The Filipina in Cyberspace

An email from Clair (via Digital Mercenary, Ergoe, and Milky Soft) alerted me to the fact that when the term "Filipina" is Googled, the top hits are mostly for mail-order brides. Consider this my humble contribution to the campaign to restore the Filipina's dignity online.

In "Meta Search," I wrote that not all search engines are created equal. And so, while Google is important, we might as well see what comes up on other search engines for the term "Filipina." Jux2 limits its searches to the top three search engines (e.g., Google, Yahoo, Ask Jeeves), while Ixquick looks at just about all the other search engines except Google.

The verdict? While there are variations in ranking, most of the hits in the top 10 do not exactly paint flattering or realistic portraits of the Filipina. And so, instead of just Googlebombing in favor of one site—which would leave nine other undesirable results in the top 10—I suggest that those who have websites or blogs link to one or all of the following:

Definitions of Filipina:

• Wikipedia
• Merriam-Webster
• American Heritage

Filipina Organizations:

• Filipina Women's Network
• Gabriela Network
• Bagong Pinay
• Purple Rose Campaign

Articles and Statistics on the Filipina:

• "Philippine Heroines of the Revolution: Maria Clara they were not"
• "Not Just the Maid: Negotiating Filipina Identity in Italy"
• Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence

Filipina Writers:

• Ateneo Library of Women's Writings
• Babaylan: An Anthology of Filipina and Filipina American Writers
• Pinay Power: Peminist Critical Theory

And finally, just to show that not all websites about Filipina brides are owned by male chauvinists, check out www.asawa.org. There are, in fact, more than just a few good men who care about women.


Tags: Filipina, Filipinas