Imaj.
That's the name of the talent agency I am given the privilege of managing. We provide talents, to be exact, commercial models, for TV and print ads.
A painfully funny thing happened this afternoon.
A world renowned talent agency with a regional office in Singapore, had a chat with us. This man is British.
He said that he can not understand how come most Philippine talent agencies presents him with Brazilian models when he is in fact looking for models here in the Philippines. He said, if he was looking for Brazilian models, he will call their office in Brazil. He continued and was curious to find out what were these Filipino talent agency owners thinking when they presented him with Brazilian models?
What do you think were they thinking?
As for us, we could only painfully smile.
Are we so confused and so unloving of ourselves that we can not see the beauty of the Filipino race?
Do we have to be fair and foreign looking to be beautiful? Why is it that in our society, one has to be mestiza or mestizo to be considered beautiful or handsome?
Why do we prefer the half-breeds than the full blooded Filipino?
I mean, if we were buying a dog - are we going to pay more for a half-breed than a full breed? Are you going to pay more for a half-blood German shepherd than a full-blood German shepherd?
Do not get me wrong. I do not hate mestizas and mestizos. I just hate that we look upon ourselves so low that we always assume the imports are always better.
"... you are wonderfully and fearfully made!"
Hon, that painful truth never fails to hit home.
ReplyDeleteYou and I are both natives of a country who patronizes skin whitening darn products. I have heard a lot of lamentations such as what you've posted here from an English boss. And yes, I could only give him a dry smile.
Sad but oh so true.