Editorial: Multiracial queens

(Editorial Cartoon by Joshua Cabrera)
(Editorial Cartoon by Joshua Cabrera)

THERE’S an interesting twist in Catriona Gray winning for the Philippines the Miss Universe crown in Bangkok, Thailand recently. An Australian paper, Courier Mail, reporting on Gray’s triumph on its front page, crossed out the word “Philippines” and replaced it with the word “Queensland.”

Gray was born to an Australian father, Ian Gray, and a Filipino mother, Normita Magnayon. She grew up and was educated in Cairns in Queensland and moved to the Philippines in 2011 to pursue her modeling career. Cairns officials are planning to give Catriona a grand reception should she visit the city during her reign.

This is not the first time that a Filipina beauty pageant title holder is being mentioned for her “other” nationality. When Megan Young won the Miss World crown in 2013, then United States ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr. noted that she embodied the best of both the Philippines and the US.

Young was born in Alexandria, Virginia in 1990 to an American father and a Filipino mother. She moved to Olongapo City at age 10. “We don’t have a toast tonight. But we’re saying three things: Mabuhay ang Pilipinas, mabuhay ang America at mabuhay ang Ms. World!” Thomas said then.

Pia Wurtzbach, who won the Miss Universe crown in 2015, was born to a German father, Uwe Wurtzbach, and to a Filipina mother Cheryl Alonzo. If there was an issue regarding her nationality when she won the crown, that was drowned by the controversy over Miss Universe pageant host Steve Harvey misreading the winner of the crown as Miss Colombia instead of Wurtzbach.

Some Filipino netizens were quick to criticize the Australian paper for what it did. They have forgotten that Filipinos also have a penchant for claiming as their own foreigners with Filipino blood. When Fil-foreigners succeed, the netizens’ mantra has always been, “proud to be Filipino.”

There is no doubt that Catriona identifies herself more as a Filipina but it would also be wrong for her not to acknowledge her Australian blood and upbringing. In a way, her being multiracial played a big part in her Miss Universe win.

Instead of ranting, let us all make the best of the outcome of the Filipino “diaspora.”

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