Our Obsession With European Beauty

So, it seems a lot of you reacted negatively to my previous article about the Ms. Universe pageant. If that’s the case, good. As I’ve said in a lot of my previous articles, I’m not here to coddle you. As I once said under a different name: “I came that you may know pain and have it in abundance!”

blonde_girlHowever, based on the reactions, not a lot of people understood what I was trying to say. So I’m going to try to explain but I’m not going to make it hurt less. In fact, I’m just going to make it hurt more.

Are you ready?

I was asked about my opinion about Ms. Japan who had African features instead of Asian. Well, all I have to say is… I think she’s gorgeous! But what about you guys? What did you guys think of her?

I’m pretty sure that a lot of you who are clamoring for the European beauty of Ms. Wurtzbach were looking down on Ms. Miyamoto because of her dark skin. Don’t deny it. I know some people who were already assuming she was some kind of “Aeta” native to Japan when they saw her and were giggling.

Look, the thing is, I’m not saying I’m not satisfied with Ms. Wurtzbach’s victory. What I’m saying is that why do so many of us consider only European features as beautiful? Indeed, when we see dark-skinned people, there are those of us who are quick to label them as “ugly”. Note that in many teleseryes, the best way to make a character ugly is to darken their skin. Most infuriating of all is the idea that light skin is “kutis mayaman” (complexion of the wealthy) while dark skin is “pangkatulong” (for servants or maids).

[pullquote align =”right” size=”16″]Many of us are still beholden to Europeans and their standards of beauty and are largely unable to recognize any other form of beauty aside from that.[/pullquote]You people accuse me of being “racist” when so many of you look down on people that don’t fit European standards of beauty. This is especially true with people who have African features. So, let me ask you, what if Ms. Miyamoto was the Philippine candidate? Would we actually support her?

My point here is that why do we only see European features as beautiful? What about the women who don’t have European features? Does that mean that Filipinas that lack European features aren’t beautiful? Does that mean that Filipinas who have tanned skin (or darker) are ugly? Why can’t we have beauty contestants who look less European? Does being European automatically translate to being beautiful?

Why can’t we see other forms of beauty in our own countrywomen? A person can have dark skin and still be drop-dead-gorgeous. Unfortunately, that’s not something a lot of us can see. Many of us are still beholden to Europeans and their standards of beauty and are largely unable to recognize any other form of beauty aside from that.

Until we see other forms of beauty in our own countrywomen, then I doubt we will be able to recognize true “beauty” when we are finally graced by its presence. At the end of the day, we’re still stuck with colonial mentality because we’re still unable to see the beauty of non-European features.


18 Comments on “Our Obsession With European Beauty”

  1. So its true, you really are Benigno. IDC, anyway, but the whole Euro beauty thing is blown out of proportion in the Failippines.(whitening creams, hair straightening, etc…. OMG !) The country is just soooooo fuckin fucked that to be concerned about who Ms. Universe is, it is such small potatoes, seems pretty ludicrous,petty and cheap.The Fails has so much to fix that seems pretty unfixable (call it ‘chronic dysfunction’) and yet concentrating on one good looking young Lady, and how she was denied her true moment of fame(she really was, Steve Harvey is just a dumb nugga, what can you say?) is to miss the big picture!!!
    In short, the country is really a ‘dystopian’ nightmare and anyone who can get out should do so as quickly as possible.

      1. OMG, He is criticizing Steve Harvey; now he misses also , Mr. Grimwald…BenignO is just the runner up, in the article.

        He’s dumb as him…

  2. To be honest, when most of the men and women in the Philippines are of the “poverty look” it’s really hard not to check at the other side of the fence and worship “the beautiful races.”

  3. The Philippines is addicted to white beauty while Europe is fascinated to black beauty. had been working in a shipping company where I had a lot of experience working with european crew. One polish crew in his early 30’s who became close to me had confessed people in his native country are attracted to women with darker skin. That’s why tanning lotions and salons are popular for men and women alike. It’s not even surprising to know that when we go to a pub in latin america europeans whether be a german polish or southern european will choose to fuck girls of african descent.

    1. @ACHING

      They dont mean it to be like an african but just not too much dark. I guess they see it healthy for them not to be skinny and white. If you visit beaches in spain france and italy you will see people in all ages lying naked under the sun.

  4. let me congratulate miss pia for winning the title of ms. U this year. While this has become the topic in social media let us also congratulate SpaceX for making history today by successfully landing the 1st stage rocket back to its launch pad. Another leap for mankind.

  5. If Jesus Christ was portrayed by the rennaissance artesans as black with kinky hair (which is probable because of geography) christianity would’ve been an afterthougt in these nation. And since he looks more like the conquistadores matched by an aquiline nose and lots of facial hair coming out from their milky white skin the nations male, female and those in between just allowed their knees to buckle to unconditional submission. I remember when I was still a kid in our small town. The priests running our parish were all caucasians. The mass was always full and majority of those who attended were women, young women whose actions were seducing rather than worshiping. When those white guy left and turned over the parish to the homegrown priests those women disappeared too in the regular masses.

  6. The answer is simple, Grim. It’s because of commonality.

    Filipinos are already accustomed to see brown-skinned people everyday. It’s the same case with some Americans & European. Seeing a person with “unusual” features are considered refreshing, at best. You can compare it eating exotic dishes once in a while.

  7. If you read the novel of Dr. Jose Rizal’s “Noli Me Tangere”. You will find a character there in the form of : Dona Victorina. It is a caricature of a Filipina, who despise his being a Filipina; and imitate the Spanish colonizers, in any way she can.

    Unfortunately, this European beauty mindset, has been with us in the time of Dr. Jose Rizal. It has not left us. It is still in our Collective Unconsciousness.

    We should shout: “Brown is beautiful”! Miss Universe, Miss Pia Alonzo Wormbacht, is not fair skinned. She looks more like a Filipina, than a European. And, she won the Miss Universe beauty pageant.

  8. Her name is : Miss Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach. I take responsibility for the mistake. However, it is not as serious, as Steve Harve’s mistake.

  9. What is the common denominator between the Filipina Miss Universe winners lately?
    They have white Caucasian fathers. The latest winner’s father is a German. The winner before her has an American father. I’m not sure if there would be a Hungarian girl who is a mixed -let’s say half Chinese and half Hungarian – and would be allowed to represent Hungary. Hungarians would agree that she maybe beautifull but they would also agree that she is not representing Hungarian women because she doesn’t look like them. It is not about racism, but true representation of Hungarians. Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach is beautiful but has little in common with Filipinas. Her height (5′ 7″), her race is really not what I know as a Filipina. To me it’s fascinating how Filipinos have no problem with this kind of representation. What would happen if African countries would start using half white mixed black women as their representation? They would look beautiful I’m sure but would they represent the women in their native countries? Why is there a need to mix white with the native race? No wonder many in this world cries white supremacism when in realty it is none-whites who promote these beauty standards but blame whites for it.

  10. There is indeed something about being “uncommon” that seems to fascinate people. However, I think that there is a difference between the perspective of Europeans and Filipinos. Just look at it this way: How would each race react when a European cohabited with a Filipino? Because we are a modern society, most will be neutral yes? But then, one can’t deny that people will wonder why that happened. Because as the saying goes: Birds of the same feathers tend to flock together. And if they don’t, the ‘high breed’ will be looked down upon by his fellows and the ‘low breed’ will be praised by his fellows. But before anything, can you guess who is the high breed? The correct answer is none. However, most will probably say Europeans as I doubt anybody will answer Filipinos. That is how ingrained it is in our system. This probably stems from our history where the Europeans were the masters and all others are slaves. Though they say it has gone, it seems that there are still traces of it left.

    Link somewhat related:

    This is a segment on a show talking about imperialism and how the maps of the world are projected. Interesting to say the least.


  12. Isn’t it that the Miss Universe pageant is all about UNITY and that the only thing girls from around the world is required to do is just REPRESENT her beloved country and NOT a race!

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