. Hence, this thesis argues that Filipina lesbian poetry subverts patriarchal and heteronormative constructs by weaving feminine concepts such as domesticity and emotionality into queer poetic imagery that unravels issues of class, culture, history and politics.

Guided by concepts within femme theory, Gloria Anzaldúa’s mestiza consciousness and babaylanism [or Filipina feminism which draws inspiration from the babaylan or female shaman in indigenous communities], I delve into selected poems of fellow Filipina lesbian poets Aida Santos, Anna Leah Sarabia, Faye Cura and Christa de la Cruz while reflecting on my creative practice. The poets in this study have, in varying degrees, participated in local feminist and grassroots initiatives, undertaken academic pursuits and straddled between cultural and linguistic multiplicities. This further demonstrates that the practice of poetry among lesbian writers is a form of decolonisation and socio-political praxis.

Beyond establishing personal visibility, Filipina lesbian poets write outward to connect and advocate for other women and marginalised groups. Their versification is coloured not only by their queer desire, expressions and/or self-identification but most importantly, their political convictions and upbringing amidst the postcolonial backdrop of Philippine society