Philippines: Racism and colonial mentality

[wesleypeterson]

Racist acts are almost always portrayed on media — especially TV. A great example for this is the 2011 TV Show Nita Negrita. The show, which ran for 4 months, was about a dark-skinned Filipina who got discriminated because of her skin color. It could've been a good plot: a bullied girl who conquers the problems and obstacles in her life. But, what was wrong was that instead of casting an actual dark-skinned Filipina actress, a fair-skinned actress was painted black instead. It was also pointed out how super exaggerated and dark the make-up was — it was so dark that it resembled the color of charcoal. The most recent TV show that implied racist thoughts is based from an online novel entitled Maid for Korean Boys that was broadcasted in 2015. The main character of the show was a dark-skinned, curly-haired maid. The actress of this show was also fair-skinned and was only painted to appear darker. This has happened so many times in Filipino Television. Shows usually patronize the white and the rich and condemn the dark and the poor. The question is: why is this discrimination happening in the Philippines? The main reason is that Filipinos still have this colonial mentality. Colonial Mentality, as stated by Jon Royeca (2010) in an article on the emanila site, is the thinking that foreign talents and products are always the good, the better, and the best, and that the local ones are of poor or no quality at all. If you notice, Filipinos value fair-skinned people more than the average morenas. By thinking that these people are better than the other, it is already considered discrimination. Filipinos almost always associate whiteness with wealth. Have you ever seen a TV show where the rich ones are the dark-skinned ones? Even if there are shows that portray that, they're not known and there are only so few of them. By broadcasting these shows on television, it can create an effect on people. The Cultivation Theory by Gerbner states that TV can affect how people think reality is. It can alter how they view the world. For example, showing racist shows will give the impression that it's a norm in society and it just happens everyday. It is bad enough that there is a possibility that it can be a norm in society, more so if people tolerate this kind of behavior. So, does racism exist in the Philippines? Yes, it does. End the ignorance and be informed. Nobody wants to be called racist, right? (Fhrea Zenntine Malinit)

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[Iloko]

Yeah fair skin is often but not everytime prized in Philippine society. If your outward appearance is that of a mestizo/mestiza you're bound to receive a wealth of smiles as you walk down the streets of Manila or are out paying your groceries or eating at a fancy restaurant. Probably due to the Hispanic/American/colonial impact on filipino culture and mentality. The trend of pinoy machismo probably also dates back to the colonial times. Many years ago you couldn't put filipinos and koreans on the same basketball court as fights were bound to ensue; funny thing though is koreans are immigrating to Manila like crazy these days and want to live amongst us, a people who they often deem as inferior

[Odin]

Funny thing though is koreans are immigrating to Manila like crazy these days and want to live amongst us, a people who they often deem as inferior.

Because of filipino wives?

[Benacer]

Fair skin is valued in a wide range of cultures, particularly for women, because darker skin is traditionally associated with poor laborers who spend the most time under the sun outdoors. I suppose the colonial mentality also adds to the idea that lighter-skin=elite, but this is a phenomenon even in countries that don't have this sort of European colonial history. For instance, in places like China, fair skin for women was valued even before contact with Europeans. Women from Ancient Greece used parasols so that their skin wouldn't tan.

[Iloko]

Because of filipino wives?

Actually no...they actually come here to study the English language because education for it is very cheap in Manila as opposed to other places in the world. Korean men usually arrive with their korean girlfriends and wives to either study or work or to live; there are also some very posh areas of Manila where many of them choose to reside which is much more affordable for them than living back in Korea. Some study english language, others work as electricians, or even in call centers. I believe a few do take on pinay wives but as far as I know most do not. Japanese on the other hand are virtually non-existent in the Manila residency in comparison to the Koreans.

[Survivor]

White Supremacy...

[1R0N M4N XL]

it's not colonial mentality, its not racism.. just common sense!

people who stay in the sun are usually farmers or laborer's or don't have luxury to buy beauty products for your skin..
it's not the color of the skin but the quality such as pimple free, wrinkle free, no scars, no aging spots, etc etc..

it's the same for teeth.. anyone who has yellow teeth, missing teeth. black spots on teeth.. most of the population will think you are too poor to afford a regular dentist service.

[zhaoyun]

Yeah fair skin is often but not everytime prized in Philippine society. If your outward appearance is that of a mestizo/mestiza you're bound to receive a wealth of smiles as you walk down the streets of Manila or are out paying your groceries or eating at a fancy restaurant. Probably due to the Hispanic/American/colonial impact on filipino culture and mentality. The trend of pinoy machismo probably also dates back to the colonial times. Many years ago you couldn't put filipinos and koreans on the same basketball court as fights were bound to ensue; funny thing though is koreans are immigrating to Manila like crazy these days and want to live amongst us, a people who they often deem as inferior

Well, I dont know about the Korean or Filipino basketball teams, but I'm pretty sure that China's basketball players are the biggest brawlers in Asia. Also, one of the tallest teams in the world. #NORDSINIDTHUGLIFE



Anyways, about associating Whiteness with wealth. Same shit, different country. Just the impact of many years of European domination, it is more nuanced in the Philippines because like Latin America, their society was formed by the Spanish colonial system, they are Catholics, and then they were colonized by the Americans. So Filipinos as a people literally were created within the European colonial framework. It's not the same for East Asians who already had strong national identities before contact with Euros, but there is also some worship of the West in East Asia, though not necessarily in the same way.

[Sekarotuinen]

Filipinos have an ultra masculine culture. I think Filipino men because of colonial influence love to imagine themselves winning a white woman because of their testostetone filled exploits.

[Óttar]

There are some half Spaniard Filipinas that are fine af!