Gender roles, ethics, and you
Australian bower birds
By Joe America
I have become so Filipinized that I watched the black dressed women at the Golden Globe Awards with some amazement. I felt that we . . . that is, the Philippine people . . . are just soooo, sooo far away from that kind of high-powered, organized righteousness that defends women against improper male aggression. I mean, the leading women’s rights organization in the Philippines, Gabriela, backs a president who makes rape jokes and suggests to military troops that they can take women as rewards. Trafficking in women and even girls, and child porn, are major businesses in the Philippines. They are far more damaging than drugs in my estimation.
Well, we learn at an early age that boys and girls on the way to becoming men and women have certain expectations forced on them by peers and the opposite sex. Men are to be strong and women are to be alluring. That is the way of mating. Like the Australian bower bird that builds a lavish and colorful nest to attract a mate, we men are expected not to be wimps, but to be aggressors who seek out dates and mates. And women lay their traps for us with short skirts and bouncing bosoms, and occasionally well-read minds that tease us intellectually.
These are our social roles. They consume us for a lifetime.
Yet, when we go to work at our job, a new set of standards comes into play that tries to ‘tame’ the social behaviors we’ve learned, neutralize them, and put both men and women on an objective, equal playing field. These are ethical norms or rules. Men and women are respectful of one another and ought not engage in sexual play. Men’s aggression . . . as protested at the Golden Globes . . . is wholly not acceptable. Women teasing men is wholly not acceptable.
But it is not so black and white, is it? Both sexes enjoy flirtations. Women in business suits can be quite alluring in high heels and salon-honed good looks. Men who lead companies are self-confident and can’t just set aside that confidence because a bunch of Pollyanna protesters want prudery in the work place. Their personality is strong . . . what so many women want and impose upon men through their alluring behavior growing up . . . and a 60-year old CEO is just an 18-year old mail room clerk with less staying power.
In the Philippines, not only do men and women have social roles, a different dynamic exists here in that wealth and poverty meet to make rich men . . . often foreigners, but also powerful Filipinos with mistresses in tow . . . attractive to women of little hope and money, or who are ambitious. So male power is magnified and the righteous women’s movement is mostly irrelevant. If women rise to power in the Philippines, it is because they are strong, smart, and – often – privileged.
President Duterte is admired for his bad manners. That we can see.
So what is a person to do? What are you to do? What am I to do?
Well, I go with ethical prudery on the job, and play a social role outside the workplace that complements what my wife provides. Like good cooking, as an example. I know my role. I stay out of the kitchen but am an able player at the dining table. I also stay out of other people’s bedrooms and let them make their own choices as to partners and lifestyle.
My working ‘job’ right now is to edit a blog that is read by many people. Some commenters . . . men in the main . . . make remarks that I delete, usually having to do with sex and women . . . well, one woman, mainly, Mocha Uson . . . as the target of their ummm, aggressive language. I do this knowing that Mocha Uson is herself an aggressor on many levels, and ought to be able to receive as well as dish out anything. But my job, in the arena of ethical editing, is to protect Mocha Uson from male aggression.
In a bar, my readers can say what they want to other guys, or to Mocha herself.
But here, not.
And now I turn the discussion over to readers, expecting that you will use discretion to discuss social and workplace norms, not sex. Get the distinction?
What do you think about Filipino male and female roles, both in the work place and in personal life? Do you think President Duterte’s values are wholesome as most Filipinos apparently do? Or do you think the ladies of the Golden Globes are on a better track?
I’d suggest that, in the Philippines, poverty amplifies indiscretions of behavior both in the workplace and outside, and I’d suggest that government, in the main, does a lousy job of advocating for equal behavior on the job or kind behavior outside of it. Both of the root causes of bad behavior can be addressed by government acts, to alleviate poverty and to set a better example in ethical disciplines across the board.
The Society of Honor by Joe America 
I think that nowadays, men and women have equal roles in the workplace. There are gifted, talented and smart ones out there. You’ve mentioned Mocha Uson, I think she does not represent the typical Filipina, she might be aggressive but when she talks….ah….just imagine the rest. Good morning Joeam.
Good morning, Arlene.
Good morning to you too Karl 🙂
Good morning, arlene.
JP mentioned the “Me too movement”.
Sexual harassment may soon be minimized.
Social-media harassment will soon be addressed,as well.
I complained one time of the exagerrated politicsl correctness segment of our society.
I might review or re-evaluate my position on the matter, we might need to support that segment and not shun it.
I think that the current commotion has less to do with sex and more with power. Power as in the ability to make people behave different from what they normally would do.
Changing behavior in a win-win situation is easy to accept, in a lose-lose situation it is plain stupid, the win-lose situations that are the difficult ones. In relationships and in sexual encounters most of us have a good feeling what the situation is they are in.
3 Different sources of “power” exist. Power given to you from above, by your superior position or inherited status, power coming from yourself, by knowledge or rationality and power given to you from below, due to your charisma. Power given from above is the most delicate.
So, making the other party do things they don’t like because you have the money, the social or legal position to force them to do so is questionable. If you have equal powers and it is a situation of arm-wrestling or if the power is given to you because of your exceptional looks or wit, things would be easier to accept.
Very wise observation. I would just say having power and using it to make others do what they don’t want to do is wrong, not questionable. What is interesting is that Hollywood has long been a sex field, and it is interesting to see Hollywood women unite to stop that way of conducting business. I wonder if they will at some point recognize that women, too, play power games.
Related, there is pushback from women who think the ‘me too’ movement is a witch hunt that will take values the wrong direction.
http://m.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/2127565/catherine-deneuve-and-others-defend-mens-right-seduce-women-attack
I agree that the #MeToo movement in the U.S. has at points descended into a witch hunt. No differentiation between monsters like movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and, say, Sen. Al Franken, who I believe was thrown under the bus by fellow Democrat Gillibrand. Due process is lost, ironically–given the women’s movement emphasis on basic rights.
A good salesman knows better what I need then I do myself and he might have the power to convince me, so why not using this power? Win-win. (And parents, and teachers, and bosses are often confronted with win-wins)
With power coming from knowledge, it is easy to misuse it by faking the arguments, the victim consents and later realizes that the arguments were false. I think that a lot of anger is based on such broken “promises”.
Yes women use their secret powers all the time, but this are not powers of authority, they can not force the boss to engage in something or use their money to do so. They use power given to them, by the admiration they got. Afterwards man might feel stupid, different from feeling being coerced do something.
josephivo,
I totally agree.
For example, the “victims” of Harvey Weinstein kept on coming back for more. Sure, you can say because Weinstein had power, thus the abuse and/or crime was absorbed by the women , i guess in exchange for success. How else could he have been so successful, and able to get away with it consistently for so long? My point, the “victims” need to assume the blame (at least those who readily bartered their innocence/virginity for fame/fortune).
Now victims who had no choice, not necessarily Weinstein’s victims (though i understand there’s some rape allegations), but say actual rape, that IMHO is a crime, but in the case of Hollywood where there’s apparent accepted horse trading. It’s understood. I’m sure it’s more prominent, even less discreet, in the Philippines—- i scratch your back; you scratch mine. It’s not technically prostitution, since it happens within the rules of an industry, whether entertainment, politics, corporate, etc.
p.s. ~ the rule I highlighted by SB is in my experience the norm and not the exception.
In the case of the Philippines, it’s in the culture wherein wives of powerful men, look away or feign ignorance when their men cavort with less powerful/ no power having women. Most men over there I noticed had 1 side-chick or 2.
In the Philippines I see less power abuse in “amorous” encounters and more lust-lust, thus win-win. But I admit that I’m just and outsider.
This is exactly the situation with Muslim women. Why is it they tolerate the 4 wives rules. (Who made those rules anyway.) If you have not lived amongst them you won’t understand. Muslim men control the money. Even smart Muslim women will hand over the salaries to the husband. They get allowances from the husband who controls the purse. The husband has the economic power and thus the wife accepts all conditions, including additional wives for the husband. This economic power is accentuated in a society where a women divorced by the husband is view as a bad woman and ripe for the picking. She is ostracised and men lust for them. Divorced Muslim woman lives in hiding. That’s why the wives remain subservient.
Same as with Mormon women, chemp. As for who came up with said arrangement, of course God did (he’s a man after all, LOL!).
The Philippines is a matriarchal society. An article once said that were it not for our women, our country would be gone by now. Generally speaking, males are spoiled by their mothers, and when they go wrong, the mother wipes off their mess. Having said that, Oprah’s diatribe (presidential I tell ya) doesn’t apply to us. Over here, men ought to say “Me, too,” meaning being under the saya. It is a revered institution here, being, uhm, obeisant to the wife. But there’s a caveat. Having many wives is an admired trait or condition here. Manobos abound. So, women are sex objects still, no matter their superiority over men in many aspects. Confused yet?
That is the PH I know. A matriarchal society where the women ruled the roost and wielded great power and control in all aspects of the every family members’ lives. Many Filipino children do not go for their passion but for what Mom wanted them to be as far as careers, even mates.
Growing up, I have seen so many strong and smart women who were the head of the households, some with disabled or ill husbands and some with never-do-well spouses.
Hearing about Filipinas who were completely dependent on men was news to me until I started looking around. I realized that women in different socioeconomic strata, somehow, think and behave differently.
One advantage women from a certain class upwards in the Philippines have is maids/yayas to take care of the children, so they are free to pursue academic and political careers.
While there are a number of career women in Filipino government, there seem to be less in the business world, even if there are probably more than in many other countries. Not sure.
Weren’t Aquino and Arroyo elected president in large part because of who their husband/father were? Same thing for other 3rd world women leaders, either husband/father connection, name recognition, etc. And when in office it’s their husband/sons that benefit or exploit her position (same pattern around the world).
Over here , it’s Hillary (Clinton’s wife) , now for sure there are plenty of Oprah’s here, women leaders; same as in W. Europe (not so sure in Australia). But women tend not to vote for women, I have no idea why– where men find working together natural, women tend not to be the same (do you have an answer, Anthropological, systems, etc. for this Ireneo?).
Hence the preference for men leaders (women feel secure with men leaders maybe, genetic predisposition). For example, as far as all this Oprah stuff after the Golden Globes, I’m fairly confident Oprah won’t do so well amongst black and Hispanic women, her brand is white women specific. Most blacks and Hispanic women I know hate her ( I don’t know why they just hate her, hands down they’d rather vote for say Martha Stewart, now she keepz it real! Lol!).
I saw that show. Martha is a cool cookie, Snoop a smart lad.
Good point.
I almost typed ‘it’s complicated!’ elsewhere. It is.
One of my favourite quotes is by the Prophet Mohammed, which I got from an hijab wearing Muslim woman,
I agree , knowledge is the great equalizer, but i’d also lump digging dirt on people as an act of knowledge acquisition, this is why “madams” like Heidi Fleiss, etc. are both feared and loved, re-read the last sentence of that quote 😉 .Not just armour, but sword.
That’s my FREE advice to women, Joe. LOL!
And as a matriarchal society, it abounds with all the contradictions and complexities that afflict other matriarchal societies across the world. Meaning that there is a lot of dysfunction and inequality which is perpetuated by matriarchal women as well as men. By spoiling their male children in comparison to female children, matriarchs are doing a disservice to the boys, who often spend the rest of their lives expecting yaya variants to clean up after them. I’ve seen this in top corporations as well as in Cabinet departments.
Am referring here to the Philippine context.
Much of the pent-up frustration that has driven the #MeToo movement I sense stems from what many perceive as the unfair election campaign treatment meted out to Hillary Clinton during the campaign. Whatever her weaknesses as a candidate, or what we would call her American-style “trapo” past, she was indeed subjected to innumerable put-downs and online/media aggression. Stalwarts in the U.S. women’s movement have been working to have a female president. And she was beaten in a fight that many saw as unfair, by a candidate who embodies the worst male power traits.
As Filipinos, we can look at things more dispassionately, having had two female presidents, each very different from the other, with their respective strengths and weaknesses. And those weaknesses revealed that systemic failings and flaws emerge among both male and female leaders. GMA, who coddled a string of southern Mindanao political allies (both non-Moro and Moro), allegedly had one of her favorite generals Jovito “El Verdugo [The Executioner]” go after activist/opponents. She definitely relied on the murderous Ampatuans to help secure her political base down south, giving them free reign in ARMM.
So it shouldn’t just be about giving women equal access to power. It should be about men and women adhering equally to values of fairness, equality and justice. And that includes giving accused men due process. I fear that once the emotion of #MeToo dies down, the cases will be ignored/forgotten. The guilty guys who deserve punishment will just happily slink away; and the ones who were guilty of much lesser misdemeanors will be penalized disproportionately, with entire careers ruined.
Very interesting read. Like x 10.
Jovito “El Verdugo [The Executioner]” – Palparan… scary character..
Even scarier to learn that he ran for senator in the 2016 elections–and came in at no. 30-something, I think; but among Leave of Absence Voters (LAVs)–the soldiers, policemen and teachers who could not vote on election day because of their duties–Palparan made it to the top 12 among the senatorial candidates. Indicates that a “berdugo” streak runs deep in our defense and security forces–and apparently among public school teachers.
One of the strongest evidences of matriarchy is from my witness account of some Igorotas in Germany who told me (decades ago) they don’t using Duterte’s favorite curse (“p.i”).. one told me “my mother is clearly not a w..” – she preferred “lohim” (cock) when she lost at pusoy.. interesting variant.
Clearly p.i. is an import – some Bicolanos will even use the original Spanish “h. de p.” profusely. Someone told me that the Turks invented the term and it spread to Europe via the Balkan – Serbs also use something similar – and rape jokes about dead beauties also were known during the Bosnian war.
What is also known is that Igorots don’t value virginity (or the pretense of it, which seems to have been all but dropped in modern Manila) – marriage is mandatory though if the woman gets pregnant. Many agricultural societies have similar traditions to assure that female fertility is tested beforehand. Though sometimes one does wonder about how often Philippine teens marry due to pregnancy, and asks oneself if like in my article about the twelve commandments, native values did survive a bit more.
You did have secluded virgins (binukot) among high-class lowlanders, Visayans I think in particular.
As for “Manobos” – usually the 2nd or 3rd woman is lower in social rank than the primary spouse. The primary spouse might often have a lot of authority over the man while the man can be the macho over the 2nd or 3rd wife. The only true offense can be if the 2nd (or even the 3rd wife) tries to socially upstage the first one, for example by flaunting her being with the man in public places. Then you can get situations like the famous movie scene where Angel Locsin drags Mocha Uson away by her hair.
As for metoo, there was the hashtag #Aufschrei (crying out) a few years ago here in Germany.. it fizzled out..
Liberal ex-Economic Minister Rainer Brüderle had told a journalist at the hotel bar (he had not invited her, it just so happened both were there at around 11 p.m.) that she had a good figure for a Dirndl (the Bavarian dress of the Oktoberfest) – and a year later…
..she wrote that he had “harrassed” her. It somehow coincided with a political situation where some were trying to get dirt on the Free Democrats / Liberals / yellows and a time when they were out of power anyway. Finally even some women laughed off the journalist, asking her what she might have done if he had looked like Brad Pitt.. at that time today’s youthful Liberal leader Christian Lindner wasn’t there yet, although I doubt that he would have said something like that – what Brüderle said is more the style of the older generation and not even a big deal..
this a good disco to inspire exercise for oldies.
Oprah, a victim of sexual abuse, smart, articulate, author and advocate for overcoming adversity is now being groomed to run for president.
Any takers?
No cigar.
*******
I would take Oprah over a dozen Trumps.
They both belong to the Forbes 400, Oprah at #264 ($3B) and Trump at #248 ($3.1B).
Both are flaky.
But Oprah came from poverty, was abused, and gave birth at 14.
She speaks well. He speaks… not well.
She inspires. He infuriates.
She is a seeker and a giver. He is a grabber and a taker.
She knows enough not to run for the presidency. He knows not. Sad.
*****
Oprah is shoo-in by the American Media, because:
1. Crooked Hillary is tainted. She is a crook
2. Bernie Sanders too old.
They need somebody: Oprah!
Two editions ago, CBSNews tried to pit Oprah against Trump. They ran an old news that Trump wanted Oprah his vice. FORTUNATELY, Oprah did not take the bait of NOT WANTING TRUMP, else there could have been tweeter storm and fistbooks.
There are times American Media acts like they are Philippine Media but not as much. Of course, Oprah is a vote gatherer across the spectrum of skin colors. But first be reminded when Oprah went to Switzerland to look for a handbag … she was told by the white european lady it was “TOO EXPENSIVE”, here: http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/09/world/oprah-winfrey-racism-switzerland/index.html
Oprah is a sensible person who knows herself–and the limitations of coming from celebrity and TV Land as preparation for governance. Especially now that Mr. Reality TV himself is in the White House, with historic disapproval ratings. She won’t be one of the takers, herself.
It’s Filipinos who continue to believe that electing showbiz/celebrities to Congress and Malacanang (don’t get me started on the Poes) is always a good thing, despite all evidence to the contrary.
That includes Duterte. His action star pose including rolled-up barong sleeves is truly interpreted by many as “we now FEEL we really have a President who makes decisions”. “Ramdam na meron nang Presidente ngayon” – mind you not masa people, in fact UP people. This is tragic because the results will only remain a feeling as well – until reality bites back or the TRAIN runs over them also. Not the train coming on the 3D movie screen, a real TRAIN.
Irieneo if I may. I am a UP people. I am amazed not at the criticisms on us but on the misevaluation (overvaluation) of UP people resulting into gross disappointments by so intellectually many. We are mere eche bucheches of facts and hearsays. Could be that the fault is not in ours but in the Filipino Stars. If us UP people is a product, there is caveat emptor. I feel bad, like a sucker if and whenever I bought a defective product. It may be like statistics. In the bell distribution, the geniuses and the morons are at the extreme low percentages. The UP people is a population.
to all TSoH born in January, advanced or belated Happy Birthday.
Thank you, pinsan.
you are welcome, Primo.
Pleassssssssse… Trump and Oprah, are like W. Bush and Michelle (two peas in a pod):
I have heard and read a little about women’s lib and saw the film with Demi Moore as the boss of Michael Douglas; also I know a little and can speculate on women of power like Cleopatra, Nefertiti, Imelda, Cory, Gloria, Helen Keller, Oprah Winfrey, Queen Elizabeth, etc. . Also of women earning hundred of millions of dollars via their boobs and vagina. To do so will be like trying to put into one’s pocket ice or water for a great purpose. SO, SO WHAT? Equality of the sexes LGBTs (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgenders) so a wannabe philosopher might claim are mere emotions of man, mere emissions from their organic bodies.
It is good Joe Am lighted the candle to illumine further the flash of light that for decades remained faint flickers. To me It’s a start to bridge the abysmal gap between HONOR and KNOWLEDGE. The Socratic way meanders like a river. If brown lives matter, then it must first matter, be of value FIRST to the browns before it matters to others. I see that among Filipinos at home or overseas. Overseas Filipinos work hard and obey the law and cops don’t shoot them. At home when cops shoot them because authorities alleged lives don’t matter to them anymore, Filipinos stand fast to assert COPS are wrong. That’s one reason there was for soldiers, there was BLOODLESS EDSA. BLM (B for brown)- brown lives matter.
EQUALITY of the sexes, my foot with kalyo!! In any time and space, in many lifetimes, that is a never ending activity which will unlikely become an event. The religious don’t pontificate on it: Equality of the sexes as a perfect calm (not storm) happens only in the afterlife or in HEAVEN. Not so in ephemeral earth.
But, BUT, Sherlock Holmes will may be admonished his friend: ” It’s elementary Dr. Watson, it’s good manners and right conduct defined into laws. Violate it and you go to jail or get punished. Who goofed? Sorry Joe Am if my surfing mind failed to follow the flow.
*******
1. The grossest mistreatment and harassment of women in recent times has come from Duterte. There are more than the following 3 instances:
1.1. The case of the Australian missionary who was raped and killed. For her, Duterte wished the Mayor had been the first to rape her.
1.2. The case of Senator Leila De Lima who investigated Duterte for his death squads in Davao. For her, Duterte and his cohorts had her jailed on trumped up charges and made her the subject of the vilest questions and answers ever heard in Congress. There were claims that she starred in a sex video, and Duterte joked he would show it to the Pope after Francis gifted her with a rosary.
1.3. The case of Vice President Leni Robredo who, at first, was not invited to the presidential inauguration nor given a Cabinet position. And then, after serving in the Cabinet for a while, she was improperly instructed to desist from attending meetings. Duterte is said to have made inappropriate remarks about her knees.
2. In Duterte, we find the gamut of Filipino men’s attitudes to the dominant female archetypes:
2.1. The Queen – was represented by his mother. For most Filipinos, this was/is Cory and Gloria.
2.2. The Nurturer – is represented by his wives. For Filipinos, this is the dominant female archetype. If Filipino culture is patriarchal in form, the dominance of this archetype in the home makes it matriarchal in fact.
2.3. The Seductress/Lover – is represented by Mocha and Lorraine. For Filipino men, this is the mistress.
2.4. The Maiden – is represented by the Australian missionary and, to a certain extent, the Vice President. For Filipinos, this is Maria Clara.
2.5. The Wise Women – is represented by his furies — De Lima, Sereno, and Conchita-Morales.
3. I think people’s attitude toward Leni is ambivalent and indistinct because she falls into several archetypes. She is primarily the Nurturer and a Maiden. She has rejected the role of the Huntress. And she is not yet the Queen.
4. It will be noted that Asian men, in general, and Filipino men, in particular, do not exhibit the misogyny of Western men when it comes to the exercise of political power. We have had two women presidents. The U.S. has had none. Oz had one female Prime Minister but she was horribly mistreated. She was Julia Gillard and she is famous for her 2012 Misogyny Speech.
5. I will note that Pia Wurtzbach was recently criticized for wanting a gay son. The criticism was based on her expectations of the child’s gender role in dressing her up and doing her make-up. I think the LGBT community should save and direct their firepower to religions that hold homosexuality is a sin.
*****
“Duterte is said to have made inappropriate remarks about her knees.” somewhere I read that “makinis ang tuhod” among Visayans means a woman who does not want to do hard work – the response of some to that was “does Duterte think hard work for women means scrubbing the floor or giving a blowjob, those kinds of work where you scrape your knees?”. Allegedly he did not see any results in her HUDCC work, which is from what I gather a wrong evaluation.
Long ago, cowboy (vaquero) movies, even spaghetti western get a share of my school allowance. There’s this one: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly title that sticks to memory. We have this too it seems in Philippine Women in Power Politics. Edgar did not name them but may be other TSoH commenters can guess who they are: the Good but plain housewife, the Bad and the Beauty and the Better forget it.
I am a troll of whatever every time I write that I am for or against somebody or something. I go with the flow but also watch for the freak wave that could be the correct message from kingdom come.
http://www.interaksyon.com/frances-deneuve-denounces-metoo-campaign-for-puritanism/
As an OFW in Papua New Guinea, I joined the highlanders and the islanders in their pride for Birds of Paradise, the males and females of the specie.
You know why the male birds look like that? It’s the female birds, they judge, chose and make their preference known. So maybe human females are confused? Though https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_dimorphism (ie. male/female size difference) is apparent in W. and Northern Europe.
What do you expect from Hollywood? The black dressed women at the Golden Globe Awards was nothing more than a political stunt. Wearing black will not change anything in Hollywood. A message from #TimesUp organizers was sent at the last minute to attendees to wear black in protest of men who harass women. Self-absorbed actresses, who for the most part happen to be left-wing Democrats like Meryl Streep, who happily had worked for Weinstein and knew he was mistreating aspiring actresses, wore black as per script to show make-believe empathy for female victims. Oprah herself was accused back in November of being a Weinstein enabler. Instead of stunts, these successful women should have gone public and exposed Hollywood’s little dirty secret. Oprah for President in 2020 is yet just another Hollywood leftist political stunt.
In the Philippines, the role of men and women at home and at work has been defined traditionally and there has not been much public and organized objection to change this. In general people accept their roles… perhaps there are a few who migrate to another country where they can adopt less traditional roles.
out of topic, may be out of TSoH world.
Intl press freedom watchdog picks year’s top ‘press oppressors’
By News5 | InterAksyon
| January 9, 2018, 9:52 PM
http://www.interaksyon.com/intl-press-freedom-watchdog-picks-years-top-press-oppressors/
THIS COULD BE –The New Year’s top news for snoozers and dummies. GO, GO, GOOGLE for countless articles, for books written by these top ‘press oppressors’ crucifying the apostles of press freedom and scratch your head to habituate an upside down world. Give them press freedom watch dogs some awards and be the top ‘press oppressor’. I am joking of course.
Living in the land of the Bower bird, I find it amusing that the sexual antics of a tiny & unrepresentative group of men & women in Hollywood movie/TV land, are thought about and discussed by Filipinos and Filipinas.
The Philippines is so, so, different to the USA. They are two totally different cultures in two very distant parts of the planet. I guess it’s a hangover of US colonialism.
Or maybe not. The same stories have been in the headlines here in Oz and echoed by some Oz women with grudges to mouth on about. As the media here ? Well they are locked into the eternal 24 hour spin cycle…With today’s headline to be replaced by something entirely different tomorrow.
Me ? I don’t even read it. I am very happy with my own very lovely Filipina lady.
*******
Bully for you, Bill!
*****
Edgar, I do hope that you say this is positive way and not cynically…
*******
Rest easy, mate. If you know me, you would know I do not have a cynical bone — or hint of malice —
in my body.
*****
It is not a topic of discussion in the Philippines as far as I know.
To women who have been abused, it is a big deal. Hollywood mogul Weinstein evidently threatened to ruin careers, and did ruin careers, if women did not comply. Imagine if the head of a hospital did that with nurses. The problem in the US is broad, outside of Hollywood.
The method of protest is not unlike sports figures kneeling for the national anthem to protest racial slights and immigration restrictions against Muslims. It is a part of the passion and free speech Americans hold dear . . . and use . . . that push the nation toward greater thoughtfulness and compassion in how people deal with people.
You are right, the Philippines has no set of loud, unified voices rising to demand better treatment of used and abused women. Senator Hontiveros fights the battle pretty much alone. There are way more abused women here than in the US, I suspect.
I can understand Bill’s apathy, and it is a bs “movement”, like #BlackLivesMatter and other such hashtag baffoonery. But things that happen in America usually reverberates around the world, especially when it comes to Hollywood.
Now China (I’m sure using HK’s know-how) is getting into the trillion dollar propaganda churning movie industry as well , but i doubt they’ll do any #MeToo or #TimesUp stunts ; the other big movie industry I know of there is India, and they’re too busy dancing around to care.
Australia I don’t think has a movie industry, hence why Australians in entertainment come here.
Thanks by the way for Fat Amy, Bill.
I suppose if you were an abused woman, or disenfranchised black, or Muslim immigrant, or abused choir boy I might listen harder.
I get the sense of sniggering overseas white boys in the locker room rather than engaged Filipinos, and maybe that is a sign the blog is not really doing the job for which it was intended. I need to calculate if it is just this article, of the entire blog that has failed.
Stay there, Bill.
Before #metoo & #womeninblack became rallying cry in the U.S. PHILIPPINES IS WAY FAR AHEAD OF THE CURVE !!!
Philippines have had:
1. Santiago, Poe presidential candidates. NOBODY ASKED THEM ABOUT GENDER. GENDER WAS NOT AN ISSUE. Sanity was. Citizenship was. Source of Poe’s Birth was.
2. Cory and Gloria were ex-Presidents. NOBODY ASKED THEM ABOUT GENDER.
3. BIR which is equivalent in function to IRS the tax collection agency is run by a woman: KIM HENARES
4. COA run by Grace Tan
5. Ombudsman
6. Department of Health
7. Supreme Court
8. Current Presidential Spokesperson Mocha Uson – Nobody raised furor over her porn past and present
9. ex-President Benigno Aquino’s presidential spokesperson
10. Television women anchor … Philippines were the first !
11. openly gay personalities are embraced in the Philippines
I may be conservative but I am not gender biased nor homophoboic I believe in women’s capability to run the country and to thieve the country which is represented by ex-President Gloria Arroyo. Unfortunately, she was acquitted due to prosecutorial bumbling. They tattle-tale to the Philippine Media. That made Gloria ready to counter-attack with counter-affidavits. Another was Queen of PDAF. Acquitted of kidnapping!
Women in the Philippines have equal-opportunitIes in employment, politics and in corruption !
FILIPINOS LOVE WOMEN and women loves Filipinos = 110,000,000 Little Filipinos
Agreed, women of entitlement are equal to men of entitlement in the Philippines. But where wealth is power, how about poor women. Are they equal? Need we be concerned that Gabriela supports Duterte?
I was told women in the Philippines run the household. Men are afraid of them. Men turn in their pay to their wife. Wife give men only a jeepney fares to work and a “Tupperware” ! “Tupperware”? Huh? Why “Tupperware”? This Tupperware lost me. Or I did not get it at all. Well, men turn in their pay. They get jeepney fares in return and a Tupperware.
When I was in Davao (not Davos) I saw Filipino women milling about a construction work site with kids in tow. I asked around what is going on! Is there a strike? No, there is no strike. Women were there to collect their husbands from work and collect the pay of their husbands. WoW!!! That cannot happen in the U.S. She’d get divorced and restraining order.
Anyone here gone to any prisons in the Philippines? Well, I have. Try weekends. You see women in their finery and giggling toddlers waiting in line for prison gates to open to see their husbands and fathers and love ones. ISN’T THAT WONDERFUL TO LOOK AT? Despite of it all they visit their husbands regularly? NOT IN THE U.S. They have become pariah of the wife, family and society. NOT IN THE PHILIPPINES because the Filipinos know they are INNOCENT they are just found guilty because someone wrote excellent English in notarized Affidavit.
Go to SM Malls in Metro Manila. Any malls. Go there at lunch. You see men bringing their love ones working at malls … aha! now, I get it, “TUPPERWARE” ! A Tupperware of food !!! See comment above. Their husbands, lover bring them Tupperware of food for lunch ! and eat together. I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN THE U.S. A husband bringing food to his wife would be labeled as sissy.
Who really liberated the Filipino women? Someone whispered to me: TETCHIE AGBAYANI !!!
Tetchie Agbayani was front and centerfold in July 1982 Playboy edition. The country convulsed. The church ex-comm’ed her. Tetchie Agbayani put the Philippines in the map. 3 and a half years later in February President Marcos abdicated and flew to Honolulu.
Ms. Agbayani was the last reigning brown beauty. Another brown beauty, Nora Aunor, was promoted by Imelda Marcos. After the furor and the abdication of the Marcos Family the Filipinos never adored brown skin Filipino woman again. They picked imported crossed-bred half-white English-speaking Filipino woman imported from America. Never again Filipinos see a Filipino sashaying in the runway.
It was Imee Marcos Manotoc that ran Experimental Cinema of the Philippines that produced epic cinema director Ishmael Bernal (not related to Gael Garcia Bernal my favorite fine Mexican actor who starred in Motorcycle Diary the life of the Che Guevara) and noteworthy movie production. It was Imee that open the floodgates of porn under the guise of art and cinematography. She also promoted “BROWN IS BEAUTIFUL” Filipinos never caught on.
If Filipinos love their color. Their looks. Who they are. THEY WILL LOVE PHILIPPINES. Unfortunately, they do not they leave Philippines.
Currently the appointment log of Dr. Vicky Belo is two years wait. I just wish Dr. Hayden Kho assists the long line.
Maita Gomez. Medial Student. A beauty queen and one of Manila’s top fashion models in the 60s who joined the communist guerrillas leader during the martial law regime of President Ferdinand Marcos. She was brown as a gorilla and strong as King-Kong. Another lady communist leader beauty queen Nelia Sancho. Was arrested. Cellmate of Maita Gomez.
They had the looks. They had the “brains”. Their pointing fingers were comfortable with a trigger. I put “brains” in quote because it reminded me of Donald Trump to McCain: “He’s not a war hero,” said Trump. “He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.”
I have ended discussion on this article while I am traveling. I have deleted one post that I believe was trolling, and think some of the other comments are also not in the spirit of earnest discussion I had imagined.