A Visual Analysis of SOGIE-themed Children's Storybooks from Mulat Sulat
Document Types
Paper Presentation
School Name
DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY MANILA SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Track or Strand
Humanities and Social Science (HUMSS)
Research Advisor (Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial)
Alemania, Belle Beatriex', M.
Start Date
25-6-2025 1:00 PM
End Date
25-6-2025 2:30 PM
Zoom Link/ Room Assignment
https://zoom.us/j/97863912335?pwd=BKJm0WyfODOIZXivBFrrpyFh41m6ef.1 Meeting ID: 978 6391 2335 Passcode: 207029
Abstract/Executive Summary
Children's storybooks play a crucial role in fostering early awareness of sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression (SOGIE) and the realities of gender-based representation. Although previous studies have analyzed books through textual analysis, there remains a gap in the visual analysis of SOGIE-themed characters in Filipino children's books. Therefore, this study focuses on the visual representation of the five storybooks published under the Mulat Sulat project in 2018. This research employed the first three levels of Rodriguez and Dimitrova’s (2011) visual framing framework to analyze the depiction of characters through the denotative, stylistic-semiotic, and connotative levels. Additionally, this study utilized Bisht’s (2020) coding template to systematically develop themes and examine how these visual representations shape perceptions of identity. For the denotative level, the analysis shows that male and female characters are visually portrayed through blue and pink colors, respectively, while non-conforming characters were assigned colors, clothing, and accessories that are usually associated with opposite genders, implying an expansion of societal expectations for gender expression. For the stylistic-semiotic level, illustrators utilized positioning to indicate the isolation of non-conforming characters. The connotative level signified defiance of gender stereotypes through symbols such as a closet, a rainbow, and butterflies. While these storybooks challenge gender stereotypes by offering inclusive portrayals of non-conforming characters, the reinforcement of traditional gender norms is still dominant in these stories. Future studies may consider applying Rodriguez and Dimitrova’s (2011) fourth level of visual framing to analyze how ideological representations in SOGIE-themed children’s storybooks reflect broader societal and cultural implications.
Keywords
children's storybooks; SOGIE; visual representation; visual framing; Mulat Sulat
Research Theme (for Paper Presentation and Poster Presentation submissions only)
Gender, Human Development, and the Individual (GHI)
Initial Consent for Publication
yes
Statement of Originality
yes
A Visual Analysis of SOGIE-themed Children's Storybooks from Mulat Sulat
Children's storybooks play a crucial role in fostering early awareness of sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression (SOGIE) and the realities of gender-based representation. Although previous studies have analyzed books through textual analysis, there remains a gap in the visual analysis of SOGIE-themed characters in Filipino children's books. Therefore, this study focuses on the visual representation of the five storybooks published under the Mulat Sulat project in 2018. This research employed the first three levels of Rodriguez and Dimitrova’s (2011) visual framing framework to analyze the depiction of characters through the denotative, stylistic-semiotic, and connotative levels. Additionally, this study utilized Bisht’s (2020) coding template to systematically develop themes and examine how these visual representations shape perceptions of identity. For the denotative level, the analysis shows that male and female characters are visually portrayed through blue and pink colors, respectively, while non-conforming characters were assigned colors, clothing, and accessories that are usually associated with opposite genders, implying an expansion of societal expectations for gender expression. For the stylistic-semiotic level, illustrators utilized positioning to indicate the isolation of non-conforming characters. The connotative level signified defiance of gender stereotypes through symbols such as a closet, a rainbow, and butterflies. While these storybooks challenge gender stereotypes by offering inclusive portrayals of non-conforming characters, the reinforcement of traditional gender norms is still dominant in these stories. Future studies may consider applying Rodriguez and Dimitrova’s (2011) fourth level of visual framing to analyze how ideological representations in SOGIE-themed children’s storybooks reflect broader societal and cultural implications.
https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/conf_shsrescon/2025/paper_ghi/9
