This work has not been peer reviewed by the University of the Philippines Rainbow Research Hub or its project members.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
Linus (they/them): Re-claiming queerness through a self-revelatory performance
Lee T. Lim
𝑳𝑰𝑵𝑼𝑺 (𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚/𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎) is a devised solo performance that focuses on queer embodiment and gender performativity. A self-revelatory performance is a form of drama therapy that probes current personal issues in need of investigation, healing or transformation through the creation of an original theatrical piece (Emunah 2016). This performance as research sought to answer the question: How can one re-claim their queerness through a self-revelatory performance?
This creative thesis performance specifically utilized the performer’s body, voice and movement in storytelling while distinguishing the nuances of gender performativity through the lens of an actor-dramaturg. Most importantly, the performance was intended to be a seed for public critique while fostering a safe space for queer folks– thereby extending from self to community.
Coming from a conservative Catholic-Filipino upbringing, I found that most of my conflicts with my own identity are heavily influenced by my culture and society. As a naĂŻve child, I was molded into something I did not choose for myself, but now I have the agency to go against the grain and re-work myself into who I was really meant to be.
With the help of Asst. Prof. Olivia Kristine D. Nieto as my thesis adviser and acting coach, collaborators for devising: Janina Mendoza and Magiliw, and collaborators for movement: Jomelle Era and Deborah Lemuel, my performance slowly took shape after almost a year of creative process. I also performed an excerpt and received feedback from other queer and Philippine ballroom folks at an open studio event of We Are Shapeshifters in Escolta, Manila– my newfound safe space.
Linus was born from the different names I live/d– in childhood, adolescence, and the present state of flux. Anduy was the pet-name I was given by my biological family at childhood– I was wishful. Leandro is my given name– I was pretentious. Lee is my chosen name for myself– I am yearning. After passing through a state of liminality–a push and pull of being able to reveal myself– I chose courage and ended the performance with an ellipsis– Linus…
This performance as research documented the process of conceiving a self-revelatory performance and how it continues to affect me until now. Conceiving a self-revelatory performance required patience, self-compassion, and most of all, courage. The courage to assert one’s individuality in a society that fears non-conformity.
*A year after the self-revelatory performance of 𝑳𝑰𝑵𝑼𝑺 (𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚/𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎), I realized that the performance was only a starting point of my metamorphosis. In fact, the persona of Linus no longer resonates with me at present, compared to as it did when I was in the creative process. Since then, I have performed different queer-themed characters in theatre and film, and allowed them to be a space of self-discovery, but it is a different circumstance when embodying my own gender outside of performance. Re-claiming queerness then, is not a destination, but a journey that I choose to continually tread, whether through performance or in my performative everyday life—with community, and with care.
