Growing up, I had thought I had a pretty good idea of what it means for an individual to be considered a woman. However, by the time I reached the age of 22, I started to wonder what it truly means for a person to be even considered a man or a woman. 

          Looking back, I have always hated traveling to other countries. Countries wherein the whole notion of being a woman depend on one’s physical appearance and demeanor. Especially in South Korea in which a woman must have a slim figure, a small face, small lips, straight eyebrows, and flawless skin. Including a woman’s characteristic of being a goody-two-shoes. At this moment, I wondered too why no individual can think about women without considering one’s features, behavior, and appearance. 

          While this may be true, the whole idea of femininity in the Philippine context upsets me more than that of other countries. In the Philippines, we Filipino women, are generally assumed to be best for households and are viewed as a perfect wife. For instance, Filipina Women are expected to be the ideal wife material as they possess characteristics such as the trait of being obedient, loving, ambitious, and willing to put in the effort for the person they love. Resulting in them continuously being shackled in a chain called perfection.

          At an early age, my parents thought unto me the concept of femininity. When I wanted to take up basketball, my parents instead urged me to take up painting and sent me to art and craft facility as they concurred it was a much more feminine-like activity. As a child, I was not particularly good at art, that facility for me became a prison for creating an unending ocean of feminine compositions.

          In the field of Philippine sports, particularly basketball, men are often presumed to be better than women. Resulting in men’s basketball is much more emphasized than that of women’s basketball. When I first began playing basketball, I often ask myself if I made the right decision. A few months later of hiding this hobby from my parents, the coach in my school told me to pursue a different career because basketball is not an activity for girls. 

          Many people might dispute this, but that is because those people have recognized a woman’s effort in trying to prove that a particular sport is suitable for them as well. However, despite this, some are forced into a career or a hobby that is compatible to being a woman.

          During the Spanish Colonization, women were belittled, leading to the roles of women primarily being housekeeping and childbearing. As a result, women were viewed to be reserved, shy, and submissive to men. And because of the norms set by the Spaniards, the Filipina’s characteristics of being assertive, active, and enterprising have been kept hidden. Giving birth to the Philippine’s context of femininity and the prevailing views of Filipino Women today. The common opinion of Filipinas’ being delicate, weak, and greedy.

          After many years, I decided to quit basketball and instead trained to become an actress. But despite my switch in careers I still found it considerably difficult for the prevalent stereotype of Filipina’s to be entirely eradicated. In the field of entertainment, women are expected to be better than men when it comes to acting because they are much more sensitive to feelings than men are. Resulting in others, disregarding the efforts actresses have put in honing their skills in acting, and simply perceives that women are naturally talented. 

          Not too long ago, when I was visiting Hawaii, a fellow actor asked me where I was from, so I said that I was from the Philippines. Immediately after, he told me about his experiences in the Philippines he asked whether or not I needed help financially and invited me to a club nearby. Thankfully, their instructor called before I could get a chance to slap him.

          Filipino women have always had an unpleasant reputation abroad. Wherein, the negative characteristics of a Filipino Woman outweigh to that of the positive. Which have resulted in foreigners thinking that Filipino women are easy to get as they only need money to sway and court them. A generalization, I found very insulting.

          As an individual in this society, there would be no significance in saying all of these stereotypes, as not only men but also women have set the standard of what a man and woman should be. In the end, it is up to us whether or not we choose to break free from the endless cycle of being judged upon and eradicate the different stereotypes currently existing in this age.

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Authors

• Wibawautama, Rizky
• Cruz, Janmichael Isaac I.

Date Published

December 4, 2019

Special Thanks to these people

• Ms. Aikko Pelayo our EAPP Instructor
• Tatlonghari, Elijah Mariel D.
• Rebato, Celene Joyce B.
• Banados, Joris Yvan Q.
• Daniel, Thea Lorraine L.
• Ungab, Ryne Nicole S.
• Pua, Jason Matthew Kurt P.

DISCLAIMER: This Concept Paper was written by a Man in a Woman’s Persona