This blog is in response to Zonah’s blog (read her entry)and her question: “am really wondering bakit sa kultura natin ang maputi, straight ang hair ay siyang tinatawag na maganda? Where do we get this concept?”My answer is way too lengthy to be posted as a reply or comment… so I thought I’d post it as a separate blog.
Here it is…
You are not alone in this sentiment… “That white is beautiful…” or “the whiter you are, the prettier you are…”
Even my husband asks me this same question… “Why do Filipinos and the Filipino women are too busy acting like they are white…? In fact, I think most of them even think they are white! Why is that, huh…?”
Quite frankly, I am offended by this question… But sadly, it is true… I have to admit… my husband is right in thinking that, we as Filipino people are guilty of acting like we are white.This attitude is very apparent, especially among Filipino elite… and even the not so elite ones.
The idea came from a request of Don who was the first to blog about the Tierra Maria Estates Scam outside of FilipinaImages.com. He wanted to hear her side of the story. Lorna, a co-founder of FilipinaImages.com also suggested that an interview is a perfect opportunity to talk to a Filipina who has used a dating site. The interview was not intended to clear Tierra Maria Estates, as the victim is clearly Mayen. Unlike most of us, Mayen does not have the financial resources to use the internet or even blog about it. Like Don, I was keen on hearing her side of the story.
How many beauty ads do we have that show how important for us Filipina women to use astringents and whitening creams to whiten and make our face beautiful? How many shampoo commercials shown with models who have long, black and shining hairs ? Baka di muna mabilang.
Kahit san ka lumingon, TV ads, posters along the EDSA, media promotions all show that only those women with fair and white complexions have the chance to be successful in their career. And even one shampoo commercial before has this line, “Baka nakapangasawa ng mayaman”, dahil may long, black and straight hair yong model and she is the envy of her circle of friends.
ONE boredom buster I’ve shared with all my friends is Googling. It’s basically just typing in random words or names on Google and looking at the websites that the search returns. It’s actually a fun way to learn new things everyday. When you type the word “falafel,” for example, you can read the origin of the famous Middle Eastern food as well as yummy recipes that teach you how to make some.
Anyway, if you’re up for it, try typing in the word “Filipina.” Here are some of the results you’ll get — Filipina Penpals, Filipina Dating, Filipina Singles, Sexy Filipina, Pinay and Exotic Models. Yes, that’s apparently the stereotypical Filipina that is shown online.
Good thing the top-ranked site now is a blog called The Filipina Images.
The telephone conversation with my mother last night was rather painful. She’s an authority in rubbing guilt and I’m the beginner in the guilt trip examination who flunked over and over again regardless of valid reasons. It’s plain and simple, one thing filipina women all feared and never talked about was divorce. That’s why when the rude awakening happened and all vital signs that the marriage is dwindling and in the brink of breaking up right in our very eyes, traditional filipina women would still choose to close their eyes and try to work it out for fear of loosing that social status of devine and traditional filipina living the normal life.
I’m the very wrong person to preach about morality or question the depth of it. But my take on relationship and marriage has long been influenced by many faces of cultures and mentality ever since I moved out of my parent’s house. And I have learned that when the box we live in becomes suffocating, we have the choice to get out of it and live outside it.
When asked by my mom, where have all my values gone? It’s actually still there inside the box and I am outside of it for the moment trying to breathe some air.
FilipinaImages.com is proud to be part of the Iblog 4 Summit which was held at the College of Law’s central auditorium, also known as Malcolm Theater. I invited all the bloggers present to contribute their stories to our portal or to even link to FilipinaImages.com.
100% Pinoy interviewed me for a segment on “Modernong Maria Clara” that was aired Thursday, April 24, 2008. The episode talked on the image and the evolution of Filipino women.
If you chanced to click on the Filipina Images link from Timothy Elllis Cumper's (alias Tim Cumper, Ellumbra) sites, please read the true story of the Tierra Maria Estates Scam Hoax or Mayen's story AND judge for yourself. Justice to the Filipina! Save our Filipinas from Exploitation.
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