So, it seems a lot of you reacted negatively to my previous article about the Ms. Universe pageant. If that’s the case, good. As I’ve said in a lot of my previous articles, I’m not here to coddle you. As I once said under a different name: “I came that you may know pain and have it in abundance!”
However, based on the reactions, not a lot of people understood what I was trying to say. So I’m going to try to explain but I’m not going to make it hurt less. In fact, I’m just going to make it hurt more.
Are you ready?
I was asked about my opinion about Ms. Japan who had African features instead of Asian. Well, all I have to say is… I think she’s gorgeous! But what about you guys? What did you guys think of her?
I’m pretty sure that a lot of you who are clamoring for the European beauty of Ms. Wurtzbach were looking down on Ms. Miyamoto because of her dark skin. Don’t deny it. I know some people who were already assuming she was some kind of “Aeta” native to Japan when they saw her and were giggling.
Look, the thing is, I’m not saying I’m not satisfied with Ms. Wurtzbach’s victory. What I’m saying is that why do so many of us consider only European features as beautiful? Indeed, when we see dark-skinned people, there are those of us who are quick to label them as “ugly”. Note that in many teleseryes, the best way to make a character ugly is to darken their skin. Most infuriating of all is the idea that light skin is “kutis mayaman” (complexion of the wealthy) while dark skin is “pangkatulong” (for servants or maids).
Many of us are still beholden to Europeans and their standards of beauty and are largely unable to recognize any other form of beauty aside from that.
You people accuse me of being “racist” when so many of you look down on people that don’t fit European standards of beauty. This is especially true with people who have African features. So, let me ask you, what if Ms. Miyamoto was the Philippine candidate? Would we actually support her?
My point here is that why do we only see European features as beautiful? What about the women who don’t have European features? Does that mean that Filipinas that lack European features aren’t beautiful? Does that mean that Filipinas who have tanned skin (or darker) are ugly? Why can’t we have beauty contestants who look less European? Does being European automatically translate to being beautiful?
Why can’t we see other forms of beauty in our own countrywomen? A person can have dark skin and still be drop-dead-gorgeous. Unfortunately, that’s not something a lot of us can see. Many of us are still beholden to Europeans and their standards of beauty and are largely unable to recognize any other form of beauty aside from that.
Until we see other forms of beauty in our own countrywomen, then I doubt we will be able to recognize true “beauty” when we are finally graced by its presence. At the end of the day, we’re still stuck with colonial mentality because we’re still unable to see the beauty of non-European features.
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