Queens as Homo Narrans: Resistance and Solidarity... - Gene Segarra Navera @ SOAS 2026

Queens as Homo Narrans: Resistance and Solidarity in the Rhetorical Practices of Filipina Beauty Queens Speaker(s): Gene Segarra Navera Recorded: Day 3 – Archipelagic Tongues: SOAS Philippine Studies Conference 2026, 2:45–3:45 (Room KLT) Session: Semiotics / Cultural Studies Gene Segarra Navera teaches writing, communication, and interdisciplinary courses at the National University of Singapore where he serves as a Deputy Director at the Centre for English Language Communication and a Fellow at the Tembusu College, University Town. Gene writes in the areas of rhetoric, critical discourse studies, and writing and communication pedagogies. He also writes on popular culture and has recently published a book that interrogates the beauty industry, pageant culture, and fandom in the Philippines. Abstract: This paper critically examines the rhetorical practices of contemporary Filipina beauty pageant queens, analyzing their public discourse both on stage and across social media. Drawing on Walter Fisher’s concept of homo narrans, I argue that these queens are not mere figures of spectacle but intentional storytellers and active agents who navigate a system historically designed to constrain them. By analyzing statements made during competitions and through personal digital platforms, this study identifies a dual rhetorical movement: an acknowledgment of personal vulnerability and self-awareness, coupled with a capacity for social and political engagement. I contend that through rhetorical acts of resistance, coalition-building, and solidarity, these women offer alternative visions for the communities they represent. I also demonstrate how these rhetorical acts resonate with the radical choices made by Filipina queens under the American colonial regime at the turn of the 20th century and the authoritarian rule of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. Ultimately, viewing queens as homo narrans does more than shatter stereotypes of the “superficial” contender; it explains the enduring Filipino fascination with pageantry and positions these women as central figures in the ongoing making and remaking of the Filipino nation.