This work has not been peer reviewed by the University of the Philippines Rainbow Research Hub or its project members. The views expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Hub or its project members.
2026 Philippine Queer Studies Conference
POSTER PRESENTATION
Queer manghod and kuya-figure in original short fiction
Liane Carlo R. Suelan
This collection of five short stories in English highlights the narratives of the queer Manghod and how their relationship with their Kuya shapes their interpersonal connections, as well as influences crucial decisions such as migration and other forms of movement. The collection employs a queer studies lens and takes from readings in psychoanalysis and family dynamics. It acknowledges the family as the most basic institution of society, the first either nurturing or oppressive body encountered by a queer individual and acknowledges Stoodley’s (1957) claim that birth order is a factor affecting authority in the Tagalog family, with older siblings serving as quasi-parents to younger siblings. The queer Manghod already faces distress due to society’s perception of their sexuality. Their ideal sanctuary, then, is the home. However, factors like toxic masculinity, patriarchy, and emotional neglect, which affect the dynamics between family members, drive the Manghod to leave. Büchler (2022) states, “displacement is a constitutive of homosexual identity.” The Kuya is significant to the queer Manghod because he is faced with the choice whether to adopt traditional masculinity or to deviate from the norm in support of the Manghod. As a response to the dysfunctional quasi-parenthood of the Kuya, the Manghod is compelled to seek a Kuya-figure or to become the Kuya-figure to satisfy the absence of the ideal Kuya. Ultimately, the collection expands the discussion on sibling roles in the Filipino family and the implications of the Kuya in the identity formation and relationship-building of the queer Manghod.