You know what I hate? Being told “kababae mong tao” when I do something that’s expected of a woman. What’s somehow worse is when this phrase is related to the fact that Filipinas should be modest. Because, you know, we’re all supposed to be conservative in clothing and actions.
Earlier, the hashtag “#DalagangPilipinaKaKung” trended on Twitter and it’s still being tweeted by many. Netizens have responded to it with jokes about the archaic expectations imposed on Filipinas. There are also those who’ve highlighted how Filipinas should know their own worth and identity, not based on the preconceived notions of a “dalagang Filipina.”
#DalagangPilipinaKaKung 1: Dalaga ka, walang esposo o anak. 2: Mula ka sa bayan o lagi ng Pilipino. Just like what @TheRainBro tweeted before, dalawa lang dapat ang panuntunan sa pagtawag na dalagang pilipina. Don't live by conforming to society's standards! Go girls, be you!
— dj. (@derickbidaswa) March 26, 2019
https://twitter.com/myca_mikka/status/1110380704184057857
https://twitter.com/myca_mikka/status/1110380704184057857
#DalagangPilipinaKaKung you value other women like how you value yourself.
— Ria (@riiiiiiish) March 26, 2019
However, there are also tweets that have a judgmental tone because they sound like statements we’ve heard before. One said a “dalagang Filipina” shouldn’t be drinking excessively, the other said women should know their worth and not make the first move—the list goes on.
#DalagangPilipinaKaKung if you are prim and proper.
— dottie (@iamdonnajayne) March 26, 2019
https://twitter.com/Itshnyjnsty/status/1110377897787715584
https://twitter.com/itsglaybitch/status/1110333462328705024
https://twitter.com/RickkzL/status/1110365180322443266
Here’s the thing: Being a dalagang Filipina isn’t a personality, nor should it be used to demonize another trait that one doesn’t agree with. Some sarcastic netizens joked that these women are considered as such because they’re born in the Philippines, but they do have a point.
It’s merely a descriptor for someone who live in this country. It’s not a standard that women should be following. Modesty isn’t necessarily a sign of goodness, and “acting like a slut” isn’t evil. If a woman wants to act a certain way, let them be and don’t put one on a pedestal and shame the other.
Us women are strong human beings regardless of how we present ourselves. We shouldn’t be confined in the box of modesty that society has created to be taken seriously and respected by others.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
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