History has shown Filipinx are valued
for our labor, not our voices. But the only thing more consistent than our
exploitation and oppression is our resilience in the face of it. #FilipinoAmericanHistoryMonth
There are many horror stories about Filipinx being mistreated. Whether
working in our home countries or as Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), we’re
treated as a servant class no matter where we are—suffering long hours, low
wages and benefits, and intentionally dehumanizing treatment.
For example, in 2019, a Filipina maid in Saudi Arabia was tied to a
tree as “punishment” by her employers. An animator in the Philippines
was fired for demanding a full-time salary for his full-time work. Filipina
nurses who tried to quit an abusive New York nursing home got stuck in indentured
servitude. Out of 66 US allies in WWII, only Filipino vets were denied payment
and benefits that the US promised. Call center employees working as outsourced
low-wage labor for US corps who’ve earned promotions and higher pay are given
unrealistic quotas to get them fired. The list goes on.
I even experienced this myself in May, when I lost my publisher of 10+
years for—ironically—talking about the racism and oppression Filipinx and other
Asians face. They were happy to publish my stories centering non-Filipinx, but
not when I decided to center myself and other Fil-Ams.
In my industry (comics), the exploitation of Filipinx is a well-kept
secret. In a recently released video by DC Comics—which was meant to highlight
Filipinx creators—they inadvertently admit to hiring Filipinx only to
circumvent paying striking American creators better wages.
But Filipinx don’t stay silent, we fight back. From legendary
Lapu-Lapu, Gabriela Silang, and the Katipunan—who resisted Spanish colonization
and fought for independence—to Fil-Am labor leader Larry Itliong, Filipinx have
a long tradition of organizing protests and revolutions.
Yet when we do speak up, our contributions can still be
erased—sometimes by other POC. Itliong spearheaded a highly effective labor
movement in the 30s and 40s when he organized the Delano grape strike and
unionized laborers, but his work is often credited solely to César Chávez. A
search for Itliong’s name will result in articles and books that always
acknowledge his collaboration with Chávez. But if you search for Chávez’s name,
Itliong is rarely mentioned. This erasure hurts even more so because the whole
movement was about solidarity between Mexican-Americans and Fil-Ams.
What this means is Filipinx are seen as exploitable labor by pretty
much everyone: whites, other POC, even our own. That’s why a major part of the
Philippines’ economy relies on remittances from OFWs sending their earnings
home—one of the country’s biggest exports is people.
So on this last day of #FilipinoAmericanHistoryMonth, let’s all commit to
fighting racial and class injustice, uplifting Fil-Am and Filipinx voices, and
recognizing Filipinx contributions all year-round.
If you enjoy my comics, please pledge
to Patreon or donate to Paypal. I recently lost my publisher for trying to
publish these strips, so your support keeps me going until I can find a new
publisher/lit agent.
I didn’t know Mr. T pityed fool’s that weren’t woke, but that’s awesome. #respect
“I think about my father being called ‘boy’, my uncle being called ‘boy’, my brother, coming back from Vietnam and being called ‘boy’. So I questioned myself:“What does a black man have to do before he’s given the respect as a man?” So when I was 18 years old, when I was old enough to fight and die for my country, old enough to drink, old enough to vote, I said I was old enough to be called a man. I self-ordained myself Mr. T so the first word out of everybody’s mouth is “Mr.” That’s a sign of respect that my father didn’t get, that my brother didn’t get, that my mother didn’t get.“
-Mr. T on the subject of his name
I had no idea he put this much thought into this wow
I wonder why we dont hear about this…
Mr. T’s raw power vaporizing the guy in the last gif
Multiple workers coalitions shut down Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges this morning. NY has denied financial assistance to unemployed and undocumented workers, failed to cancel rent, chooses not to tax the rich, and underfunds public schools.
The government’s response to COVID on all levels is now a year-long failure to contain the virus and support workers. Over half a million people nationally were left to die.
invader zim is the only childrens cartoon i know of that had its third eye open like this i think we should bring this back
“mrs bitters why dont they take the money they spent on police and prisons and use it to fund widely available social services, housing, and education?” “that answer wasnt in the video”
This blog is mostly so I can vent my feelings and share my interests. Other than that, I am nothing special.
If you don't like Left Wing political thought and philosophy, all things related to horror, the supernatural, the grotesque, guns or the strange, then get the fuck out. I just warned you.