Theme

Humanities, Arts and Education

A Visual Analysis of SOGIE-themed Children’s Storybooks from Mulat Sulat

Authors

Audrey Leigh T. De Leon, De La Salle UniversityFollow
Cassandra Louise A. Ma, De La Salle UniversityFollow
Jennifer Shan E. Ou, De La Salle UniversityFollow
Belle Beatriex' M. Alemania, De La Salle UniversityFollow

Research Advisor

Belle Beatriex' M. Alemania

Abstract

Children’s storybooks play a crucial role in the significance of sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression (SOGIE) and the realities of gender-based representation. Although previous literature has analyzed books through textual analysis, there remains a gap in the visual analysis of SOGIE-themed Filipino children’s books. Therefore, this study focuses on the visual representation of characters in 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 how illustrations are depicted through various visual elements. Additionally, this study utilized Bisht’s (2020) coding template to systematically develop themes and examine how these visual representations shape perceptions and convey meaning. 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 are 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 signifies defiance of gender stereotypes through symbols such as a closet, a rainbow, and butterflies. While Mulat Sulat’s 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.

Recommended Citation

De Leon, A. L. T., Ma, C. L. A., Ou, J. S. E., & Alemania, B. B. M. (2025). A visual analysis of SOGIE-themed children’s storybooks from Mulat Sulat. Sinaya, (4)3, 1–47. https://doi.org/10.59588/3027-9283.1262