The pandemic momentarily stopped the association in public spaces just after the social outbreak. Since March 2020, the mandatory confinement for almost two years left society with a tedious mood that, upon its end, has seriously affected coexistence in different parts of the country.
In the meantime, the construction of virtual ties led to the proliferation of multiple activities, among them, literary workshops. From there, this book emerged: “Lesbian Chronicles” (2023) directed by Monserrat Ovalle, and which corroborates the free, systematic attitude and persistence of those present, those who have their sexual diversity in common.
I found the copy in the Santiago library, which belongs to the country’s public library network, and was on display along with other works from SME publishers. However, the reader can find it in PDF on the Lesbian Reading Workshop dissemination platform (
According to the reading mediator Monserrat Ovalle, this workshop has been taking place since 2019 and includes twelve fiction writings, including poems and stories. Like the work, the design, layout, and editing were carried out in a joint effort by writers such as Pau Lorca, Caro Inalaf, Cristi lavín Miquel, Carola Bartola (also with the cover collage), Lala Aliaga, Ka Quiroz, Ale Cerna , Jeannette Meneses Ulloa, Alicia Morales, Carol Seguel C., Cami Olavarría and finally, Alicia Morales in the illustrations.
All of them in search of dialogue and creation, based on their experiences as sexual-affective dissidents that settle within a political and literary field due to the scarce representation of the lesbian imaginary.
All the authors develop youthful, subversive or oppositional literary themes in search of freedom and representation: Pau Lorca with the poem “Patria” and “Soñarte wakes up” by Jeannette Meneses Ulloa, Caro Inalaf in the story “Más ten”, “las nuns they never knew” by Cristi Lavín Miquel, the reel on alternative albums in Talcahuano “Under the mirror ball your precocious body danced” by Lala Aliaga, the testimony of Cami Olavarría in “Avignolo”, the exploration of the erotic by Alicia Morales in “Lake in Flames” and explorations of lesbian-polyamory in “Decisiones” by Ale Cerna, impossible relationships in “Trato de senoritas” by Ka Quiroz.
Just like many publications or anthologies that are launched after meeting in literary workshops, “Lesbian Chronicles” (2023) is a work that promotes the creative exercise of a probable group of writers who, for the first time, share their life experience as dissidents.
By persevering in the elaboration and dissemination of literature, we hope that they will perfect the technique and open the range of themes that they defend.
Datasheet:
Lesbian Chronicles (2023) VV.AA. Publishing House: Ovalle, Monserrat, 60 pages.
