Overview
Free speech is a basic human right. Many times, whether it be through oral or written stories, we reclaim our own consciousness. Revolutions have been founded on literature. Stories and poems can function as declarations of independence, often highlighting societal flaws in a world that is close to home. The most obvious example of this is Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tángere, which is a staple in nationalist literature. In the novel, he airs his grievances regarding the corrupt clergy and the poor treatment of Filipinos by the Spanish government. Fearing revolution, the Spaniards banned the book, but it was soon smuggled into the country. Since then, it has acted as a symbol of Philippine nationalism and resistance.
Now, our attention must turn to the womxn. All womxn’s literature could be considered revolutionary, as it often captures the gravity of society’s problems. Prohibited from occupying the streets like their male counterparts, womxn began their work in politics with writing. Leona Florentino, the mother of Philippine women’s literature, can be considered a trailblazer in queer storytelling. Despite not receiving a university education due to her gender, she utilized writing to occupy a place that was once denied to her. This platform has given womxn the outlet to advocate for themselves. Throughout history, men have represented and discriminated against womxn, dictating how they would be remembered for generations to come. Therefore, when womxn entered the literary arena, they were able to take back their legacies and fight for themselves.
We should start to see art as an agentive entity. From the fantastical to the quotidian occurrences, literature showcases it all. Subtly, simply through writing about their own realities, womxn have waged campaigns that we may not see on the streets but instead in conversations. In the stories displayed in this course, we have read about a variety of social issues, ranging from sexual assault to racism/colorism to abuses of workers to the exploitation of natural resources. Thus, when we read womxn’s literature, we must think of the activism that is present in everyday life. Once we read these stories, activism enters our lives. They provide us with the knowledge to empower ourselves and spark changes of our own.
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Supplementary Sources:
The Fight for Womxn’s Rights:
Feminism and the Women’s Movement in the Philippines: Struggles, Advances, and Challenges
Women’s Rights Movement of the Philippines
Women’s Movements and “the Filipina”: 1986-2008– Introduction: Women’s Movements and Womanhood
The feminist movement: Love manifesting through collective struggle
Film: Call Her Ganda
**Gabriela: National Alliance of Women
MagandangMorenx Movement:
I am #MagandangMorenx: Loud, Brown, and Proudly Filipina
#MagandangMorenx: Celebrating the Diversity of Filipino Beauty
Paglaban Pilipino Literature Project 