I’m a medical student. Yes, for the past few years, I’ve been studying to be - in the words of Teri Hatcher’s character in “Desperate Housewives” - a graduate of some Philippine Med School. Of course, I do know that that line isn’t really something that the entire nation should be riled up about. After all, writers for TV shows aren’t really hired for their intelligence and tenacity in terms of researching and doing their homework when it comes to new story arcs and strategies for character development. Though I concede the ability of television to mold perceptions and leave a lasting impression and that television as much as possible should be non-discriminatory to people of a certain nationality, ethnicity or race, I strongly believe that the people under fire are more than able to weather this storm. Filipino doctors have already proven their worth in the US and elsewhere and average reasonable people will likely refrain from making a lousy show that sets back the feminist movement 40 years influence their health-seeking behavior.
I believe that television as a medium has already become so powerful that there is a need to be more conscientious with the way it used. No other channel reaches a vast number of people as instantaneously. Television cuts across boundaries, time and space. Therefore, the ideas conveyed and transmitted are perpetuated and immortalized many times over through syndication, replays and digital copies of the actual show. Spreading disdain, especially those unfounded ones that may affect the livelihood and well-being of individuals is never justified and should never be condoned. For all it’s worth, I think the network and the show should be castigated for it. But for the sake of convenience, let’s just let them get a way with it to appease those who insist that Filipinos are overly sensitive and onion-skinned (a direct translation of a Filipino idiom).
The response, as usual, has been defeaning. Blogs have taken a more proactive role in terms of defending the rights and interest of the innocent bystanders (in this case, the medical professionals in the US who stand to have their practice compromised in the light of this issue). Old media has been quick to pick up the story. Unlike in the Malu Fernandez anthology, local news outfits jumped on the story faster than you can say Wysteria Lane. They won’t be undone. They won’t let the bloggers break another big story - not after how they were schooled the last time.
People were clearly offended. Filipino-trained doctors in the US cried foul and asked for an apology and a laundry list of other possible ways of fixing the problem. I think they have every right to feel aggrieved and be indignant about what transpired. They worked hard to get where they are. They have met the standards of the USMLE and the state board. They probably didn’t have it easy and the last thing they want is to be unfairly depicted in a show watched by millions of people a week.
Just like in any debate, there are scholarly ways of defending both sides:
Tess Termulo has argued this exhaustively and comprehensively and its clear that she knows what she’s talking about. Though I don’t necessarily agree with everything that she said, I think the main points regarding the incongruence between the credibility of distinguished Filipino doctors and that of the hapless writer of Desperate Housewives was well discussed and realized. As you may know by now, Tess is a doctor from some Philippine Med School.
Reyna Elena goes the other route by saying that the stereotyping that happened in the show is actually representative of what happens in actual American society. Silence is submission to the bigoted and unfounded prejudice against Filipinos.
Aloy Domingo, also another product of some Philippine Med School and now training to be a neurologist, took an approach similar to Dr. Termulo. He discusses how art and television should mimic and reflect already existing setups in the status quo as opposed to being unrealistic, and socially irrelevant (not to mention un-entertaining). Aloy is also a veteran collegiate debater.
Ederic Eder is in vintage form. If you can get over the superfluous and gratuitous mention of GMA-7’s new show, you would see that Ederic makes perfect sense when he invokes the right of people to defend themselves from unnecessary generalization and prejudice. It’s hard to argue against a basic right like that.
Noemi Dado uses the doctors from some Philippine Med Schools that she knows to prove that stereotypes should not be condoned.
As usual, Basa Pa comes up with the blog entry to trump all blog entries about this topic.
Here are the arguments that totally riled me up:
We deserve it. We have diploma mills anyway.
Ok, let’s say we have diploma mills. Question, do those diploma mills produce enough US-bound graduates to warrant the wholesale discrimination that just happened? Are the graduates good enough to pass the USMLE (all the steps), get accepted into a good residency program, pass a statewide accreditation and be able to practice medicine in the United States? If you answered yes to any of the questions, I highly doubt that the school you’re thinking of is a diploma mill.
We call Indian nationals bumbay, therefore, we shouldn’t react.
I find this line of reasoning painfully hypocritical and contradictory. Acts of racism and discrimination shouldn’t be taken against an entire group of people unless it’s really proven that the entire population really got itself involved in acts of race-based prejudice. That’s why we single out those who are responsible. I don’t think I’ll give up my right to be offended just because some racist and ignorant Pinoy chose to discriminate and be a jerk.
Homogenizing all Filipinos into one front is racist as well. Aside from that, it’s also amazingly boneheaded. At any rate, there is no justification of unfair portrayal of people.
===
Hopefully, things will change.
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Every viewer has the right to feel annoyed, insulted , dismayed etc. Let them feel what belongs to them but…
Like you, I believe “We deserve it. We have diploma mills anyway.” is inaccurate hence I just had to clarify how it takes to be a doctor in the US.
I never imagined this to reach this much publicity. It must have hit a raw nerve in most of the US-based Filipinos. Perhaps because it is a hit TV-show.
i find this a very useful post. thank you.
Nice post. One of the very few sensible and sensitive views I have read about this whole issue.
as the avenue q uh… characters said it:
“Ethinic jokes might be uncouth,
But you laugh because
They’re based on truth.
Don’t take them as
Personal attacks.
Everyone enjoys them -
So relax!”
and it is pretty true.
[...] Dismal And Sound Logic: Reactions Regarding The Desperate Housewives Controversy [...]
Kaibigan, i saw your comment on another blog and quoted it on my latest entry about the same topic errr.. related topic. I was about to link you up until I saw this entry of yours. We have the same thoughts about some things re this DH issue, only yours is far much better.
I’m glad i read this post of yours, now I know I am not a lone ranger in this “crusade” daw as perceived by some…
Peace and All Good dude!
[...] am very much thankful for Kengkay, Chuva, Noemi, Shari, Mindy, Jun, Ambo, Malen, Cath, Benj and Reynz and the others for standing up for us medical professionals. There are many issues to [...]
Given the fact that we have diploma mills at Recto, cheaters on the Nursing board, racist pinoys to another pinoy is not a justification for the screenwriter of Desperate Housewives to put that moronic lines in there.
But what pissed the hell out of me is the fact that there are a good number of pinoy bloggers, columnists and well, people calling themselves professionals claiming that we’re nothing but a bunch of onion-skinned nuts for going over far and beyond.
I was lucky enough to have gone to GWU in DC and Temple in Philadelphia. I’ve been stereotyped many times but the worst discrimination I encountered was at work when I was let go in favor of another color simply because I didn’t looked like them. I swallowed it and looked for another job.
Interestingly, before this whole Desperate story blew up, my niece alone was angry at her classmates comments that Filipinos in Manila live in boxes and cartoons because this is what they see on TV. Here’s what I wrote even before this story broke out: http://reynaelena.com/2007/09/29/at-12-years-old-shes-already-experiencing-the-tough-side-of-being-in-the-usa/
What pinoy bloggers, columnists and these so called professionals in the Philippines do not understand is the typical American mentality and although this is not a generalization of Americans – some of them actually believes what they see on TV! Besides, Desperate Housewives is like a religion here. It’s a party on Sundays and a water cooler conversation on Mondays. That’s how popular the show is.
Now, to some bloggers who assumes the Moses role, this is my question to them – have they been to the United States? Worked here? Studied here? And experienced what some of us have experienced and long enough to understand the mentality of some of these people here? Will their harsh comments change?
I’ve said this in some of the blogs. One’s opinion would certainly be different if you’re from the outside looking in – than from where you’re straight smack in the center of it. More juicy different if you’re a part of it.
Disclaimer:
1. Sori po, I have this tendency na gawing blog ko ang blog nang iba! hahaha!
2. There’s nothing scholarly with what I write, baka po lumipad ako. Karton lang po ang pakpak ko. Most of what I write are nothing but raw straight fom my behind read: Mga Utot nang Utak Ko.
I think what many wanted to criticize about that Bumbay thingy thing is that we are a society of double standards(It was said in a wrong way, I guess). Not really about not getting offended. because we offend other people. Yes, we have to fight against discrimination against Filipinos but let us not forget that we should also remove from our system the culture of discriminating others, worse, our own people. Lets start it with our numerous shows that does not only discriminate against other ethnicities but people of lower class as well.
But i have a feeling, everything’s a vicious cycle. After this, many will go back to throwing insults to others.
Many Filipinos forget a lot, I guess.
Rather than ranting and ranting and ranting. We should be alarmed that some people look at our educational system as not credible. Let’s do real action here. Prove to them that it is not true not by being such a lynch mob but by producing quality doctors. Even the palace jumped into the bandwagon rather than doing something about our whole educational system(which should be their priority)
[...] Dismal And Sound Logic: Reactions Regarding The Desperate Housewives Controversy [...]
I see it as a good thing because racial and national slurs seems to be the way America welcomes its immigrants. Think of the Iristhe Germans, the Jews, the Sicilians, the Poles. Desperate housewives really makes us mainstream. Filipinos are getting to be known as nurses like Irishmen become policemen and firefighters.
@DJB Rizalist,
Come to think of it - you’re so right!!! Remember when Filipinas in the United States are nothing more than mail-order-brides? Boy, I remember that time when my sister gets so pissed when she gets asked if her husband was white who petitioned her to come here to the US! She’d shout back that she’s a nurse!!! hahaha!
But, yeah - those days are gone, and Pinoys in the US are not just known in the medical field, let’s not forget our famous IT people - programmers, entertainers and gee… almost everyone really. Gone are the mail order brides.
[...] (especially those practicing in the States) were more or less united in condemning the show (Atheista, Blupanjeet, Daysleeper); other Pinoy blogs meanwhile, opined that they were either only slightly [...]
@Reyna Elena
Also similar within the Philippines, particularly in Manila. The word “inday” or “dodong” connotes as a dumb, ignorant, social climbing housemaid/houseboy. Although those two words are equivalent to Tagalog’s “nene” and “bata.”
Your first counter-argument is illogical because you did not look at the percentage of students who enroll and who pass international exams. This also negates the argument that the remark is predominantly racist.