Newsflash, everyone: It's 2024, and the last thing we need are unsolicited comments about how people should manage their own bodies. The amount of skin one chooses to show (or not show) should never, ever be a basis for how they should be perceived. Unfortunately, this remains to be a polarizing subject in the supposedly liberated Philippines, where conservative ideals still put a label on individuals, women especially, who choose to dress a certain way.
Luckily, a number of our beloved Filipina personalities aren't the type to take things sitting down. As hateful as slut shamers can get, you just can't stop an empowered woman from flaunting what she's got. Below, we round up several instances where they put disrespectful netizens in their place.
Local Celebrities Who Shut Down Slut-Shaming
1. Heart Evangelista
Practically the queen of classy clapbacks, Heart Evangelista's most recent joust with an unruly netizen was when one tweeted that she's "all about the boobs" nowadays. This was after the GMA News account posted a picture of her where her cleavage was seen.
The style maven first laid out the facts, and said that "men and woman have boobs. Should I remove mine? You tell me." She concluded things on a puzzled note, telling the Twitter user, "Labo mo tol."
2. Geneva Cruz
Just one scroll through her Instagram is enough to prove that Geneva Cruz loves flaunting her figure in a bikini. However, this, for some reason, irks some people on the internet. She was criticized in the past for posting a photo of herself in a sultry two-piece, with one person implying that she should "cover up."
To this, she replied: "I will wear a swimsuit on the beach or at home if I want to. No one should be shamed for wearing proper swimwear." In case it wasn't clear, she spelled it out for anyone else who may bash her: "I. DON'T. CARE. WHAT. YOU. THINK. OF. ME"
3. Ivana Alawi
Getting dubbed as the "Nation's Fantasy" comes with its own slew of naysayers. In a vlog, Ivana Alawi sat down to react to mean comments, one of which went, "maghubad ka na lang, nagdamit ka pa, bold star." The actress' initial response was to let out a chuckle, before explaining that she just simply wears what she wants. "Masaya ako mag-bikini, [kung ang] pagswi-swimsuit ko ay bold star sa'yo, e 'di bold star sa'yo," she says, referencing her evident love for hubadera fashion.
4. Lorin Gutierrez
Coming into her own and breaking out of the the label as "Ruffa Gutierrez's eldest daughter," Lorin Gutierrez has faced her fair share of bashers. In one of her many swimsuit OOTD posts, a netizen commented that she should cover up her body. She diligently responded, saying that, "my body doesn't belong to anyone else apart from me po. That means if I want to show it off, then I will."
Lorin went on, adding that, "Girls should be able to choose whether they want to be more conservative or showy depending on what they feel comfortable with." You tell 'em, Lorin!
5. Emmanuelle Atienza
Another starlet on the rise is Emmanuelle Atienza, the 16-year-old daughter of TV personality Kim Atienza. Some netizens felt the need to chastise Emmanuelle for her habit of posting "revealing" photos, with one even going as far as telling her off to her dad. "As a father how do you allow your daughter to post such revealing photos. Shame on you," one of them said to Kim in a comment.
Emmanuelle's clever clapback was to post yet another bikini photo, this time while covering her eyes. "Lol can't see the haters," she captioned.
6. Risa Hontiveros
As it turns out, even the most respected of public officials can become victims of unhinged slut shaming. During the 2019 State of the Nation Address, Sen. Risa Hontiveros was dressed in a barong-style top and a knee-length skirt as she posed for a group snap. On Twitter, a netizen called out her outfit by saying "Dear Risa Hontiveros, dress appropriately. There's a place and time to dress like a thirsty slut and a senator of the republic."
Risa's unbothered yet straight-to-the-point response? "Stop telling women how to dress," emphasized with clapping emojis between each word.
7. Inka Magnaye
Aside from the fact that she's a talented podcaster and voiceover talent, Inka Magnaye is well-loved by her followers for all the times she gets candid with them. On one occassion, she made a TikTok video where she rested her breasts on a table, stating that it's something "top heavy people" do when they're by a surface.
A commenter on Facebook berated her for the video, deeming it as inappropriate. "So maganda 'to para sa mga batang nakakakita?" he posed to Inka. The content creator speedily rebutted, saying that "Sexualizing something is a learned point of view. If a child sees this, they will just see a body part. It's sexual for you because you automatically sexualize me." We second!
8. Barbie Imperial
Barbie Imperial responded to an online basher who criticized her bikini photo. In her vlog, she addressed the comment, stating, "Wala kang [dapat]-alam kung ano gusto kong suotin, okay? Kasi hindi naman ikaw bumili ng swimsuit ko at hindi rin naman ikaw ang nag-picture sa'kin." She asserted that a woman's attire should not define her dignity, adding, "Kahit anong suot ng babae, hindi dapat binabastos 'yung babae." When told to be more conservative, Barbie replied, "I'll respect your opinion but for me kasi, this is my body. It's not like ginagawa ko siya for papansin." Proud of her hard-earned physique, she made it clear, "Love ko 'yung body ko eh, pinaghirapan ko 'to sa gym," stressing that women should feel free to flaunt whatever they want, whenever they want.
9. Xyriel Manabat
Former child star Xyriel Manabat is back in the spotlight after her role in Dirty Linen made quite the impression on her viewers. But aside from her stellar acting, she’s also made quite the glow up. Now a young adult, she's confidently embracing her curves, although it hasn't always been easy. In a previous Star Magic video, Xyriel responded to a body-shaming comment: "Sobrang laki naman ng boobs mo! Pabawas mo 'yan, baka mabastos ka!" She addressed this by saying, "Minsan yung iba pong kino-commentan natin ng ganito, hindi po kasi kasing-tibay ng loob ko... Pwede po wag niyo po ako manduhan sa katawan ko. Tignan niyo na lang, scroll niyo na lang, huwag na po kayo mag-comment hangga't maaari." She emphasized, "Hindi po body type ng tao ang mag-aadjust kung hindi yung utak po natin." She couldn’t have said it any better!
10. Andrea Brillantes
Andrea Brillantes has been in the spotlight since she was seven, and now in her twenties, she’s encountered her share of negative comments, including body-shaming from a young age. For instance, at just 15, she faced slut-shaming when a now-deleted photo accidentally revealed her bra. In a detailed post, she defended herself, saying, “I was supposed to say sorry to everyone who felt uncomfortable about it, but no, I realized I shouldn’t be sorry. I mean, why should I? I’m a woman and wearing a bra is normal…shaming a 15-year-old because of it is not normal.” You tell them, Andrea!
11. Kylie Verzosa
Kylie Verzosa is no stranger to criticism, especially when it comes to her choice of outfits. Case in point: previously, a swimsuit photo sparked a negative comment suggesting she should wear an "abaya" for a more “mysterious” vibe. Kylie handled the comment with a witty reply: “Mommy try mo OnlyFans, baka mas exciting for you,” referring to the adult content platform. She had also addressed a critic who claimed she became a “hoe” after her breakup with Jake Cuenca, responding, “Thank God I didn’t understand this language. Sana gamitin nyo na lang sa ikabubuhay niyo mga mashonda.” LOL!
12. Jessy Mendiola
Jessy Mendiola celebrated her 31st birthday with a sultry photoshoot, showcasing her confidence in ab-baring outfits, including a cheeky white bikini and sheer cover-up. While her fans and celebrity friends showered her with birthday wishes, a rude Instagram user criticized her for showing skin, claiming it was inappropriate for a mother. Jessy hit back with a powerful message, stating, "So kapag may anak bawal na maging comfortable sa sariling katawan? Stop mom/parent shaming." She emphasized that being a mom doesn’t mean she can’t be confident in her own skin, sharing the comment on her story to drive her point home.
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