A THOMASIAN author is pushing for the publication of more Pride Literature (Pride Lit), calling it a milestone in Philippine literature.
“The landscape of Philippine literature is changing. We have publishers na meron talagang Pride Lit. Because of this milestone, more people, even writers, are inspired or engaged to write more about LGBT stories,” John Jack Wigley said during the launching of his first book of fiction titled “Kadenang Bahaghari” at The Roxy Place Tomas Morato on Friday.
Wigley, former director of the UST Publishing House (USTPH), explained that Pride Lit is not just about the LGBTQ community.
“Ngayon, masyado tayong after sa labels. Kailangan kapag [Pride Lit] dapat ba kwento ‘yan ng mga bakla, ng mga tomboy lang?” Wigley said.
“Ang lahat ng tao nagmamahal, nasasaktan, may pinagdadaanan. I want to write about struggle [and] why people are pained because of something,” he added.
Wigley said he also considered writing “a struggle.”
“Ang pagsusulat ay parang paghuhubad. It’s a form of shedding off, and I think it takes a lot of courage to be able to write something […] with a topic like this na sensitibo,” he said.
Wigley earlier wrote memoirs titles “Falling into the Manhole” and “Home of the Ashfall,” published by USTPH in 2012 and 2014, respectively.
The event, titled “Pride Lit Launch,” was organized by Precious Pages and Lampara Books. Leigh Anne E. Dispo
