PARALUMAN

PARALUMAN (N) A FILIPINO TERM, COINED FOR A WOMAN OF BEAUTY OR A MUSE

March 2021

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Debunked myths about women women's health patriarchy

Origin of Filipino Women Explaining the culture, standards, and mindsets.

OH SNAP!

explaining debunked myths about women

TURNING PAIN INTO POWER Sharing our experiences An open letter for the youth

THE CREATORS OF

PARALUMAN MS. DANIELLA ILANO

MS. RHOMELIA MAGNO

MS. LEI ONTAWAR

TO BE SUBMITTED TO:

MS. MARIA MELANY METANTE

EMPOWERMENT TECHNOLOGY TEACHER OF STEM 115

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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The Origin of Filipino Women culture standards mindsets

Why "Paraluman"?

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Debunking myths about women women's health

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Debunking myths about women

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An open letter for the youth

patriarchy

10 References

05 What is Feminism?

What should be normalized?

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Turning pain into power Our own experiences How did we overcome?

WHY N" A M U L A R "PA Somehow, probably, you've already heard Eraserhead's famous song,"Ang Huling El Bimbo". The first line of the song says: 'Kamukha mo si Paraluman nung tayo ay bata pa...'

You may wonder, who's Paraluman?

She is Sigrid Sophia Agatha de Torres von Giese, better known by her screen name Paraluman.

Paraluman was noted for her beauty. She was the "Beauty Icon" during the 1950s.

Now, let us introduce you to the real meaning of the word "Paraluman" which basically means "muse".

However, remember that you don't have to look exactly like her to be considered as Paraluman. All you have to do is to embrace who you are because we glow differently when we love ourselves.

We, Fillipino women, no matter what shape, size, or color we have, we are all beautiful. We are all muses. We are all can be called as Paraluman.

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F

Triginhe of

O

ilipino

Women

In the pre-Hispanic era, Filipino men and women have equal standards, and either of the two genders of the Filipino race had no problem with that. And it is normal in their time that women can lead and achieve higher statuses than men.

Filipino women in that era get the respect that they deserve from Filipino men no matter what they wore. Which in these modern times, it is unusual for many Filipino men to see a Filipino woman or a "filipina" rule and become dominant.

Whereas, in that era, men and women have equal standards in their society back then. It all changed in the Spaniard era. Where the Hispanics dominated our land, and many Filipino women were oppressed and abused by the Spaniards. And the mentality of the Filipinos changed into what our society thinks of women in these modern times.

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FEMINISM:

WHAT SHOULD BE NORMALIZED? Feminism is a social and political movement. Feminism is about changing people's perspectives on male and female rights (mainly female) and campaigning for equal ones.

What should we normalize?

Female leaders Body hairs Stretch marks Scars Acne not being "feminine" not having an hourglass-shaped body not having a fair skin tone We may not mention all the things we should normalize, there is one thing we want you all to know. We should not be ashamed of what we naturally have, what a human has.

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DEBUNKING MYTHS a b o u t

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snap

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women

Vaginas can be loose after sex or after giving birth There's no such thing as a loose vagina. Scientifically, vaginas can stretch and go back to its original structure.

If there's no hymen, she is not a virgin First of all, virginity is just a social construct. Hymen can break even when exercising or if you use tampons or menstrual cups. Surprisingly, some women are even born without the hymen

Women need to use feminine wash It is not essential to use specialized cleaning products for the vagina. Vaginas can self-clean. For it drastically changes the pH level that leads to vaginal infection. If you come to think of it, there's no specialized cleanser for men.

Women are too emotional The researcher found that men and women are different emotionally. When women faced a problem, they internalize it, blame themselves; as a result, women get depressed twice the rate compared to men. Comparing to men, men externalize the problem and blame others. Women are also more concerned with others’ emotions, compared to men who more likely to act out. Still, none of these differences can prove that women are more emotional than men.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY REVOLUTIONIZE OUR LIVES, BUT MEMORY, TRADITION, AND MYTH FRAME OUR RESPONSE ARTHUR M. SCHLESINGER

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Women are better suited for baby-making than money-making.

This myth sounds ridiculous, right? There are no scientific studies that can prove that women are better suited for baby-making than money-making. Women are battling for the rights and opportunities that the world can offer them. This myth rob every women’s power to show the world what they are capable of.

The truth is women all over the world are resourceful, hardworking, persistent, and intelligent.

Feminists hate men Many believe that feminism wants equality just to put them down. Women seek equality because they wanted to have equal rights, responsibilities, and opportunities. Gender colors the way we experience the world. Feminists need men. This movement is also dedicated to men who needed to be educated. All men should be feminists. If men care about women's rights, the world will be a better place.

Women are bad leaders because they don’t take risks In every aspect of our life, we need to take a risk. On decision making, even in cooking. The risk that we will either lead to a good result or to a worse one. But men believe that most women can’t make a tough decision because they are afraid to take risks. Females are comfortable taking a strategic risk and may even reduce the possibility of needless risk. Women are pivotal to world progress, with far-reaching benefits for families, communities, and the world.

All women should be prim and proper Women are human beings and regardless of gender they can act and dress however they want. There should be no stereotypes. We should stop this archaic expectation of how women should behave.

Turning pain into

POWER

I experienced body shaming when I was in elementary. My friends and my siblings calling me rabbit because of my teeth.

They thought that it's a cool joke, but it broke my heart when I heard it. They call me rabbit because I have two big teeth.

My self-esteem decreased. When they start bullying me, I was too shy to smile. I was questioning God why he gave me this kind of teeth. And always wishing that I have beautiful teeth so I can smile confidently. When I was in grade 7, I met people who motivated me to smile. They always told me that I am beautiful when I am smiling. I am glad that I met them because my self-esteem came back but not that much.

So when I was in grade 8, I decided to have braces to fix my teeth. When I got braces, I confidently can smile. I am grateful to my friends for building my self-esteem and bringing back my smile.

"MY BODY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MY WORTH"

Open Letter to the youth: Do not think that you are not worth it and your body is imperfect. Keep in mind that you have your path to be happy. Do not look at other people and take what they say.

Your body, your soul, and your mind are yours. It does not belong to others. When things go wrong and you feel lost, don't think too hard. Just keep yourself distracted with something you love, and everything will turn out for the best.

EXPERIENCES | OPEN LETTER TO THE YOUTH

MS. DANIELLA ILANO Society will bring you down, but you need to break the chains to move on and go higher. Always remember that as a woman we are powerful and we have strengths that scare the world. You can break down and cry all day, but you need to collect every piece of your heart and stand back and fight again. Things are going hard. You need to face your fear and stand on your own.

PARALUMAN | 08

MY JOURNEY TO BODY ACCEPTANCE MS. LEI ONTAWAR “WHEN YOU JUDGE A WOMAN BY HER APPEARANCE, IT DOESN’T DEFINE HER, IT DEFINES YOU.” -DR. STEVE MARABOLI Growing up in a society where we were supposed to have a perfect body and beautiful face. No matter how much my family love me and support me in every aspect of my life, I could never appreciate and love my body. My body shaming story is no different from others.

Since I was a kid, I have always been the fat girl in our family. I know that I can never be the sexy one or a girl with a curvy body. I also have many scars on my body. Because when I was a kid, I love playing outside. Whenever I went to school, I wear jackets and high socks. One time, when I am eating my brunch in school alone. I overheard my classmate from another table saying, “Thank God I don’t have a body like her. Look at her she’s big and the scars in her body are ugly and she is, too”.

Here’s the best part of my journey, my friends trying to give me a lesson about my diet and calorie intake, not knowing that I already deprived myself of food to look thin and sexy-and if my parents allow me, I will not going to eat in a day.

I still remember when some of my elementary friends call me “Big Mama” and “Galisin” those comments broke me and my confidence. I always cry in my room. And every time I look in the mirror, I criticize and hate my body because of their comments. I am ashamed of myself. I have become more anxious.

When my mom entered my room and saw me crying, she asked me why and told her about it. She comforts me. And we went to a physician to check me. She also decided to transfer me to a different school to have a fresh start. In 2019, I found my best friend.

EXPERIENCES | OPEN LETTER TO THE YOUTH

Who always compliments me. She always messages me about how beautiful and perfect I am. After three years of battling, I found someone who sees me as who I am and not who she wants me to be. I appreciate her efforts to bring my confidence back. When I ask her about my imperfection, she always says this statement “You are beautiful. Stop comparing and listening to others”.

From that moment, I start loving my body and be comfortable with it. The society that we live in today has its meaning of beauty. Today’s beauty standards say that women should be white, flawless, stay skinny with curves and be young. If you have dark skin, they’ll mock you. And If you are fat, they will criticize you. Let’s break this standard we should live in our world. Let’s stop explaining ourselves and telling people everything. We owe no one any explanation of who and what we are. Your life is yours, not theirs.

My message to the youth is that you shouldn’t be shy about the world. You are perfect. The world should value a woman like you. Always keep in mind that you are worth it and valuable. Stop comparing yourself to others. You will never find your happiness by doing that. When they throw you hatred, collect it and build your empire. Find your power in your beauty and scars. We are all survivors. And we should be proud of our bodies and how amazing they are, no matter the way they look. We are all beautiful in our way. Lastly, I would like to say: You are young, and you are not supposed to be ashamed for not figuring out life yet. Everything will work out.

PARALUMAN | 08

ACNE DOESN'T DEFINE ME MS. RHOMELIA MAGNO

I experienced bullying when I was a child. As far as I can remember, I was in 2nd and 4th grade. I was bullied because of the mole on the tip of my nose. I can hear my classmates saying "mickey mouse" or sometimes they sing mickey mouse's theme song.

In another bullying scene, my kapitbahay playmates were mocking me because I have fair skin. They call me "white lady/multo" They won't even want to play with me. And for a kid who just wants to mingle with other kids, that was sorrowful. So, I had no choice but to play by myself. Time passed, I was 12 years old, and I was in 6th grade. I had full-face acne, and I was the only person in class who has acne. Sadly, for a girl whose puberty is just starting, bullying is inevitable. I can remember how much self-doubt I felt. As long as I have acne, I will never be happy, I said. I was also bullied until 7th grade. I had been saying to myself that I will never be enough. Every night, I cried, and I cannot help asking God to remove all of these. I already tried plenty of products, but nothing worked. I tried going to face clinic, but it didn't help me that much. i may not mention it all but, I have faced a lot of trials in my life at an early age. People ask me how did I overcome those challenges?

For the youth and mothers out there, I want to congratulate you on who you've become today. It doesn't matter if you are in opposition right now. Still, you are in the process of growth. I want you all to know that you are all beautiful. No matter what society says, no matter what standard is set right now, you are extraordinary. Your scars, your marks, your shape, your color, matter beautifully. I want you to realize that the sunset will never be as beautiful as the flower. The same thing happens for us, human beings. We are uniquely beautiful that we should never compare ourselves to others.

For the mothers, I salute you all. You are the hand that rocks the cradle, who also rules the world. You are a decisive influence on the future direction of society because you raise and nurture the next generation.

You all deserve praise. Stand tall, chin up, and don't let your crown fall down.

The answer is it requires a lot of patience. Patience for yourself, and loving yourself more. Self-hatred won't let you move. Find people who can lift you up and understand your pain completely.

Make a change in your personality. Sometimes depending on other's praise will make you dependent. Learn to celebrate your success alone. Lastly, keep in your mind that comparison is the thief of joy. So, don't ever compare yourself to other people's beauty.

EXPERIENCES | OPEN LETTER TO THE YOUTH

PARALUMAN | 09

REFERENCES: PARALUMAN https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraluman THE ORIGIN OF FILIPINO WOMEN https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_the_Philippi nes WHAT IS FEMINISM https://www.britannica.com/topic/feminism DEBUNKING MYTHS ABOUT WOMEN https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325890 https://www.uranj.com/blog/6-myths-about-vaginalcare https://thefalcon.kinkaid.org/3818/opinion/stoptelling-women-emotional/ https://business.linkedin.com/talentsolutions/blog/diversity/2018/working-women-myths https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/02/7-mythbusting-reasons-we-should-be-investing-in-women/ https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/02/7-mythbusting-reasons-we-should-be-investing-in-women/