Despite all our insecurities, it’s important to remember to appreciate our natural beauty.
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If you’ve been scrolling through your FYP recently, you might have seen some Filipino influencers who have been accused of changing their appearance to look like a different race or basing their entire content (and even personality) on a race that they are not. Whether it be changing one’s skin tone, eye shape, or overall appearance, it’s a questionable action, to say the least. Ethical implications aside, it reveals something about us. Are we still not able to love (or at the very least accept) our natural features as Filipinos?
The answer is more nuanced than that. Many Gen Z have broken the cycle of previous generations of Filipinos whitening their skin, pinching their noses, and changing themselves in favor of accepting their natural features. Yet, the presence of such influencers (and the fact that they can gain so many followers) is a concerning reality that many young people still favor distancing their authentic features, or at least that basing their personality off another nationality is okay.
The struggle to accept one’s looks is all too common, showing us that we’ve still got a long way to go. Yet, despite having a complicated relationship with our looks, we firmly believe that our natural features deserve all the love. Here’s why.
IT CAN AFFECT OUR MENTAL HEALTH
Let’s face it: learning to love our features is difficult. Many of us have probably compared our looks to people we deem more beautiful than us. With social media constantly showing us new looks and figures to aspire to, it can be exhausting to “keep up” with it. This can have negative effects on our mental health. Low self-esteem, eating disorders, and depression are some of the mental health concerns that may arise. We deserve healthy relationships with our looks, and learning to love and accept our features is a step in the right direction.
WE OWE IT TO OTHERS
While we know that prominent media figures and influencers have the power to influence us, we often forget that our actions can affect the people around us directly. Talking about our insecurities (and attempts to change our looks) can imply that we’re not good enough. Many young people (women especially) might recall the first moments they felt conscious about their looks.
Many of these situations might involve hearing their relatives or friends criticize their own features. Leaning into self-love is essential, as it sets an example for others. Why would we want the people closest to us to feel bad about themselves? We can recognize their beauty, and in turn, they recognize ours.
CHALLENGING HISTORICAL NOTIONS
We’ve always had a complicated relationship regarding beauty standards in the Philippines. The Spanish colonial period introduced a class system that took race and class into consideration in a way that our ancestors didn’t. If you recall your high school history lessons, the Peninsulares (Spaniards born in Spain) were at the top, and the Indios (Native Filipinos) were at the bottom. That wasn’t helped when the Americans came along and with a Western-centric mindset that’s still prevalent in today’s society.
The implication that being white meant being superior was embedded in the minds of many contributing to many Filipinos adopting Colonial Mentality, which still stands today. And with the advent of social media, this mindset has extended to wanting to be or adopt traits from nationalities that isn’t limited to the US. While it’s one thing to like and enjoy Korean and Japanese culture, it’s another to try to pretend or revolve your life on trying to be one when you’re Filipino.
Yes, people are entitled to what content they want to produce and it’s not inherently wrong to appreciate another’s culture or identity, but there’s a point to be made that this can lowkey turn into an unhealthy obsession that not only isn’t good for you, but also disrespects both your roots and the race you’re trying to be.
The truth is, though, that our natural looks make us unique. While the statement is cheesy, we are indeed beautiful in our own way. No one can replicate our history, experiences, and looks- which deserve to be honored. Trying to be something that you’re not will only lead down a road of insecurity, self-hate, and a lack of self-confidence, not to mention anxiety in attaining an unrealistic standard.
This kind of mindset also contributes to the Southeast Asian hate and stereotypes that sadly are a common occurrence on social media. Not liking how you look as a Filipino is already a problem, but choosing to base your ideal beauty standard on East Asia or the West is problematic on top of problematic.
There’s a quote that goes, “Your existence is proof that generations of your face have been loved,” and while the saying is usually brought up in different contexts, it can apply here, too. Learning to love oneself can be difficult, but it makes for a much more fruitful life.
The act of self-love is not just to be able to perceive ourselves as beautiful but to remind ourselves that we are enough. Imagining a world where we aren’t overwhelmed by the idea that we aren’t enough is the goal, and that starts with us.
Continue Reading: Uncomfortable Truth: The Unspoken Side of Self-Love That Isn’t Always a Party
