Gender and Sexuality on Selected Carlos Palanca Memorial Award-Winning Short Stories and One-Act Plays

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The main purpose in doing this research is to trace the strengths as well as the misgivings of the female characters in the stories chosen in order to see how feminism, binary oppositions, and sexism have been depicted in the stories. They aim to illustrate how the display of women's want to be independent and shape their lives and the people around them slowly deconstructs patriarchy in modern Filipino Literature.

METHODS

In identifying the gender and sexuality in the selected short stories and plays, the researchers used descriptive qualitative research especially the documentary analysis. Literary analysiswill apply with the following criteria: gender stereotypes, female characters depicted in the cited literary works in relation to the following phases: Feminine, Feminist and Female, in addition to the patriarchal viewpoint of the Filipino society which may undergo deconstruction and reconstruction in the text and context of the cited works.

RESULTS

Women were treated less like human and more of a property. There is no hiding the truth that the Philippines, pretty much the same as half of the world, is a patriarchal country where men are believed to be the head of the family. On the other hand, the female characters in selected literary pieces showed the idea that women and men are equal in society. They manifested it through their words and actions when they proved that women can protect themselves in their own without the help of men.

DISCUSSIONS

Female characters deconstructed patriarchal structure and belief that men are more superior and more powerful than women. This research enlightenedthe idea that men and women are equal in terms of identity, rights, roles and strengths.