Miss Universe pageant a 'deceptive tool' to cover-up repression of women — solon
A Gabriela party-list congresswoman on Wednesday denounced the Philippines' hosting of the Miss Universe pageant as a deceptive move to cover up repression of women.
In a media briefing, Rep. Arlene Brosas said the pageant is "a manipulative and deceptive tool that projects an image of peace and stability to cover up the creeping influence of fascist repression of poor women's rising protests."
Brosas said the pageant is an "expensive exercise to lull the people and the international audience into a false sense of well-being and celebration" while "unfair trade relations allow rich countries to rape the natural resources of the countries that pageant contestants represent."
The lawmaker said her group opposes pageants and other festivals that exploit and commodify women.
"Kung nakakaabuso sa kababaihan, hindi dapat ito sinasalihan. Hindi dapat sina-subject sa objectification," Brosas said.
Brosas recalled that in the 1994, when the Miss Universe pageant was also held in Manila, former beauty queen Maita Gomez joined Gabriela in picketing that year's pageant and calling president Fidel Ramos as a "world class pimp."
"This is yet another attempt to package the Philippines as a lurid tourist destination for cheap, easily exploitable women," said Brosas.
The group also resists the commercial use of women's images in marketing products and services on a globalization-oriented trade regime.
"Sex tourism with human trafficking and prostitution is one of the deplorable downstream trades that afflicts poor countries that host international events such as major beauty pageants," she said.
She said Gabriela urges the government to focus instead on the problems of joblessness, rising prices of fuel and electricity, and rampant killings perpetrated by Oplans Bayanihan and Tokhang.
The Miss Universe 2016 pageant will be held at the Mall of Asia Arena on January 30.
The Philippine candidate, Maxine Medina, will vie for the title, which is currently held by Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach. — VVP, GMA News
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário