Filipinos are up in arms because of the last Sunday’s episode of “Desperate Housewives”. An email has been forwarded throughout the Filipino community written by Kevin Nadal, calling out the writers responsible for the disparaging remarks. Teri Hatcher’s character, Susan, was told by her gynecologist that she might be hitting menopause. Susan responded by saying, “Can I just check those diplomas because I just want to make sure that they are not from some med school in the Philippines.”
I’m normally not one to be easily offended by such rousings, but this one remark takes slight at the hardworking immigrants and men and women in the Philippines who consistently strive and work hard in whatever they do. This takes aim at the thousands of smart, industrious Filipinos, who study to achieve better positions here in the United States. I touched upon this in a previous entry a few months ago, in a blog entry about Opportunity vs. Nationalism. The writers, in one slight to seem witty and comedic at the expense of hardworking men and women, demean the efforts of a country and it’s people and purvey a notion that the Filipino medical industry that is second rate.
This is far from the truth, when you see the number of Filipino doctors and nurses in the medical industry. You might want to watch yourself, Terri Hatcher. The next time you need medical attention, the hardworking nurse or doctor in front of you will most likely be Filipino.
The original email written by a Kevin Nadal, after the jump.
Dear Kapisanan & Allies;
I heard through the grapevine about a remark made on an episode of “Desperate Housewives” last night. The scene entailed Teri Hatcher’s character (Susan) at a hospital, being told by her gynecologist that she might be hitting menopause. Susan replied, “Can I just check those diplomas because I just want to make sure that they are not from some med school in the Philippines. ” If you go to abc.com, you can watch the full episode and witness the scene at about 18:50 minutes into the
episode.This type of derogatory remark is not only unnecessary and hurtful, but is also unfounded, considering the presence of Filipinos and Filipino Americans in the health care industry. Filipinos are the second largest immigrant population in the United States, with many entering the U.S. and passing their U.S. licensing boards as doctors, nurses, and medical technicians. In fact, the Philippines produces more U.S. nurses than any other country in the world. So, to belittle
the education, experience, or value of Filipino Americans in health care is disrespectful and plain and simply ignorant.As Filipino Americans, we need to band together to ensure that this type of hateful message is not allowed to continue on our television and radio airwaves. Given the recent amounts of media attention that has been given to Michael Richards (against African Americans), Isaiah Washington (against gays), and Rosie O’Donnell (against Asian/ Chinese
Americans), it is ridiculous that this type of hateful speech made it through various screenwriters, the show’s producers, the show’s actors, and ABC itself. Yet, this isn’t the first time that negative remarks have been made about the Philippines or Filipinos in the past.In recent years, we’ve heard one too many “dogeater” comments by “comedian” Joan Rivers on the red carpet or in her standup act, and I believe that it is about time that we stand up for ourselves, so that this type of hateful speech never happens again.
Please join me in expressing your concern, disappointment, and/or disgust to the producers of ABC.com. You can sign the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/FilABC/
And please feel free to forward this widely to other Filipinos/ Filipino Americans/ Asian Americans/ and other allies.
Sincerely,
Kevin Nadal,
Filipino Performance Artist/ Activist
Other posts you might be interested in:
Blog RSS Blog Comments RSS
jp 吉平 wrote:
I think it says a lot that in a satire of priviliged white society, the first thing a decadent white woman would do when the diagnosis of menopause is even considered is to lash out against the Philippine medical education system.
Moral of the story: racism hides right behind the curtain of fertility and youth.
Does anyone treat white Americans this way? God help you if you ever mention the failures of white society to the white people.
Actually, I blogged a while ago about the satire of white society’s ethnocentricity present in Geico’s caveman commercials.
I wonder what the “desperate housewives” writer was thinking when they wrote that line…
Posted on 03-Oct-07 at 2:31 pm | Permalink
Chook wrote:
I was struck by the off-handed way that this type of ingrained ignorance expressed itself. What it shows is that the realities of Asian life are invisible in this culture, and that the struggles of an entire community can be offhandedly degraded for the sake of comic convenience. How many careers of Filipino doctors and nurses will be damaged in some way by this unconscious moment of weak scriptwriting?
Posted on 03-Oct-07 at 10:41 pm | Permalink
jeff wrote:
Although I do find the remark as going a bit overboard, it is common knowledge that Recto used to be a fake diploma manufacturing mill. So it isn’t fully baseless.
Posted on 04-Oct-07 at 9:40 am | Permalink
:: jozjozjoz :: wrote:
An apology!
‘Desperate’ apology over Philippines slur
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071004/ennew_afp/entertainmentphilippinesustvracism
Posted on 04-Oct-07 at 11:03 am | Permalink
For Jeff wrote:
That area of Manila is a chinatown. Now youve to seperate real filipinos from chinese.
Posted on 04-Oct-07 at 11:11 am | Permalink
Mike Roma wrote:
To Jeff:
Mag-Pipilipino ako para di ako maintintidhan ng mga putang-inang puting yan. Ano ka ba naman! Ang gago mo, kaya parati tayong target ng mga lintek na puting yan eh di nga tayo marunong magkaisa, ipaglaban ang tama, at magbuklod kung may tagalabas na yumuyurak sa dignidad natin bilang Pilipino. At talagang lantad na walang alam sa paksang pinag-uusapan. You cannot be a doctor with a fake diploma! You need to pass all the tests the US will throw at you before you can practice medicine, and from what I remember, a fake diploma will never help you pass the NMAT, the US Medical Licensure Exams,hell even practice medicine for three week for crying out fucking loud! C’mon man, ipaglaban mo ang lahi! wag mo nang ipagpatuloy yung maling ehemplo ng mga nakalatanda sa atin! Tang ina naman!
Posted on 05-Oct-07 at 12:37 am | Permalink
Mike Roma wrote:
To Jeff (again):
Sorry man to be harsh at you, but we need to get our act straight, and you do deserve a good whoopin!
Posted on 05-Oct-07 at 12:47 am | Permalink
nemogbr wrote:
Unfortunate choice of words. Perhaps the people descended from the Asian continent becomes an easier target compared to people of African extraction?
Then again the series does deal with, a bunch of suburban housewives, whose prejudices have not been called into question.
Posted on 05-Oct-07 at 4:41 am | Permalink
NotsodesperateFlip wrote:
I think flips should take jokes as jokes. Jokes abound in the Philippines, too. A convicted drop-out former president who’s been the brunt of jokes take jokes in stride in his palatial jail - similar to Escobar’s self-made jail in Colombia. That’s right guys. Flips imprison corrupt government officials in palaces - so that the incumbents if convicted with similar charges get to chose their palace jails, too. Going back to this convicted president, this guy reportedly replied when his doctor said he will apply local anesthesia to his wound, “Money’s no problem. I can afford imported anesthesia.”
Where in the world doctors would downgrade themselves as nurses just to get to the US? Where in the world medical board toppers surprisingly come from low-end diploma mill med schools? Where in the world med students have to re-take board exams even if they passed the first one? Only in the Philippines because of money and corruption. Money really gets you around in the Philippines. It’s not what you know but whom you know (you can bribe).
A mother brought her child to a Flip pedia. “What wrong with the kid?”, the flip doc asked. The mother says the kid’s not been eating. The flip doc replied, “… maybe he’s not hungry.” - as his findings.
You can’t blame Flip docs and nurses if they see their American patients as zombies or cadavers they used to dissect at their low-end med schools. It’s green bucks they’re after, you know and nothing more. They’re just like any US migrant who would do anything in their country just to get to the Big Apple or anywhere in America.
Anyway, ABC’s apology is merely a marketing ploy and they’re laughing their hearts out of this brouhaha.
Posted on 05-Oct-07 at 6:49 am | Permalink
Claire wrote:
Wow, thanks to NotsodesperateF for sharing his/her universal expertise in Filipino politics, medical practices, education and especially for the anecdotal gem. What a constructive comment, you dimwitted jackass. Hahaha. Joke joke!
Posted on 05-Oct-07 at 11:46 am | Permalink
Mike Roma wrote:
To not so desperateFlip:
Wow! ang daming tangang kababayan ko talaga! Why don’t you come home and make a difference in your homeland?!
Tama ka nga, Flip as in totally dude..get a life.
Posted on 05-Oct-07 at 5:06 pm | Permalink
Ben Santos wrote:
http://www.petitiononline.com/NadalAss/petition.html
Please sign my petition! Show everyone that not all Fil-Ams are humorless twats like Kevin Nadal. He is NOT the voice of the Fil-Am community, much less the Fil-Am medical community.
The show is SATIRE. The show is FICTIONAL. The line was a JOKE.
It’s DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, not the CONSTITUTION.
It’S TERI HATCHER, not (insert name of some you think is more credible –and
less annoying– than Teri Hatcher here).
Protesting/petitioning Fil-Ams (and to anybody else giving this thing the time
of day): GET OVER YOURSELVES.
(Please place tongue firmly in cheek before signing.)
Posted on 05-Oct-07 at 6:25 pm | Permalink
Alistair Baptista wrote:
A keener editing process and a bit more caution on the part of the writer’s could have avoided backlash from insulted fans. How this could be broadcast, especially after the US govt looking terrible after “Sicko” amazes me. I wish the network’s public relations department the best in trying to make amends for this faux pas.
Posted on 06-Oct-07 at 1:52 am | Permalink
Nancy Sequeira wrote:
hello every1
im not a filipino but i can relate to the issue as being an indian in a western country– i witness such situations on a regular basis– it amazes me when a cultures state that they treat every1 as equela yet they nikname those that do not shere their culture! we indians are reffered to as “curry people” here in Australia– !
so i truly support this cause & i understand how demeaning it can be!
cheers to u alll!
Posted on 06-Oct-07 at 12:57 pm | Permalink
Cecille wrote:
It bothers me to think that NO ONE in the show, whether the writers or the producers suggested that it should be deleted before taping or airing. we filipinos have continued to acquire increasing levels of education over the years and the remark made on the show can’t and will not be considered a mere joke. we filipinos are one of the smart, hard working and industrious people in this earth and this is an act of pure discrimination!
Posted on 06-Oct-07 at 10:31 pm | Permalink
Chook wrote:
It was nice to see that ABC apologized and showed remorse for their “error” in allowing this situation to occur, but only after the Filipino community raised it’s voice in protest. It made me wonder exactly how effective are Asian-American activists efforts to change the way the media portrays Asians. On the surface we had a victory - the T.V company backpeddled and said and did all the right things to publicly show remorse, yet negative media portrayals of Asians continue to be the overwhelming norm. I wonder if East-Asian activists are placing too much emphasis on reacting to media slights, and should shift their efforts to tackiling anti-Asian prejudice in the places where it is most openly exhibited. It seems to me that American schools are places that foster anti-Asian prejudice and I would argue that this is the place where non-Asian children learn that they can disparage and attack everything Asian with impunity. It seems that most of us have experienced some form of racial abuse, whether physical, verbal or psychological, at some time during our school lives. Am I mistaken? I don’t believe that I’ve ever heard of our activists addressing this issue. Would we accomplish more by tackling the issue of the racial insensitivity that our kids may experience in their daily lives?
Posted on 07-Oct-07 at 10:00 am | Permalink
nemogbr wrote:
I would have to agree with “NotsodesperateFlip”. They have apologised for the slight and the free advertisement has been wonderful for the series.
May I also point out that certain posters should type in English?
I consider it rude when other people converse, in another language, in front of me. How would they feel if someone started posting in another language?
I grew up in Britain and read of Pinoy Doctors becoming Nurses to get into this country.
It doesn’t help matters when people say come back to the Phils and make a difference in your homeland. They most likely have relatives that they are helping with remittance money.
Posted on 09-Oct-07 at 2:03 am | Permalink
Chook wrote:
Nemogbr
I grew up in Britain as well. Anglo-Fils are (or were) an uncommon sight when I was coming up. Not so much nowadays though.
Posted on 09-Oct-07 at 2:51 am | Permalink
nemogbr wrote:
I saw the last Dispatches programme last week and the only mention of Filipinos were in regards to the NHS. No other mention of Orientals.
Not sure whether that is good or bad. Are we too much of a minority that we don’t get a mention?
Posted on 09-Oct-07 at 3:32 am | Permalink
Chook wrote:
nemogbr
I think that the East Asian community in the U.K is overlooked in general. I believe that the majority of East Asians come from China(Hong Kong) or Vietnam and those communities have generally been politically and socially passive when it comes to addressing their issues (I say that without judgement). When I was coming up no-one even knew what a Filipino was - light skinned Filipinos were “chinks” and dark skinned ones were “Pakis”. Some people even thought that these terms were acceptable ways of addressing us. There was and maybe still is a lot of ignorance about our community. I left the U.K in 1992 looking to broaden my horizons, England at that time was a rather depressing place to be.
Posted on 09-Oct-07 at 4:32 am | Permalink
lotai wrote:
I personally know of Filipinos here who studied medicine here in the Philippines but did not graduate. They are now illegals in the United States and run illegal medical office and perform surgeries there. Their dipomas they display are fake bought on Recto Street, Manila.
Posted on 13-Oct-07 at 5:24 pm | Permalink
Chook wrote:
“…..fake (diplomas)…bought on Recto street,Manila”.
What does this have to do with the disparaging of Filipinos who HAVE completed their medical studies, passed ALL of the examination requirements to practice medicine in the U.S and are LEGITIMATELY qualified to be medical practitioners?
Posted on 14-Oct-07 at 1:01 am | Permalink