while elsewhere in the world the discussions for women’s day and women’s month 2016 have been on the level of celebrity women’s bodies and slutshaming, role models and raising our young girls, in the Philippines we have a government that cannot even pretend to know what women need, much less what we want. (more…)
Babae akong namumuhay na mag-isa
Hiwalay sa asawa
Matandang Dalaga
Kerida
Puta.
Ang aking pag-iisa’y
Batik na ituturing ng aking lipunan
Latay na pabaon ng nakaraan,
Pilat na taglay hanggang sa kasalukuyan. (more…)
To this harlequinade
I wear black tights and fool’s cap
Billiken, make me three bright masks
For the three tasks in my life.
Three faces to wear
One after the other
For the three men in my life. (more…)
Ginahasa ako ng mga salita,
Paulit-ulit,
Paulit-ulit,
Hanggang magutay ang diwa.
Buntis ang alaala
Sa mga alimura,
Pasa-pasa ang puso’t
Lama’y salanta.
— Ruth Elynia Mabanglo, 1992. (more…)
I am in awe of this National Youth Commission campaign In Her Shoes because it is so wrong, so offensive, so sexist, and is being sold to us by the male commissioners, including actor Dingdong Dantes in bright red high heels.
Oh yes, at 1;27AM on March 12, I have the privilege of seeing him on 9News, in a replay of Pia Hontiveros’s News.Ph show. He and NYC commissioner Perci Cendaña have brought the heels they’ve been wearing for this campaign; Hontiveros has them put it on the table (lest we don’t believe these shoes to exist?), and even has the two guests put a shoe on. She then asks them: so how does it feel?
I’d like to give Hontiveros the benefit of the doubt and imagine that I heard some sarcasm in her voice. I could of course be mistaken.
This campaign though, this campaign that imagines that the valid symbol for woman power is a high-heeled shoe — this is absolutely a mistake. (more…)