COLORISM IN THE PHILIPPINES

This blog was prepared and accomplished by Ysabel Red in her personal capacity. The opinions expressed in this blog are the author's own.

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Colorism ​is when individuals with darker skin tones are discriminated against, whereas those with whiter complexion are granted precedence. The Philippines has been dealing with this issue for hundreds of years. Light and fair skin is the ideal beauty standard in the country. White-skinned people gain limitless possibilities, will be treated better than others, and be praised and desired. Dark-skinned Filipinos, on the other hand, will be insulted and shamed by society.

History

The history of colorism in the Philippines can be traced back to Spanish colonization. As a result, the Spaniards associated dark-skinned Filipinos as impoverished yet mixed-raced Filipinos with a lighter complexion or mestizos were considered wealthy and upper-class. The Spaniards made us believe that we were inferior in our own homeland.

Present Day

Five hundred years have passed, and the impact is still present today. Skin whitening has now become a multibillion-dollar industry. The mainstream media has influenced us by casting fair-skinned actors in leading roles in movies and television shows. Commercials and advertisements invest heavily to highlight colonial beauty. The industry implies that Filipinos are only deemed appealing if they have a white, light complexion. It has become instilled in our beliefs that Filipinos with dark skin are unattractive unless they take measures to lighten their appearance.

The Filipino People

Not only does this business play a significant role in colorism, but also has a major impact on the people. Discrimination may occur as early as childhood. It has become normal to criticize and condemn individuals who are not fair-skinned, whether it is among friends, family, classmates, or netizens.

Because of this influence, people have the tendency to engage in risky behavior in order to whiten their skin, such as purchasing low-cost skin whitening products that are prone to mercury poisoning. It has also become a mental issue; being dissatisfied with your own image. Rather than feeding into wrong views, we should begin to appreciate our skin tone, which is beautiful even if it is not fair or light. Instead of tearing one other down, we should embrace our real and genuine colors. Because if true indigenous people are not featured in the Philippine mainstream press, together with contemporary biases towards dark-skinned Filipinos, the false message and pattern will perpetuate.

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Author: Ysabel Red

I have always been fond of writing as a kid, making

short fiction stories and reading children's literature.

As I grew older, my passion for writing developed into

submitting for zines!

Aside from writing, I enjoy sewing! I am an advocate

for slow fashion, so making my own clothes is a good

way to support what I stand for.

I am passionate for feminism, global and local issues, etc. I decided to join Teens We Care!

I am excited to share my stories through this organization

and make new friends!