It was another day. I was on my way out to meet my friends. I wore my usual comfortable get up- loose shirt and then leggings paired with my favorite flip flops.
I live in a typical neighborhood where people are camping outside their houses, talking about the latest news and gossip in the area.
I am the type of person who wears my headset, head down, as if I am listening to music, pretending I don't hear the buzzes around.
I was walking my way out to this narrow street when I came across this old Filipino guy who gave his unsolicited comment loudly to me saying, "She looks like a Korean woman but her skin is dark."
Those remarks strike me. To be exact, offended me. How come in these modern times, there are still people who are still clueless, ignorant, and blatantly discriminate against a Filipino woman for having dark, morena, brown skin?
This is how our society has been infiltrated by our neighboring countries with their what so-called beauty standards. My heart goes to all my fellow dark, brown, morena, black women out there who experiences these type of discrimination in their everyday lives
There is an underlying bigger issue that needs to be addressed in this incident. Filipinos, not in general, have been influenced by other cultures to the point that they have forgotten their roots. Their own culture.
I will never be sorry for having this type of skin color. I will never be ashamed of being me.