“Some stories need telling, and they need to be heard.”
– Mata Hati Kita/ The Eyes of Our Hearts, Angela M. Kuga Thas (Editor) & Jac sm Kee (Editor)
Mata Hati Kita is an anthology comprising 24 first-person narratives of lesbians, bisexual women, and transgender people. This collection speaks of our shared struggles of being human, of loving, of living for oneself and of living for others. This book was published into public domain at a time when no one expected such a book to sit on the shelves of book stores around Malaysia.
Mata Hati Kita was positively reviewed by Nik Abdul Razak who was then a member of the Islamic political party, PAS, but is currently a member of the Islamist political party, Amanah. The review in the Malay language can be found here. One of the readers, Jin Chi, who once held reservations about supporting LGBTQ rights, shared his thoughts on the book. You can read his reflections here.
It was also reviewed by Por Heong Hong in the Kyoto Review of Southeast Asia, and four of the stories were featured in Malaysiakini (I am not gay, I want the power of a man, My dad the romantic, and Madonna!, My husband beats me, just like any woman). The online version has 25 stories.
Mata Hati Kita is part of KRYSS Network’s initiative to harness the power of storytelling in fostering empathy, understanding, and acceptance for diverse voices within our society.
You can now get a copy (print and online version) at Gerakbudaya.
