I recommend “Why Southeast Asia’s LGBT community is finally coming out” by Kok Singhui (reporting for the South China Morning Post) as a complimentary read.

The editor of A/PART articulates that his aim in gathering an anthology of poems is to illustrate the 'various possibilities of how queer individuals in SEA have tried to grapple with meaning (or the lack of it) during this difficult period'. Does the collection contribute anything unique among the many laments of this pandemic period? Jose Luis Pablo's Rainbow mourns symbols of hope that are shrouded by traditions that suppress. Anathema harrowingly articulates the struggle of an individual trying to simply 'be' themself in the face of endless adversity. As with most poetry collections, the reader will migrate to those poems that speak to and from their own lived experience. For me, the value of this anthology lies in this aspect, as opposed to it being a unique expression of the queer experience of COVID-19. 

The poets featured in A/PART wrings words, language and space to give voice to queer bodies and identities in a time of heightened anxieties.

In its introduction, Dela Peña posits “What does it mean for a body to desire in isolation? How do LGBTIQ individuals navigate their suddenly and severely restricted perimeters? How have we been transformed by this global health crisis?”

Diwata

The element of transformation is abundant in many Greek mythology stories. In the first glance, it is usually a way to escape oppressors or to allow gods to interact with mortals. Nevertheless, these stories of transformation are also interpreted as template for queer narratives.

Diwata is a book that incorporates these ideas into photos. What I love about this is that it also includes narratives from Philippine's history and description of various deities in Philippine mythology. It is a visual feast and I admire all the photographers and models for a job well done in presenting the stories well.

The Book of Sainted Aunts: The Illustrated Portraits of Mildly Martyred Sinners-Turned-Saints Since Queerdom Come (2021, self-published by Anna Onni)

“[obsolete] An “aunt” is slang for middle-aged and elderly gay men or lesbian women (who were often mentors taking on protective roles for younger queers), reclaimed from the original association with an old madam who runs a prostitution brothel.

[current] The sainted aunts who have come before us have only been recently recognised. Since queerdom came, the revised requirements for sainthood have become more inclusive to the diverse forms of martyrdom and falsely-named sins of the past.” - Anna Onni

Anna Onni’s The Book of Sainted Aunts is a collection of portraits about sainted aunts curated and salvaged by Saint Lune of the Scattered Bibliotheque from a lost archive destroyed by extremists. Since queerdom came to the world, Saint Lune was able to gather and catalogue piles of what was left of these queer histories/herstories/stories.

INTRODUCTION

The Philippines is a nation with a vast collection of literary works that has, both directly and  indirectly, impacted all aspects of its society – politics, religion, economy, education and its  culture. Literary works such as Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo of Gat. Jose P. Rizal has,  in their own respective ways, made marks in the society that we live in. Literature also creates  necessary mindsets of existence that boost the familiarity of certain narratives, themes, and topics.