#filipinx

Local Filipinos once again fighting against the international Filipino community for pushing the “Filipinx” term as a gender-neutral alternative even though “Filipino” is already considered gender-neutral. This has been happening every few months for several years now, and I think it’s time I give my two cents.

First of all, it is true that “Filipino” is perceived as a gender-neutral term here in the Philippines. So, why all the fuss over it?

Well, one must also acknowledge that the term itself is not native to the country. The country’s name (las Islas Filipinas, ‘the Philippine Islands’) was coined by the Spaniards in honor of King Philip II of Spain. And the term Filipino/Philippino back then was used to refer not just to the native indio community, but also to the local Spaniard community. It can be said, then, that the word “Filipino” adopted the sensibilities of the Spanish language. And Spanish is a very gendered language: nouns ending with -o are considered masculine, while those ending with -a are feminine.

Although Spanish is no longer spoken today in the Philippines, its gendered rules influence the native languages of the country in subtle ways. For example, the native Tagalog word “ginoo” was used to refer to both men and women in pre-colonial times, but because of Spanish influence, the female version “ginang” was made. So, now, “ginoo” only refers to a man. Philippine languages also retain several Spanish words in their vocabulary, such as amigo and amiga to refer to a male and female friend, respectively. So to say, there is a degree of gendered-ness that is undeniably now a part of our language/s.

But does this apply to “Filipino”?

Here in the Philippines, you can often find ads marketed towards women using the term “Filipina” to make their products more appealing. e.g. “For the Filipina beauty” and “For the modern Filipina” etc. etc.

But that’s just in capitalist language. In everyday use, nobody thinks of only men when the term “Filipino” is used. No woman growing up here in the Philippines would also just refer to themselves as a “Filipina” in casual conversation. In official government documents, one’s citizenship would be listed as “Filipino” regardless of what gender you identify with. Nobody explicitly identifies as “Filipina.” It’s unnecessary.

“Filipino” may have had Spanish roots, but our people have already reclaimed the term for ourselves and used it to adapt to our sensibilities. Spain may have colonized us then, but now we’re “colonizing” them back by taking what they gave us and making it our own. By insisting that it’s still Spanish in nature and therefore masculine, it’s like saying that we’ve never really broken free from our colonial past. And I think that’s extremely disrespectful to the history of our language.

The people pushing the “Filipinx” term think they are being more inclusive by removing the -o suffix. I disagree. What they’re doing is akin more to enforcing a new set of foreign rules onto our language. They are subjecting the term “Filipino,” which has already been localized through years of painful history, to a second form of colonization—an Americanization with the addition of the -x.

The letter X is not even naturally part of the Tagalog alphabet. No native word is spelled with an X. It was only later added to the Filipino alphabet in consideration of foreign terms that have it:

“Filipinx,” therefore, sounds and looks unnatural to the native Filipino, thereby alienating them from their own identity. It is extremely disrespectful and shows a lack of understanding on how Philippine languages work.

Gwynnevere Cristobal and Jay De La Cruz on set of "High Tides" (Dir. Carla Grace Fajardo). November 22, 2024 @ Bindlestiff Studios, San Francisco, CA

“Our Bahandi, Our Wealth” is a book about 25 Filipino/a/x Americans from different parts of the United States. Justine Villanueva interviewed all of the families involved, young and old, and bestowed upon me the honor of drawing them all for their book.

We started in 2023 and just found out the book is printed! Find it at Filipino festivals happening in the California-Bay Area this weekend for Filipino American History Month. Look for any Filipino bookshops with the book, or seek out Sawaga River Press or Justine!

Filipino Island Fest in Alameda (2151 Ferry Point)

Saturday, October 4th, 11am to 8pm

https://www.filipinoislandfest.com/

Kasayahan in Daly City (Gellert Park)

Saturday, October 4, 11am-4pm

More info at Daly City Parks and Recreation

Filipino Barrio Fiesta in Livermore (2400 First Street, downtown)

Sunday, October 5, 10am to 8pm

https://www.livermorefilam.org/filipinobarriofiesta

An original short story loosely based on Filipinx mythos and culture

A respected Salamangkero

Never fully trusted, but never doubted

Some say she's made of several different spirits, combined into one fleshy prison

Some say she's a deity born into a humans body

Some say she's just plain crazy but found the right magix to gain notoriety

Nonetheless, the only thing people don't dispute is that she is to be feared if she is coming for u. Gang members, politicians, and deadbeat parents don't dare speak her name. Anyone who speaks her name is said to have an eye cast on them for 3 days. If they don't pass her test of moral judgment, they can expect to see her that night.

Some believe she is Aswang. Some believe she is immortal and that's how she gained such immense power. Some say she sold her soul.

But in the dead of the night, 3 hours after the sun fully sets, she will visit those who prove immoral, manipulative, or ethically vile. Rarely will she come in her physical human form, and if she does on her first visit to u, I would say run but u wouldn't make it 2 steps before she'd have ur throat sliced open.

How she reaches out to u will show the severity of ur offense.

If she is but a whisper in the night, location of her voice unknown, u may have crossed someone's path wrong.

If u see a silver crow perched on ur windowsill, speak kindly of those around u.

If u hear a scratching on ur bedframe, be careful how u pursue others.

And if u see maroon shadow in the corners of ur rooms, count the minutes til u meet her.

Now how in the hell did I end up sitting on my bed, facing the only corner dark enough to cast shadows, waiting for a crimson hue to show.

Hoping for a crimson hue.

Almost praying for a crimson hue..

Ive never heard of her coming when called to, but the Lola down the way told me that if ur heart is filled with enough pain, retribution, and emotional torment, she might hear ur cries for relief. And goddess knows I'm full of rage and hurt. After what that man did at the party, how could u not??

Lola Bebe told me that she heard that the Crimson Shadow has been around since she was in her 30s. The first time she heard of this mage was when a foster mother was found hanging from the tree in front of the beat down and decrepit home paid for by the 7 foster kids government checks.

The kids all looked scrawny beyond belief, their eyes were empty and when u looked into them u coukd see nothing but the void. CPS didn't care enough to do anything, what's a few more brown and black kids starving to death?? Lola Bebe said one day, she saw the "mother" walking to the store, in her knock off name brand sweatpants and bulky glasses. Lola Bebe said she was so full of disdain, resentment, and empathy for the kids being abused that she spit in the woman's direction. The woman noticed and immediately got defensive and started stepping to Lola, but Lola don't fuck around. She immediately started cursing this woman out, calling her everything under the sun that could equate to a parasitic leech on society. She spoke on how this woman put a curse on the name "mother" and that she deserved nothing more than to die at the hands of her own "children". She said that no one should ever have to have a parental figure that profits more than the child is given to grow. She said that is the grandest sin to use a child, nonetheless 7 of them, to live a generic brand boujie life that she obviously is not worthy of.

The woman became flippant, throwing insults, spitting accusations, and brewing up assumptions of Lola Bebes personal life as a single woman with no kids. She stepped closer and closer, until she stood a mere 3 feet away.

Lola Bebe warned her not to step any closer, that she grew up in Glendale and she wasn't to be fucked with. This did not deter the broodmother, and she stepped a foot closer. She was immediately met with a swift push to the chest, and the wanna-be Kardashian fell against the tree bark in front of Lola's house. She scraped her elbow and sfarted bleeding on the back, while she barked about a lawsuit, even though we all know damn well she didn't even know what a lawyer actually does.

That very night, Lola Bebe swears she heard a whisper as she fell asleep, unable to rest her mind until around 11 pm. She was startled at first, but oddly enough she felt a sense of calm wash over her. The whisper wasn't coming for her, it was reassuring her of her good deeds during the day.

Lo and behold, the next day Miss Applegate was hanging from the tree, suspended by 7 hooks connected to the chains. Each hook dug into her chest, ripping her ribs, breasts, and heart open to the world. The look on her face was of utter terror. It was almost as if she had woken up hooked to the tree, and only had a few seconds to register what was going on before her throat was slit.

Her body looked like all the blood had been drained from it, but yet there was no pool of blood beneath her in the dirt.

Lola says this is why people are afraid the Crimson Shadow is an Aswang. Many of her victims are drained of their blood. But Lola Bebe begs to differ.

See every victim who is bloodletted doesn't have bite marks. They are each punctured in their jugular, carefully and precisely with a single stab wound. Or their throat is slit open. There are rumors of one man having his entire heart ripped from his sternum, but Lola says that's just gossip and tall tales. 

The way Lola Bebe speaks of the Crimson Shadow almost has a tinge of not only respect, but familiarity to it. I asked her once, after coming to her a few times to hear stories about the Salamangkero, if she knows who this entity is.

She let a small chuckle out, but then immediately hid any form of friendly demeanor.

She looked me dead in the eyes with a severity that chilled me to my bones.

K!mmortal for 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘦𝘦𝘬

K!mmortal has absolutely rocked my world since I stumbled across their music. This queer, non-binary Filipinx artist, rapper, and activist addresses global issues, and also champions Asian empowerment alongside their personal journey navigating their identity! They are an artist in the truest sense!

Here is a playlist of my favorite songs from the artist!