In The Name Of The Mother: 100 Years of Philippine Feminist Poetry

Summary of Event:

Discussion of feminist poetry in this book begins in the year 1889. This was the year when the women of Malolos won in their struggle to establish an academy for the education of women. It was also in 1889 that the poems of Iloco feminist poet Leona Florentino were published and became known to the public. Florentino’s poems were included in the anthology of Mme. Andizia Wolska, the Bibliotheque Internationale des Ouvres de Femmes and was exhibited at the “Exposition Internationale” in Paris. These two events — the petition in writing by the women of Malolos to establish an academy for women, and the publication of Florentino’s poems — are historically significant in that they mark the capacity of women to have an impact in the development of literature and society, individually and collectively.

The whole book is organised around two important areas: the women’s movement and feminist poetry.